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Quick answer: Most SSL warnings come from an expired certificate, a certificate that doesn't cover the address being visited (such as www), or a page loading some content over http. Renew or reissue the certificate and fix the http links.
Common warnings and causes
| Warning | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "Your connection is not private" / expired | The certificate wasn't renewed | Renew it and check that auto-renewal works |
| Name mismatch | The certificate doesn't cover www or a subdomain | Reissue it to cover every name you use |
| "Not secure" on an https page | Mixed content: images or scripts loaded over http | Change those links to https |
| Site shows "Not secure" on http | No redirect from http to https | Add a site-wide redirect to https |
Why free certificates stop renewing
Automatic renewal checks that the domain points to the server. It fails when DNS was changed, the domain was moved, or a redirect or firewall blocks the check. Fix the cause, then reissue.
On your own computer only?
If only one device shows the warning, check that its date and time are correct and that antivirus "web shields" aren't intercepting connections.
Prevent it
Use hosting that monitors certificate renewals and alerts you before expiry, and avoid DNS changes without checking SSL afterwards.
Domains & Hosting from Digitalx, priced in writing before we start.