How to Fix HTTP/HTTPS Issues

When migrating from HTTP to HTTPS, you may encounter various issues such as mixed content warnings, redirect loops, or SSL certificate errors. This guide will help you diagnose and resolve these problems efficiently.

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1. Verify SSL Certificate Installation

An improperly installed or expired SSL certificate can prevent HTTPS from working correctly. To check your SSL certificate:

🔹 Go to SSL Checker and enter your domain.
🔹 Ensure the certificate is valid and not expired.
🔹 If expired, renew the SSL certificate from your hosting provider.
🔹 If using Let’s Encrypt, try renewing via cPanel → SSL/TLS or command line (certbot renew).

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2. Force HTTPS Redirection

You need to redirect all HTTP requests to HTTPS to avoid duplicate content issues and SEO penalties. The method depends on your web server:

For Apache (.htaccess method)

1. Open the .htaccess file (located in the public_html folder).
2. Add the following redirect rule:

RewriteEngine On  
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on  
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}/$1 [R=301,L]  

For Nginx (nginx.conf method)

1. Open the nginx.conf file.
2. Add the following directive:

server {  
    listen 80;  
    server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com;  
    return 301 https://yourdomain.com$request_uri;  
}

3. Restart Nginx:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

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3. Check for Mixed Content Issues

Even with HTTPS enabled, your site may still load some resources (images, scripts, or styles) over HTTP, triggering security warnings.

How to Identify Mixed Content?

✅ Open your website in Google Chrome.
✅ Right-click and select Inspect → Go to the Console tab.
✅ Look for warnings like:
“Mixed Content: The page at ‘https://yourdomain.com’ was loaded over HTTPS, but requested an insecure script ‘http://example.com/script.js’.”

How to Fix It?

🔹 Update all URLs in your website to use HTTPS.
🔹 If using WordPress, install the Really Simple SSL plugin.
🔹 Use the following SQL query to update database URLs:

UPDATE wp_options SET option_value = replace(option_value, 'http://', 'https://') WHERE option_name = 'home' OR option_name = 'siteurl';  
UPDATE wp_posts SET guid = replace(guid, 'http://', 'https://');  
UPDATE wp_posts SET post_content = replace(post_content, 'http://', 'https://');  
UPDATE wp_postmeta SET meta_value = replace(meta_value, 'http://', 'https://');  

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4. Check Cloudflare and CDN Settings

If you are using Cloudflare or another CDN, incorrect settings can cause redirect loops.

🔹 Log in to your Cloudflare Dashboard → Go to SSL/TLS settings
🔹 Ensure the SSL mode is set to Full (Strict)
🔹 Disable “Always Use HTTPS” in Cloudflare if your server already forces HTTPS

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5. Clear Browser & Server Cache

Sometimes, cached data causes HTTP/HTTPS conflicts. Clear the cache from:
✅ Your browser (Chrome: Ctrl + Shift + Delete)
✅ Your server (cPanel → Cache Manager)
✅ Your CDN (Purge cache from Cloudflare)

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6. Check WordPress or CMS Settings

If using WordPress, ensure your site is set up correctly:
🔹 Go to Settings → General
🔹 Update WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) to https://yourdomain.com

For other CMS platforms, check their respective documentation for HTTPS settings.

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7. Test Your Configuration

Once you have applied the fixes, test your website:
✅ Use Why No Padlock to check for mixed content.
✅ Visit your site in incognito mode to ensure HTTPS works correctly.
✅ Test on mobile devices and different browsers to confirm redirections.

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Conclusion

Fixing HTTP/HTTPS issues is crucial for SEO, security, and user experience. By following these steps, you can resolve SSL certificate errors, mixed content problems, and improper redirects, ensuring a smooth transition to HTTPS.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)