WordPress is home to many website owners because it is a simple way to create and maintain a website. However, website maintenance is important to keep your website running properly. One common issue that WordPress website owners face is SSL errors.

If you are experiencing SSL errors on your WordPress website, then this article is for you. Here we’ll talk about what SSL is, common SSL errors in WordPress, and how to fix them.

What Is SSL?

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a protocol that website owners can use to add an extra layer of security to their websites. When you add an SSL to your website, all information that is sent between your website and your visitor’s web browsers will be encrypted. This makes it much harder for hackers to intercept and steal sensitive information like passwords and credit card numbers.

That being said, having problems with your WordPress SSL can be a big headache, and if you are unfamiliar with website maintenance or the SSL structure itself, it can be hard to tell whether or not your website has an SSL issue.

What Are Common SSL Issues in WordPress and How to Fix Them?

To give you some insight, here are some common SSL issues in WordPress:

1. The “NET::ERR_CERT_INVALID” Error

This often happens to Google Chrome users. The “NET::ERR_CERT_INVALID” error means that the website’s security certificate is not from a trusted source. If you check one of your website’s pages and this pop-up occurs, you most likely have an SSL that is not installed correctly or has the wrong settings or configuration.

If you’re seeing this error, it means that your website’s security certificate is not from a trusted source. To fix this, you need to install a valid SSL certificate from a trusted source. You should also make sure that the certificate is assigned to the right domain or subdomain. Check the expiry date of your certificate and renew it if it has expired.

2. Mixed Content Errors

Another common SSL issue in WordPress is the mixed content error. This error occurs when your website is trying to load both secure (HTTPS) and non-secure (HTTP) content at the same time.

Your website may be loading some content from a non-secure source, which is why you are seeing this error. To fix this, you will need to find and replace all non-secure URLs with secure ones.

A tool called Really Simple SSL can help with identifying and fixing mixed content errors. Once you have installed and activated the plugin, go to Settings then SSL. Once the application is active, it will do the job for you. You can also do it manually and change all HTTP to HTTPS yourself.

3. Multiple Redirects

Having too many redirects on your website can also lead to SSL errors. Redirects are often used to redirect website visitors from one page to another. However, if there are too many redirects on a website, it can cause website visitors to become frustrated and leave the website. This commonly happens when you allow your WordPress to enforce SSL/HTTPS in the admin area.

To fix such an error, you need to edit the wp-config.php file. You can do this by connecting to your website using an FTP client. Once you are connected, edit the wp-config.php file and add the following line of code:

define(‘FORCE_SSL_ADMIN’, true);

Save your changes and upload the updated wp-config.php file back to your website. This will force WordPress to use SSL/HTTPS when redirecting website visitors from the HTTP version of your website to the HTTPS version.

4. HTTP to HTTPS

Another SSL issue on our list is the HTTP to HTTPS redirect. This happens when your website is trying to redirect website visitors from an HTTP page to an HTTPS page, but it’s not working properly which causes website visitors to see an error message.

Again, with this kind of issue, you can use Really Simple LSS. If you opt to do it manually, you can edit your .htaccessfile. Locate, open, and add the following code:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

Make sure to save all changes. If you are not that confident to handle such a file, feel free to contact Launch Digital and see how we can help.

5. Name Mismatch Error

Last on our list is the name mismatch error. This error occurs when the domain name on your website’s security certificate does not match the browser URL.

To fix this error, you need to change the domain name on your website’s security certificate to match the browser URL. You can also simply add these codes to your .htaccess file:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

After doing so, save the changes and check if the error is still there. SSL error messages should no longer appear on your website.

How Can Launch Digital’s WordPress Care Plans Help?

Don’t have the luxury of time to monitor and fix WordPress SSL errors? Launch Digital Marketing offers website care plans that will take care of your website for you.

We have a team of WordPress experts who can help you with any technical issues you may encounter. We also offer regular website maintenance and backups to ensure that your website is always up and running.

From unlimited support and weekly backups to updates and performance scans, our website care plans have got you covered. So, if you’re looking for a reliable website care partner, Launch Digital is the one for you. Contact us today to get started!