Fix SSL certificate issue on WordPress

The security of your website is essential to protect visitors' sensitive information and improve their overall experience. One of the most important tools for ensuring online security is the SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate. In this article, we will guide you step by step on how to troubleshoot the SSL certificate on WordPress.

What is an SSL certificate?

Un certificato SSL è un documento digitale che garantisce l’autenticità e la sicurezza delle connessioni tra il server del sito web e il browser dei visitatori. Un sito con SSL attivato avrà un indirizzo che inizia con “https://” anziché “http://”, con la “s” che indica una connessione sicura. Un certificato SSL valido è essenziale per proteggere le informazioni sensibili, come le credenziali di accesso o i dati della carta di credito, e per migliorare la reputazione e il posizionamento del sito sui motori di ricerca.

1. Verify and install an SSL certificate

Prima di risolvere i problemi del certificato SSL, assicurati di averne uno installato e valido. La maggior parte dei fornitori di hosting offre certificati SSL gratuiti attraverso Let’s Encrypt. Segui le istruzioni fornite dal tuo host per installare il certificato SSL sul tuo sito WordPress.

2. Force the use of HTTPS

After installing the SSL certificate, you need to force your WordPress site to use HTTPS. You can do this by editing your .htaccess file or by using a plugin such as Really Simple SSL.

To edit the .htaccess file, access your server via FTP and look for the file in the root directory of your WordPress site. Add the following code to the file:

.
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]
</IfModule>

If you prefer to use a plugin, install and activate Really Simple SSL https://wordpress.org/plugins/really-simple-ssl/ from the WordPress control panel. The plugin will automatically detect your SSL certificate and force your site to use HTTPS.

3. Update internal links and resources

Now you need to make sure that all internal links and resources (images, videos, style sheets, etc.) are uploaded through HTTPS. You can do this manually or by using a plugin such as Better Search Replace https://wordpress.org/plugins/better-search-replace/ o Velvet Blues https://wordpress.org/plugins/velvet-blues-update-urls/ Update URLs.

If you choose to use a plugin, run a search and replace to change all occurrences of "http://" to "https://" in your WordPress database. Remember to always back up your site before making changes to the database.

4. Correct mixed content

Mixed content occurs when HTTP and HTTPS resources are loaded on the same page. This can cause security warnings in the browser and make your site less secure. To solve this problem, you can use a plugin such as SSL Insecure Content Fixer or manually detect and update insecure links.

If you use the SSL Insecure Content Fixer plugin. https://wordpress.org/plugins/ssl-insecure-content-fixer/, install it and activate it from the WordPress control panel. The plugin will automatically identify and fix mixed content issues on your site.

If you prefer to manually fix mixed content, you can use tools such as Chrome DevTools or Firefox Developer Tools to identify unsafe resources. Open the browser console and look for alerts regarding mixed content. Once identified, update the unsafe links in your WordPress site by replacing "http://" with "https://."

5. Check the configuration of the SSL certificate

After troubleshooting mixed content issues, check your SSL certificate configuration to make sure everything is working properly. You can use online tools such as SSL Labs' SSL Server Test or JitBit's SSL Checker to check the validity and configuration of your SSL certificate.

6. Configure your plugins and themes to use HTTPS

Some plugins and themes may require additional configuration to work properly with HTTPS. Consult the plugin or theme's documentation for specific instructions on how to configure them to use HTTPS.

7. Update your site URL in Google Search Console and Google Analytics

After upgrading your WordPress site to HTTPS, it is important to update your site URL in Google Search Console and Google Analytics. In Google Search Console, add a new property with the HTTPS URL and follow the verification procedure. In Google Analytics, go to the "Admin" section and update your site URL in the property settings.

Conclusion

Fixing SSL certificate problems on WordPress is essential to ensure the security of your site and protect your visitors' sensitive information. By following the steps in this guide, you should be able to properly install and configure your SSL certificate, force the use of HTTPS, update internal links and resources, fix mixed content, and verify your certificate configuration. Remember to update your site URL in Google Search Console and Google Analytics to ensure that your traffic data and ranking information is being tracked properly.