What is SSL? Why does my site show a “Not secure” warning?

SSL (today TLS) is the technology that encrypts the connection between the browser and the site. When it is active a padlock appears in the address bar and the address starts with https://.

Why it matters

• Passwords and personal data typed into forms cannot be read by third parties.
• Browsers mark unencrypted sites as “Not secure”.
• Search engines prefer sites that use HTTPS.

Common causes of the “Not secure” warning

1. No SSL certificate is installed on the site.
2. The certificate has expired.
3. A certificate may be needed separately for the www and non-www address; one may be installed and the other missing.
4. The page is HTTPS but some images or files load over HTTP (mixed content).

Steps to fix it

• Enable the SSL certificate for your domain in your hosting panel.
• Redirect HTTP requests to the HTTPS address.
• For mixed content, replace http:// links in the page source with https://.
• Make sure the certificate renews automatically.