Ever get a “This Connection is Not Private” error when trying to do something online? It can be a frustrating experience as your connection to the page you are trying to reach is broken.
This error happens for a variety of reasons, but more often the error occurred due to an expired or invalid SSL certificate.
Here in this article, we are going to discuss everything you need to know about your connection is not a private error and how you can fix it on your Safari browser.
What is “This connection is not private” in Safari?
Normally you see this error code while surfing the Internet. The error “your connection is not private” means, the browser is unable to verify the website you are trying to access.
When your browser is failed to verify the site, it will throw a warning message “your connection is not private”. This will prevent you to access that website content as the website is not safe or insecure to open in the Safari browser.
When you open any website, it will verify the website SSL certificate and check how secure the website is. If the used SSL certificate is not verified or not working, it will count as an unsecured website. In simple words, the error means, Your connection to the website is not private and it is not safe to open the website on Safari.
Most people face this error with the Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate. Let’s Encrypt is a free SSL certificate and if the certificate is expired, you will face this error. The error is common for all devices including Macbooks, iPhones, and iPad.
If you ignore this “your connection is not private” error, you will compromise your personal security.
If you receive the “your connection is not private” error message when you access a website, you are at risk of being hacked. It’s easy to fall victim to hackers who target unprotected devices.
Browsers check the security certificate on the website to ensure it’s safe. If it can’t verify the site’s security certificate, the browser will block access. This way, you can protect your privacy and avoid the possibility of exposing your data online.
Reasons for the “this connection is not private” error?
- The SSL certificate is missing or expired
- Your browser is outdated
- Your antivirus is causing issues
- Server issue
Whenever you open any website, your browser checks all the information related to the security of the website. It will also check that it will keep your details private including contact information, passwords, payment details, and more.
But most of the time, the error “your connection is not private” is connected with the SSL certificate issue. The issue is your safari browser can’t verify the SSL certificate and it will stop you to access the website.
The error message may be caused by one of the following: an overly-protective VPN, antivirus software, incorrect date/time settings, or network setting.
Sometimes due to browser issues, you will face errors like this.
How to Fix “This connection is not private” Error?
Here is a step-by-step guide to fix this connection is not a private error on the safari browser.
Method 1: Verify SSL Certificate
To resolve the “this connection is not private” error, check whether your SSL certificate is valid. You should have received an email notifying you of the expiration date of the certificate. If the certificate has expired, then contact support to update it. Otherwise, you can visit the website again and repeat the procedure.
This will resolve the issue for the most part. When using an outdated SSL certificate, you need to make sure that your website is secure.
Method 2: Hard Refresh and Reload the Page
The first method to solve This is not a private connection error is, hard reload the browser. All you need to do is, hard refresh the webpage and reload it.
Sometimes due to heavy traffic on the server, you will face issues like this. A simple reload can solve the issue on your safari browser.
To hard reload the page, use the safari keyboard shortcut and press the F5 key on the keyboard to refresh the page.
Method 3: Clear Cache and History Data
If hard reload is not working for you then try to clear cache data of your browser. Some due to cache issues you can face this error.
Most of the time, the Safari browser saves too many caches and cookie files to load the data quickly.
To clear your cache and cookies on your Safari browser, follow the steps mentioned below:
Step 1: Open your Safari browser and then
Step 2: Click on the Safari option from the menu bar and then click on Preferences in the upper side menu.
Step 3: Find and click on the Advanced tab and check the Show Develop menu.
Step 4: Close the Safari Preference and then select Develop option from the menu bar.
Step 5: Find and click on the Empty Caches option to delete all cache files, and cookies and clear all history.
Method 4: Check Computer Date and Time
If the time and date are not correct then you can face this error on your Safari browser. Date and time are used to verify the SSL certificate. So if the date and time are not correct, it won’t be able to verify the SSL certificate and show the “this connection is not private” error.
Method 5: Check your Router Settings
If you are using a router to access the Internet, check the settings.
Sometimes due to incorrect DNS settings or DHCP settings, you will see this “connection is not private” error.
How to Access Unprotected Website on Safari?
If you still want to ignore the “this connection is not private” warning and access the website, here is how to do it.
Step 1: When you see the error on your Safari browser, find and click on the show details option.
Step 2: Find and click on the visit this website URL to access the website.
Step 3: It will show a popup in your Safari browser. Click on Visit Website to confirm your decision and you are done.
Now you can access the website on your Safari browser. But note that, it is not safe. It will harm your personal information like passwords and payment information.
So always verify the website and then proceed.
Conclusion
The error “this connection is not private” is very common and easy to fix if you know the cause. Most of the time the issue is related to the SSL certificate and Date or time.
We hope this article helped you.
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