How to Fix SSL Connection Errors on Android?
Did your browser display the “Your connection is not private?” error message when you tried to access a specific website? Coming across this kind of error message is quite common and this error is called the SSL connection error.
Read on to know the reasons for SSL connection errors and ways to fix them.
Unfortunately, that’s not enough, and there’s one more thing which everyone has to watch out for in this disastrous time – keeping yourself safe from online threats and scams done by cyber crooks. Yes, cybersecurity scams related to Coronavirus is real, and it’s happening. These selfish cybercriminals are busy scamming innocent people while the whole world is together for battling this Novel COVID-19.
What is SSL?
SSL that stands for Secure Socket Layer is the security protocol that creates an encrypted connection between the web browser you are using to access a website and the server and makes your internet browsing secure. If the website is not protected by an SSL certificate, the information you send and receive which includes your email and passwords can be accessed by third-parties which includes hackers.
SSL certificates will authenticate the identity of the website you visit and the information you send will not be out in the open. The SSL certificate will encrypt the data you send and it can be decrypted only by the website to which you send the data. No third-party can access it or manipulate it. It is also not a good practice to browse without a secure connection.
Common Reasons Why You See the SSL Connection Error on Your Android Device
Web/Mobile (Android) browsers display SSL connection errors when users try to access websites that do not have an SSL certificate. It is not safe to visit a website that does not have an SSL certificate installed. So when you see this error, you must first check if the problem is with the device or the website before trying the fixes mentioned below.
You can just try accessing some other websites that are secured by SSL certificates. To check, you can visit websites like Facebook or YouTube. If you are able to access those websites, then the problem is with the website you are trying to access and not your device. But if you are unable to access those websites, as well, the problem is with your device. In such cases, you can try to fix it through one of the below-mentioned ways.
Here are the most common reasons for an SSL connection error:
- The time on your device could be invalid, which means there could be a mismatch between the time on your Android device and the browser time.
- Browser cookies and cache
- Unsecured WiFi connection
- Antivirus software
Different Ways to Fix SSL Connection Errors on Android Phones
If you have come across this SSL connection error on your Android phone, you need not worry as there are different ways to fix the error. Here are the top six ways through which you can quickly and easily fix the SSL connection error on your device.
1. Check Whether the Date and Time are Correct
In most cases, the time could be the reason why you see this error. If the time on your device does not match the web browser’s time, you are more likely to see the SSL Connection Error. You just have to correct the date and time to stop seeing this error. You can avoid your date and time from changing every time by activating the automatic time and date set up.
Follow the steps below to change the Date and Time.
- Head to Settings on your Android phone
- Search “Date and time”
- Enable the option to set the date and time automatically
2. Clear Browsing History on Chrome
If you still see the error after changing the date and time, you can try clearing the browser history. Here are the steps to clear the browsing data and activities on Chrome.
- Open Chrome and to access the menu, tap on the ellipses at the top right corner
- Tap “History” from the menu
- Tap “Clear browsing data” and hit “Clear data” after you check all the boxes
3. Try Using a Private Window or Incognito Mode
You can try opening the website in a private window or incognito window. At times, the error could occur in a normal window but not in a private window.
4. Making Changes to the WiFi Connection
An insecure WiFi connection could be the reason why you are seeing the SSL Connection Error on your Android phone. If you have already cleared the browsing history and changed the time and date, you can try disconnecting your device from the public WiFi connection and connect to your phone’s internet or private WiFi. You can then check if the error is fixed.
5. Temporarily Disable Antivirus
If you are here, you must have tried the fixes mentioned above. As the above did not work for you, you can now try disabling the antivirus or any other security application you might have installed on your phone. You can temporarily disable it and try browsing again. If this is the reason why you are seeing this error, you might not see the error after you disable it. At times, antivirus apps could block websites with SSL certificates. The SSL connection might work after turning off the antivirus protection. You can turn on your antivirus after you finish browsing.
6. Reset Your Android Phone to Factory Settings
If all the above options did not work and if you still see the error message, the only thing you can do is to reset your device. If you reset your Android phone to factory settings, all your data stored on the phone will be deleted. If you are going to try this step, you need to make sure you have backed up the data on your phone as you will not be able to recover the data once you reset your phone as the data will be deleted.
- Head to Settings on your device
- Search for System > Reset options and Erase all data (factory reset)
- You can tap Confirm or enter the PIN if you are prompted to enter it.
Now, your Android device will not have any apps or data and will look like how it was when you purchased it. You may not see the error now.
Summary
Though it is not a big issue, it is important to fix the SSL Connection Error on Android. That is because when you come across the “Your connection is not private” error message, you might get confused. Also, this error is more prevalent in the most recent Android versions and new devices. While there are different reasons why SSL connections errors occur, there are also different ways to fix those errors. We hope this guide will help you fix the SSL connection error on your Android device.
Related Articles:
- Why you Need Code Signing Certificate for your Android App?
- SSL Certificate Errors in Android Devices
- How to Create Self-signed Certificate to Android Device
- How to Fix SSL/TLS Handshake Error?
- Understanding the Importance of SSL Certificate in Mobile Applications
- Fix Error Message “This site can’t be reached”