Why Your Website Shows a 'Your Connection Is Not Private' Error and How to Fix It

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: Why Your Website Shows a 'Your Connection Is Not Private' Error and How to Fix It. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

When visitors try to access your website and see a warning that their connection is not private, it usually means there is a problem with your site's SSL/TLS certificate. This certificate encrypts data between your website and your visitors' browsers. When it is missing, expired, or misconfigured, modern browsers such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Apple Safari display a security warning to protect users. While this error can be alarming, most causes are straightforward to diagnose and resolve.

Quick Fix Steps

1. Refresh the page after waiting a few minutes to rule out a temporary connection glitch.
2. Check that your website address begins with https:// rather than http://.
3. Confirm your SSL certificate has not expired by viewing the certificate details in your browser.
4. Clear your browser cache and try accessing the site in an incognito or private window.
5. Contact your hosting provider or domain registrar if the certificate appears expired or invalid.

Detailed Instructions

Check the SSL Certificate in Your Browser

1. Open your website in Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Apple Safari.
2. Click the security icon to the left of the website address in the address bar.
3. Select Connection is secure or Certificate, depending on your browser.
4. Review the expiry date and the issuing certificate authority.
5. If the date has passed, your certificate has expired and must be renewed.

Renew or Reinstall Your SSL Certificate

1. Log in to your web hosting control panel or domain registrar account.
2. Navigate to the SSL/TLS, Security, or Website Security section.
3. Select your domain and choose the option to renew, reissue, or install a certificate.
4. If you use a free certificate such as Let's Encrypt, run the renewal command or click Renew in your hosting dashboard.
5. Save the changes and wait for the certificate to propagate, which can take up to an hour.

Fix Mixed Content Warnings

1. Open your website and press F12 to open Developer Tools.
2. Click the Console tab.
3. Look for warnings stating that insecure content (http://) is being loaded on a secure page.
4. Update those links in your website files or content management system to use https://.
5. Save your changes and refresh the website.

Clear Browser Cache and SSL State

1. In Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, press Ctrl + Shift + Delete.
2. Select Cached images and files and click Clear data.
3. In Apple Safari, go to Safari > Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data > Remove All.
4. Restart the browser and revisit your website.

Troubleshooting

Certificate Issued for the Wrong Domain

Ensure the SSL certificate matches your exact domain name. A certificate for www.example.com.au may not cover example.com.au unless both are listed as subject alternative names. Reissue the certificate to include all variations of your domain.

Certificate Not Trusted

Self-signed certificates are not trusted by browsers and will trigger a privacy error. Use a certificate issued by a recognised certificate authority, or install a free trusted certificate through your hosting provider.

Server Date and Time Incorrect

If your web server's clock is incorrect, SSL certificates may appear invalid. Verify that your server is set to the correct time zone and that automatic time synchronisation is enabled.

If you have checked your certificate expiry, renewed the SSL, and cleared your browser cache but the error persists, Open a Ticket with your hosting provider for further assistance.

If you host with us, you don't need to do this yourself — just Open a Ticket and our Brisbane team will get it sorted.

Still Having Issues?