Fix HTTPS Not Working

TL;DR

Your browser isn’t recognising a secure (HTTPS) connection because of date/time issues on your computer, an invalid SSL certificate, or problems with the website itself. This guide walks you through checking and fixing these common causes.

1. Check Your Computer’s Date and Time

An incorrect date or time can cause browsers to reject valid HTTPS certificates. Certificates are only valid within a specific timeframe.

1. Windows: Right-click the clock in the taskbar, select ‘Adjust date/time’. Make sure ‘Set time automatically’ and ‘Set time zone automatically’ are turned on. If not, turn them on or manually set the correct date and time.
   You can also check by opening Command Prompt and typing

   date /t

   and

   time /t

   .

2. macOS: Click the Apple menu > System Settings > General > Date & Time. Ensure ‘Set date and time automatically’ is enabled. If not, enable it or set the correct date and time manually.
   You can also check by opening Terminal and typing

   date

   .

3. Restart your browser after making any changes to the date/time settings.

2. Clear Your Browser’s SSL State

Sometimes, old or corrupted SSL data in your browser can cause problems.

1. Chrome: Type

   chrome://flags/#ssl-state

   into the address bar and press Enter. Click ‘Reset all’. Restart Chrome.
   Alternatively, clear browsing data (history, cookies, cached images & files) for ‘All time’ in Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data.

2. Firefox: Type

   about:config

   into the address bar and press Enter. Accept the risk! Search for ‘security.ssl.enable_ocsp_stapling’. Double-click it to toggle it to its default value (usually true). Restart Firefox.
   Alternatively, clear browsing data (history, cookies) in Settings > Privacy & Security > Clear Data.

3. Edge: Type

   edge://flags/#ssl-state

   into the address bar and press Enter. Click ‘Reset all’. Restart Edge.
   Alternatively, clear browsing data (history, cookies, cached images & files) for ‘All time’ in Settings > Privacy, search and services > Clear browsing data.

4. Safari: Safari doesn’t have a direct SSL state reset option. Try clearing history (Safari > History > Clear History).

3. Check the Website’s Certificate

The problem might be with the website’s certificate itself.

1. Look for the padlock icon: In your browser’s address bar, click on the padlock icon (usually to the left of the web address).
2. View Certificate: Select ‘Certificate’ or ‘Connection is secure’. A window will appear showing details about the certificate.
3. Check Validity Dates: Ensure the certificate’s validity dates haven’t expired and that it covers the website you are visiting.
   If the certificate has expired, the website administrator needs to renew it.
4. Check Issuer: Verify the certificate is issued by a trusted Certificate Authority (CA). If it’s self-signed or from an unknown CA, your browser will likely flag it as insecure.

4. Temporarily Disable Antivirus/Firewall

Sometimes, antivirus software or firewalls can interfere with HTTPS connections.

1. Temporarily disable your antivirus and firewall (one at a time) to see if that resolves the issue.
   Be careful! Only do this for testing purposes and re-enable them immediately afterwards.
2. If disabling the software fixes the problem, check its settings to ensure it’s not blocking HTTPS traffic or scanning SSL connections incorrectly. Consult your antivirus/firewall documentation for instructions on how to configure these settings.

5. Check Browser Extensions

Some browser extensions can interfere with secure connections.

1. Disable Extensions: Disable all browser extensions temporarily.
   Chrome:

   chrome://extensions/

   Firefox:

   about:addons

   Edge:

   edge://extensions/

2. Restart your browser. If the problem is resolved, re-enable extensions one by one to identify the culprit.

6. Update Your Browser

An outdated browser might not support newer security protocols.

1. Ensure you are using the latest version of your browser. Most browsers have an ‘About’ section where you can check for updates.
   Chrome: Settings > About Chrome
2. Firefox: Help > About Firefox
3. Edge: Settings > About Microsoft Edge

7. Contact the Website Administrator

If none of the above steps work, the issue is likely on the website’s end. Contact the website administrator and let them know about the problem.