How to Fix the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR (in WordPress)

When trying to access your site, visitors might encounter an SSL issue like “ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR.” This prevents them from viewing your content, which can have a negative impact on your conversions and rankings. 📊

Fortunately, this error is quite easy to fix. Typically, it indicates a problem with your SSL certificate, which means you may need to renew it or reinstall it. Once you do that, your site should be up and running again in no time.

👉 In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR issue and discuss its main causes. We’ll also show you how to fix it. Let’s get started!

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What is ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR?

When you create a website, you’ll need to install a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate. This enables the site to run on a secure protocol, known as HTTPS.

An SSL certificate ensures the secure transfer of data between the user’s browser and the server the website is hosted on. In fact, if a site does not have this certificate, the browser will probably display a warning or return an SSL error message like ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR.

Even if a site does have an SSL certificate, you might still encounter this error. This can be due to an outdated cache or a glitchy extension in the user’s browser. Alternatively, a firewall or anti-virus program on the user’s device might be blocking the connection.

In some cases, the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR issue is caused by a problem on the website rather than the user’s device. For example, the SSL certificate might not have been installed or configured correctly.

Sometimes, the certificate is properly configured, but the website is still running on the HTTP protocol (the unsecure version of HTTPS). If your site is using HTTP instead of HTTPS, search engines like Google will deem it unsafe, which could lead to a drop in rankings.

The good news is that these issues should be easy to resolve. 😎

How to fix the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR in WordPress (in 3 steps)

Now, let’s look at some effective ways to resolve the issue, starting with the easiest fix.

Step 1: Clear your cache
Step 2: Check your SSL certificate
Step 3: Force HTTPS on your website

Step 1: Clear your cache 💾

As mentioned earlier, this error could be caused by an issue with the user’s browser or device. If you’re encountering the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR message when trying to access your site, the first thing you want to do is clear your browser cache.

This is because the browser could store old data about the SSL certificate. Therefore, it’s unable to authenticate a secure connection.

To clear your browser in Chrome, click on the three dots in the top-right corner of the browser and select More tools → Clear browsing data. This will open a window:

Clearing your browser cache in Chrome (or whichever browser you use) is the first step in resolving the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR.

Here, you can choose your preferred time range (we recommend All time) and the cached data you want to delete. In this case, you only need to check the box for Cached images and files.

When you’re ready, click on Clear data and try to visit your website again. If you’re still getting the message, the problem might be on the server rather than your device. However, just to be sure, you’ll want to disable any browser extensions and firewalls and try again.

Step 2: Check your SSL certificate 🛡️

If there are no issues on your end or you’ve certified that the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR message is displayed to anyone who visits your site, there might be an issue with your SSL certificate.

To confirm this, you can run a check on the SSL Server Test. Simply enter your URL, and the tool will check the status of your site’s SSL certificate:

Typically, your hosting provider will install the SSL certificate for you. However, you might want to check to see if this was done when you created your website. You should be able to find this information on your hosting account.

If both the SSL Server Test tool and your hosting account show that SSL is active on your site, you might want to reach out to your host for assistance. There might be a configuration issue on the server.

If that’s the case, you may need to ask the web host to reinstall the certificate for you. If the certificate has expired, you’ll have to renew it.

Step 3: Force HTTPS on your website 🔒

Even if your website has a valid and properly configured SSL certificate, you might still need to force your site to use HTTPS.

To do this, you can use a tool like Really Simple SSL. Navigate to Plugins → Add New and use the search bar to look for the plugin. Then, click on Install Now, followed by Activate.

Now, go to Settings > SSL and click on the button that says Activate SSL:

This will automatically force HTTPS on your site. If you try visiting your website, you should no longer see the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR message.

Plus, there should be a padlock next to your URL in the search bar. This confirms that HTTPS is enabled on your website and that the browser can authenticate a secure connection.

With this plugin, all traffic to the HTTP version of your site will be routed to the HTTPS version. However, you’ll also want to set up a 301 redirect. In fact, this is also recommended by Really Simple SSL.

To do this, you’ll need to edit your .htaccess file through your site’s root directory. You can use a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) client like FileZilla for this. Alternatively, you can use the File Manager in your hosting account.

Look for a folder labeled public_html. Inside it, you’ll find the .htaccess file:

Right-click on it and select Edit to open the file in a text editor. Now, enter the following code:

<IfModule mod_rewrite.c> 

    RewriteEngine On

    RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off

    RewriteRule (.*) https://www.your-domain.com%{REQUEST_URI} [R=301,L]

</IfModule>

# BEGIN WordPress

💡 Remember to add your own domain to the placeholder. When you’re ready, save your changes and close the file.

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Conclusion 🧐

If there’s a problem with your SSL certificate, anyone who tries to visit your website will get an ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR message. This prevents them from viewing your content, which can affect your conversions.

Learn how to fix 👨‍🔧 the #ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR 📛📛📛

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Plus, if Google thinks that your site is not using HTTPS, it could have a negative impact on your rankings.

🎬 To recap, here’s how to fix the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR in WordPress:

💾 Clear your browser cache.
🛡️ Check your SSL certificate (with a tool like SSL Server Test) to make sure it’s active and valid.
🔒 Force HTTPS on your website using a plugin like Really Simple SSL.

Do you have any questions about fixing the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR message in WordPress? Let us know in the comments section below!