| Problem | Likely cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| “Your connection is not private” / NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID | Certificate does not cover the domain being visited (e.g. www vs non-www, or a subdomain) | Check the certificate's domain. Use a Wildcard for subdomains or redirect to the covered name. |
| Certificate not trusted / incomplete chain | CA bundle (intermediate certificate) not installed | Reinstall in cPanel → SSL/TLS → Manage SSL sites and paste the CA bundle. |
| Padlock missing or “Not fully secure” | Mixed content (http images/scripts) | See How to Force HTTPS and Fix Mixed Content. |
| cPanel cannot find the private key | CSR was generated on another server | Generate a new CSR in cPanel and request a free reissue. |
| Validation email not received | Mailbox like admin@ does not exist, or email went to spam | Create the mailbox/forwarder, check spam, or switch to DNS or HTTP validation. |
| HTTP file validation fails | File not reachable, redirect to https/other domain, or wrong folder | Place the file in public_html/.well-known/pki-validation/ and make sure it opens over http. |
| DNS CNAME validation pending | Record not added in the active DNS zone, or propagation delay | Check which nameservers your domain uses and add the record there. Wait up to 1 hour. |
| Certificate expired | Renewal not paid or new certificate not installed | Pay the renewal invoice and install the new certificate. |
Still stuck? Open a ticket in Technical Support with your domain name and SSL order number and our team will fix it for you.
