The great advancement of the web in the last decade or so, which many people have not noticed, is the implementation of HTTPS, the improved security it brings to the web HTTPS is a secure version of the HTTP protocol that allows websites to connect to each other and us to browse the web.
Modern browsers will not connect to sites that do not use HTTPS or that have outdated or invalid security certificates. When this happens when you are using Safari, you will see an error message that says “Safari cannot establish a secure connection to the server”. In this article, we’ll explain why this happens and what you can do about it. it.
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What does “Safari cannot establish a secure connection” mean?
In its most basic form, an error message means that Safari does not trust the website you are trying to visit. But why can’t Safari establish a secure connection? This can be due to one or more reasons, e.g.
The Safari website does not receive a security certificate.
- The security certificate is outdated.
- The security certificate is invalid.
- The DNS records are incorrect.
Data stored on your Mac is considered insecure for Safari to make the website insecure.
Another issue with the website’s certificate or security is that Safari has concluded that it cannot trust it.
The website is current and functional, and you can access it on another website.But Safari has specific security standards that websites must meet, and if you see this error, it usually means that the site does not meet those standards
But it’s possible that, in some cases, the problem isn’t with your browser and Safari is at fault. Below we will show you how to check it and fix it if necessary.
How to Fix “Safari Cannot Establish a Secure Connection” on Mac
First, try another website. If your browser can connect, the problem could be with Safari and you can fix it. But it can also mean that the web browser meets the security requirements of another browser but not Safari. If you can’t connect to the web from some browsers, there is a problem with the site’s security. This could mean that the website is dangerous. If you’re sure it’s safe, you can try contacting the site owner and telling him it’s inaccessible.
Look at the web address
Check the URL of the webpage you are trying to visit carefully. Is it right? One of the main forms of malicious web activity are websites that impersonate other websites by using URLs close to real URLs. So, make absolutely sure that the URL you typed or clicked is correct
Check the date and time on your Mac
If the date and time is incorrect on your Mac, this can cause a lot of problems when you try to go online as the time on your Mac does not match the time on the remote server and Safari may assume this indicates a problem on the server . Go to System Settings > General > Date & Time and verify that this is correct. Unless you have a good reason not to, you should manually turn on Set time and date and set the Source to Apple.
Clear your browser cache
Your Mac may have cache files associated with the site you are trying to visit that makes Safari think the site is unsafe. So, it’s a good idea to clean out your storage.
- Click the Safari menu and select Settings.
- Select Privacy.
- Click Manage Website Data and wait for it to load.
- Click Remove All.
Change the DNS server
When you type or paste a URL in Safari or any web browser, or click a link, your Mac compares the URL to the Domain Name System (DNS) server and uses it to get the IP address of the website so it can connect to it by default , your Mac uses a DNS server set up by your broadband provider. If your DNS server is down or its records are out of date, this can cause issues when trying to connect to the Internet. And it can make Safari think a site is unsafe. Switch to a different DNS server to test and fix it. Google has free DNS servers that you can use.
- Clear your Mac’s DNS cache (see Tip above).
- Press the Apple menu and go to System Settings > Network.
- Select your Wi-Fi network, then click Details.
- In the DNS section, select the current DNS server.
- Press “-” to remove it.
- Next, click “+” to add a new DNS server. Type: 8.8.8.8.
- Press “+” again and type: 8.8.4.4
- Click OK and exit System Settings.
Your Mac will now use Google’s DNS servers to get the IP address of their websites. Try to connect to the network again. If this works, you’ll know the problem was with your broadband’s DNS server.
Check your browser extensions
If you have many extensions installed in Safari, one of them could cause a problem that makes Safari deem the website insecure. This is especially true if your browser extensions are outdated. To check if the problem is due to a browser extension, try disabling all browser extensions in Safari and accessing the webpage again.
- Click the Safari menu and select Settings.
- Select Extensions in the top pane.
- Select each extension in turn and uncheck the box next to it.
- Exit and reopen Safari and try to get back to the web browser.
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Pranay, a coding maestro weaving digital magic with Dot Net,Angular. With 4+ years in web development,he specialize in crafting seamless solutions. Beyond coding, Pranay is a wordsmith, passionate about sharing insights through guest posts. Whether crafting code or narratives, he bring creativity and precision to every project. Connect to explore his coding journey and delve into the world where tech meets storytelling .follow us on X