How to Fix iPhone SSL Error? iOS Solution Guide

SSL errors encountered when using iPhone and iPad are problems that prevent access to websites and can be frustrating. "This connection is not secure" in Safari or other iOS apps or if you are getting an SSL certificate error, this guide is for you.

Why Does SSL Error Occur on iPhone?

SSL errors on iOS devices may occur for the following reasons:

• Incorrect date/time:Certificate verification fails if iPhone's date is incorrect
• Network problem: The Wi-Fi network may be blocking certificate verification
• Old iOS version: Outdated iOS may not recognize new certificate authorities
• DNS problem: Incorrect DNS settings may prevent secure connection
• VPN/Proxy:Third party VPN applications can disrupt SSL traffic
• Certificate problem of the site: The SSL certificate of the visited site may be problematic

Solution 1: Check Date and Time Settings

If the iPhone's date is incorrect, SSL certificate verification will fail. This is one of the most common reasons.

1. Open the Settings app
2. Go to General → Date and Time
3. Turn on "Set Automatically"
4. If it is already on, close it and turn it on again
5. Make sure the correct time zone is selected

Solution 2: Clear Safari History and Data

1. Go to Settings → Safari
2. Tap "Clear History and Website Data"
3. Confirm and reopen Safari
4. Revisit the offending site

Solution 3: Resetting Network Settings

SSL connections may be affected if the network configuration is corrupted:

1. Go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone
2. Tap Reset → Reset Network Settings
3. Enter and confirm your password
4. iPhone will restart
5. Reconnect to your Wi-Fi network

Note: This action will delete saved Wi-Fi passwords. Make sure you know your Wi-Fi password.

Solution 4: Change DNS Settings

If the default DNS server is causing problems, you can use Google or Cloudflare DNS:

1. Go to Settings → Wi-Fi
2. Tap (i) next to the network you're connected to
3. Change DNS Configure to Manual
4. Delete existing DNS servers
5. Add the following values: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 (Google DNS) or 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 (Cloudflare DNS)
6. Save and try the site again

Solution 5: iOS Update

Older iOS versions may not have an updated certificate root store:

1. Go to Settings → General → Software Update
2. Download and install the available update
3. Try the site again after iPhone restarts

Solution 6: VPN and Proxy Check

VPN or proxy applications may disrupt the SSL connection:

• Temporarily turn off your VPN application
• Check active profiles in Settings → General → VPN & Device Management
• Remove any configuration profiles you do not recognize

Solution 7: Certificate Trust Settings

In some cases, you may need to check iOS's certificate trust settings:

1. Go to Settings → General → About → Certificate Trust Settings
2. Make sure root certificates are marked as trusted
3. If there is a certificate you do not recognize, distrust it

If the problem originates from the site

If you constantly get an SSL error on a particular site and other sites work fine, the problem is probably in that site's SSL certificate. You can contact the site owner or check if the site gives an error in the desktop browser.

Conclusion

iPhone SSL errors are usually caused by date/time settings, network configuration, or lack of iOS updates. You can solve the problem by following the steps above one by one. If you own a site and your visitors are reporting SSL errors, check your certificate with our SSL Checker tool.