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Your SSL certificate expired. Here is what to do

Why browsers suddenly warn visitors away from your site, how to renew an SSL certificate, and how to make sure it never happens again.

By the WebTools team · Published 2026-10-08 · 1 min read

When an SSL certificate expires, browsers show visitors a full-page warning instead of your site. Most people leave right there.

Why certificates expire

Certificates are only valid for a limited time, and the maximum keeps getting shorter. That is good for security, but it means renewal has to be automatic or someone has to remember it.

How to fix it today

  • If your host manages SSL for you, open their control panel and look for an SSL or HTTPS section. There is usually a renew or reissue button.
  • If you use a free certificate with automatic renewal, the renewal job may have stopped. Your host or developer can restart it.
  • After renewing, clear any CDN cache and check the site in a private browser window.

Make sure it does not happen again

Run a website check on your domain. The security section shows the exact expiry date and warns you when it is less than three weeks away. With a Pro account you can get an email before it expires.

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