Safari’s “cannot establish a secure connection” error stops you before a website loads. The fix depends on whether the problem follows Safari, your device, your network, or the website itself. Start with a reload and restart, then use the checks below to narrow down what needs fixing.
Reload the page and restart your device
A temporary browser or device problem is the first cause to check.
On Mac, choose View > Reload Page, or press Command-R.
If the error remains, quit Safari. If it is unresponsive, use Option-Command-Esc to force quit it.
Reopen Safari, holding Shift if unwanted pages keep returning.
Restart your Mac through Apple menu > Restart. Some background updates need a restart to finish.
On iPhone, open Settings > General > Shut Down.
Drag the power-off slider.
Turn your iPhone back on by holding the side button until the Apple logo appears.
For an iPad without a Home button, hold either volume button and the top button until the power-off slider appears. On an iPad with a Home button, hold the top button instead.
Drag the slider.
Wait 30 seconds.
Hold the top button until the Apple logo appears.
Retry the affected website after your device starts.
Check the clock and install Safari updates
On Mac, open System Settings > General > Date & Time.
Enable Set time and date automatically.
Enable Set time zone automatically using your current location.
If the automatic settings remain incorrect, disable them.
Enter the correct date, time, and city manually.
On iPhone or iPad, open Settings > General > Date & Time.
Enable Set Time Automatically, also labeled Set Automatically in some interfaces.
For automatic time-zone detection, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services.
Enable Setting Time Zone.
To update Safari on Mac, open Apple menu > System Settings > General > Software Update.
Install the latest compatible release offered, using the displayed Update, Upgrade, or Restart Now button.
Before updating an iPhone or iPad, back up the device.
Connect it to power.
Connect it to Wi-Fi.
Open Settings > General > Software Update.
Tap Download and Install.
Follow the installation prompts.
Get Safari updates through your device’s operating system; there is no separate Safari installer to fetch for these devices.
If the error follows your Wi-Fi connection
Open the same address in another installed browser, then test it on another device using the same network. Comparing the results helps separate a Safari problem from a device or network problem. A successful load in another browser does not by itself prove that the website is secure.
Next, try cellular data on an iPhone or iPad with cellular service, or connect to another Wi-Fi network. On Mac, select a different network from the Wi-Fi menu and complete its password or terms prompt.
For hotel, airport, or café Wi-Fi on iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Wi-Fi and tap the network name. Complete the network’s login screen, then retry Safari.
If only your home network fails, restart the modem and router using the manufacturer’s procedure. Contact your internet provider if the problem continues; for a shared or workplace network, contact its administrator.
Test VPN filtering and Private Relay
Use this check when you have a VPN, antivirus web filter, firewall app, or parental-control filter installed, or when iCloud+ Private Relay is enabled. These checks address interference and connection compatibility.
Open the relevant VPN or security app.
Temporarily disable its network-monitoring feature using the vendor’s controls. The switch name depends on the app.
Retry the website in Safari.
Restore the feature if disabling it makes no difference.
If the app is responsible, follow its vendor’s procedure to correct or uninstall it.
For a Private Relay exception on Mac, choose View > Reload and Show IP Address in Safari.
On iPhone or iPad, open Safari’s Page Menu.
If your iPhone layout places additional options under More, open it.
Choose Show IP Address.
A Private Relay exception tests connection compatibility. It does not repair an invalid website certificate.
Clear site data only when the problem points to Safari
Stored website data and extensions are causes to check when the loading problem is limited to Safari.
On Mac, choose File > New Private Window in Safari.
Open the affected address in that window. Private Browsing tests the problem without bypassing certificate checks.
If the website works there, open Safari > Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data in your regular window.
Select the affected website.
Click Remove.
Click Done.
Reopen the website normally.
Sign in again if the website asks.
To test extensions on Mac, open Safari > Settings > Extensions.
Deselect an extension.
Reload the website to test the result.
Restore extensions that make no difference.
On iPhone, open Settings > Apps > Safari > Extensions.
Select the extension.
Turn off Allow Extension.
On iPad, tap the Manage Extensions button beside Safari’s search field.
Choose Manage Extensions.
Turn off the extension for that website.
For an iPhone data test that preserves browsing history, open Settings > Apps > Safari > Advanced > Website Data. This test clears website sign-in data.
Tap Remove All Website Data.
Confirm with Remove Now.
On iPad, open Settings > Apps > Safari > Clear History and Website Data.
Choose the time period to clear.
Confirm with Clear History. Clearing data addresses stored-data problems; it cannot repair a website’s certificate.
Repair network settings after the simpler tests fail
These changes correct local network configuration problems.
If you manually changed DNS on your Mac, open Apple menu > System Settings > Network.
Select your active network service.
Open Details > DNS.
Remove an incorrect manually added DNS server with Remove.
If you need a specific DNS server, enter its address with Add.
Retry the website. DNS changes cannot repair a faulty website certificate.
To check an unwanted Mac proxy, open System Settings > Network.
Select your network service.
Open Details > Proxies.
Disable an unwanted proxy.
If a required proxy has incorrect settings, correct its server configuration using the details from your administrator.
For persistent connection problems on iPhone, open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset. A network reset removes saved networks and unmanaged VPN settings, and returns manually trusted certificates to untrusted status.
Choose Reset Network Settings.
On iPad, open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset instead. The same reset consequences apply.
Choose Reset Network Settings.
Reconnect to Wi-Fi after the reset.
Test the address again in Safari.
When the website owner needs to fix it
If the same website fails across devices and networks, contact its owner with the URL and exact error message. Ask them to investigate certificate validity and supported TLS. Do not enter passwords or payment details into a page displaying a security warning.
A blanket certificate override does not repair a public website’s certificate. Avoid setting certificates to Always Trust simply to get past the error, and do not switch to HTTP as a secure-connection fix.
For a work or school device, ask your administrator to check required certificates and network configuration. A network reset does not remove managed settings.
If the results point to a Safari compatibility issue, reload the page in Safari 26 or later on Mac to make the reporting option available. Open the Page Menu in the Smart Search field, choose Report a Website Issue, describe the problem, and click Report. Reporting escalates the issue but does not immediately repair it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I update Safari on Windows to fix this error?
No supported current Safari update exists for Windows. Apple identifies Safari 5.1.7 as the last Windows version. Use a maintained browser instead of downloading an old Safari installer.
Should I disable IPv6 to make Safari work?
Apple does not recommend disabling routed IPv6 as a general Safari secure-connection fix. Use the IPv6 configuration recommended by your internet provider. The Link-local only setting limits IPv6 to the local network.
Why can’t I change the automatic date and time setting?
Carrier, regional, Screen Time, or device-management restrictions can disable the control on iPhone or iPad.
Does enabling JavaScript fix a secure connection error?
Enabling JavaScript addresses content or sign-in failures on sites that require it after a connection is established. It does not repair an invalid TLS certificate.