How to Fix This Site Can’t Provide a Secure Connection (ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR) in Chrome

How to Fix This Site Can’t Provide a Secure Connection (ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR) in Chrome

How to Fix This Site Can’t Provide a Secure Connection (ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR) in Chrome

If you are using Google Chrome to browse the web, you may have encountered a “This site can’t provide a secure connection” error or an ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR message when you try to visit some websites. This error means that Chrome cannot establish a secure connection with the website using the SSL/TLS protocol, which is used to encrypt and authenticate the data exchanged between your browser and the website.

This error can prevent you from accessing the website and its content, and it can also indicate a potential security risk. Therefore, it is important to know how to fix this error and what causes it.

In this post, we will show you some common causes of this error and some possible solutions to fix it.

What causes this error?

There are many possible causes of this error, but they can be broadly categorized into two groups: client-side causes and server-side causes.

Client-side causes are related to your browser, your computer, or your network settings. Some examples of client-side causes are:

  • Incorrect date and time settings on your computer
  • Outdated or corrupted browser cache and cookies
  • Conflicting or incompatible browser extensions or plugins
  • Outdated or unsupported browser version
  • Incorrect or missing SSL certificates on your computer
  • Firewall, antivirus, or VPN software blocking or interfering with the SSL connection
  • Network issues or proxy settings preventing the SSL connection

Server-side causes are related to the website, its server, or its SSL certificate. Some examples of server-side causes are:

  • Expired, invalid, or self-signed SSL certificate on the website
  • Misconfigured or incompatible SSL protocol or cipher suite on the website
  • Server downtime or overload affecting the SSL connection
  • DNS issues or changes affecting the website’s domain name resolution

How to fix this error?

Depending on the cause of this error, there are different ways to fix it. Here are some common solutions that you can try:

Solution 1: Check and correct your date and time settings

One of the simplest and most common solutions to this error is to check and correct your date and time settings on your computer. The SSL protocol relies on accurate date and time information to verify the validity of the SSL certificates. If your date and time settings are incorrect, it can cause Chrome to reject the SSL connection and display this error.

To check and correct your date and time settings on Windows 10, follow these steps:

  1. Right-click on the clock icon on the taskbar and select Adjust date/time.
  2. Make sure that Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically are turned on. If not, turn them on and wait for a few seconds for Windows to synchronize your date and time with an online server.
  3. Alternatively, you can also manually set your date and time by turning off Set time automatically and clicking on Change under Change date and time.
  4. After adjusting your date and time settings, restart Chrome and try to visit the website again.

To check and correct your date and time settings on macOS, follow these steps:

  1. Click on the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
  2. Click on Date & Time.
  3. Make sure that Set date and time automatically is checked. If not, check it and select an appropriate time server from the drop-down list.
  4. Alternatively, you can also manually set your date and time by unchecking Set date and time automatically and clicking on the lock icon to make changes.
  5. After adjusting your date and time settings, restart Chrome and try to visit the website again.

Solution 2: Clear your browser cache and cookies

Another common solution to this error is to clear your browser cache and cookies. The browser cache is a temporary storage of web pages, images, scripts, and other data that Chrome uses to speed up your browsing experience. The cookies are small files that store information about your preferences, settings, login details, etc., for various websites that you visit.

Sometimes, outdated or corrupted cache and cookies can cause Chrome to display this error when trying to establish a secure connection with a website. Clearing your cache and cookies can help Chrome refresh its data and resolve any conflicts or errors.

To clear your cache and cookies in Chrome, follow these steps:

  1. Click on the three-dot icon at the top-right corner of Chrome and select Settings.
  2. Click on Privacy and security from the left sidebar.
  3. Click on Clear browsing data.
  4. Select a time range from the drop-down list. You can choose All time to clear everything, or choose a specific period if you know when the error started occurring.
  5. Check the boxes for Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.
  6. Click on Clear data.
  7. After clearing your cache and cookies, restart Chrome and try to visit the website again.

Solution 3: Disable or remove conflicting browser extensions or plugins

Another possible solution to this error is to disable or remove any conflicting browser extensions or plugins that may be interfering with the SSL connection. Browser extensions and plugins are additional features or functionalities that you can add to Chrome to enhance your browsing experience. However, some extensions or plugins may be incompatible, outdated, malicious, or poorly coded, and they may cause Chrome to display this error when trying to establish a secure connection with a website.

To disable or remove browser extensions or plugins in Chrome, follow these steps:

  1. Click on the three-dot icon at the top-right corner of Chrome and select More tools > Extensions.
  2. You will see a list of all the extensions or plugins that you have installed in Chrome. To disable an extension or plugin, uncheck the box next to Enabled. To remove an extension or plugin, click on the Remove button.
  3. After disabling or removing the extensions or plugins that you suspect may be causing the error, restart Chrome and try to visit the website again.

Solution 4: Update your browser to the latest version

Another potential solution to this error is to update your browser to the latest version. Chrome is constantly updated with new features, bug fixes, security patches, and compatibility improvements. Updating your browser can help you resolve any issues or errors that may be affecting your SSL connection.

To update your browser to the latest version in Chrome, follow these steps:

  1. Click on the three-dot icon at the top-right corner of Chrome and select Help > About Google Chrome.
  2. Chrome will automatically check for updates and download them if available. You will see a message saying “Google Chrome is up to date” if you already have the latest version, or “Update Google Chrome” if there is a new version available.
  3. If there is a new version available, click on Update Google Chrome and wait for the update to finish.
  4. After updating your browser, restart Chrome and try to visit the website again.

Solution 5: Update your operating system

Another possible solution to this error is to update your operating system. Your operating system is the software that runs your computer and manages its resources, processes, applications, etc. Updating your operating system can help you fix any bugs, vulnerabilities, compatibility issues, or performance problems that may be affecting your SSL connection.

To update your operating system on Windows 10, follow these steps:

  1. Click on the Start menu and select Settings.
  2. Click on Update & Security.
  3. Click on Windows Update from the left sidebar.
  4. Click on Check for updates and wait for Windows to scan for any available updates.
  5. If there are any updates available, click on Download and install and follow the instructions to complete the update process.
  6. After updating your operating system, restart your computer and try to visit the website again.

To update your operating system on macOS, follow these steps:

  1. Click on the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
  2. Click on Software Update.
  3. Click on Update Now and wait for macOS to download and install any available updates.
  4. After updating your operating system, restart your computer and try to visit the website again.

Solution 6: Temporarily disable firewall, antivirus, or VPN software

Another potential solution to this error is to temporarily disable any firewall, antivirus, or VPN software that may be blocking or interfering with the SSL connection. Firewall, antivirus, and VPN software are designed to protect your computer and network from malicious attacks, viruses, malware, etc., but sometimes they may also prevent legitimate connections from being established.

To temporarily disable firewall software on Windows 10, follow these steps:

  1. Click on the Start menu and select Settings.
  2. Click on Update & Security.
  3. Click on Windows Security from the left sidebar.
  4. Click on Firewall & network protection.
  5. Click on Domain network (or Private network or Public network depending on your network type).
  6. Turn off Windows Defender Firewall by clicking on the toggle switch.
  7. After disabling firewall software, try to visit the website again.

To temporarily disable antivirus software on Windows 10, follow these steps:

  1. Locate the icon of your antivirus software in the system tray (the area near the clock) and right-click on it.
  2. Select Disable protection (or a similar option) from the context menu and choose a time period for how long you want to disable it.
  3. After disabling antivirus software, try to visit the website again.

To temporarily disable VPN software on Windows 10, follow these steps:

  1. Locate the icon of your VPN software in the system tray (the area near the clock) and right-click on it.
  2. Select Disconnect (or a similar option) from the context menu to disconnect from your VPN server.
  3. After disabling VPN software, try to visit the website again.

To temporarily disable firewall software on macOS, follow these steps:

  1. Click on the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
  2. Click on Security & Privacy.
  3. Click on Firewall from the top tab.
  1. Click on the lock icon at the bottom-left corner and enter your administrator password to make changes.
  2. Click on Turn Off Firewall (or Turn On Firewall if it is already off) to toggle the firewall status.
  3. After disabling firewall software, try to visit the website again.

To temporarily disable antivirus software on macOS, follow these steps:

  1. Locate the icon of your antivirus software in the menu bar (the area near the clock) and click on it.
  2. Select Quit (or a similar option) from the drop-down menu to exit the antivirus software.
  3. After disabling antivirus software, try to visit the website again.

To temporarily disable VPN software on macOS, follow these steps:

  1. Locate the icon of your VPN software in the menu bar (the area near the clock) and click on it.
  2. Select Disconnect (or a similar option) from the drop-down menu to disconnect from your VPN server.
  3. After disabling VPN software, try to visit the website again.

Solution 7: Check and verify SSL certificate

Another possible solution to this error is to check and verify the SSL certificate of the website that you are trying to visit. The SSL certificate is a digital document that proves the identity and authenticity of the website and enables a secure connection between your browser and the website. However, sometimes the SSL certificate may be expired, invalid, self-signed, or misconfigured, and this can cause Chrome to display this error when trying to establish a secure connection with the website.

To check and verify the SSL certificate of a website in Chrome, follow these steps:

  1. Click on the padlock icon at the left side of the address bar and select Certificate from the drop-down menu.
  2. You will see a window that shows the details of the SSL certificate, such as its issuer, subject, validity period, etc.
  3. Check if the SSL certificate is valid, not expired, issued by a trusted authority, and matches the domain name of the website.
  4. If you find any issues with the SSL certificate, you can try to contact the website owner or administrator and inform them about it.
  5. Alternatively, you can also try to bypass the SSL error by clicking on Advanced at the bottom of the error page and then clicking on Proceed to website. However, this is not recommended as it may expose you to security risks.

Solution 8: Contact website owner or administrator

If none of the above solutions work for you, then the last resort is to contact the website owner or administrator and report the error to them. The error may be caused by some server-side issues that are beyond your control or knowledge, such as DNS issues, server downtime, server overload, etc. The website owner or administrator may be able to fix these issues or provide you with more information or assistance.

Conclusion

The error “This site can’t provide a secure connection” or ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR in Chrome means that Chrome cannot establish a secure connection with the website using the SSL/TLS protocol. This error can prevent you from accessing the website and its content, and it can also indicate a potential security risk.

In this post, we showed you some common causes of this error and some possible solutions to fix it. We hope this post has helped you understand and resolve this error in Chrome. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment below.