When you surf the web, your computer does a lot of things behind the scenes to make sure that the sites you visit don’t put you in danger. Even though your computer can only do so much to keep you safe, you should still listen to what it tells you.
You might get a “Not Secure” or “Not Private” message when you use Microsoft Edge on a Windows PC or a Mac. At first, this might sound scary because the way it’s written makes it sound like your life is at risk. But this can happen even on sites we trust and know are 100% safe.
This is because of an issue with security certificates, which generally has nothing to do with your computer or web software. These certificates are used by websites to show that they are who they say they are on the internet. If there is something wrong with a certificate, your machine will tell you.
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Why Does Microsoft Edge Show the Not Secure Error Message?
Here are some things that could go wrong with the URL bar in Microsoft Edge.
- HTTP is being used instead of HTTPS, which is what most people use because it is safer.
The site’s security certificate may not be up-to-date.
Also Read: Why You Should Try the All New and Redesigned Microsoft Edge?
- The date and time on the page might not be the same as the time and date on your computer. Microsoft Edge thinks that something bad is going on because changing the date and time can cause certificates to expire.
- The warning sign can also show up if Microsoft Edge has some bugs.
- When you have a lot of useless files in Microsoft Edge, they can run bugs that can cause problems.
- But the trouble message could be caused by more than one thing. Even though it would be hard to dig for all of them, you can get rid of the problems. What this piece is meant to do is this.
- Check to see if the error message is caused by an insecure website. If it is, take the steps to access it safely, or don’t go there if it’s a big threat.
To see if you get the error message even when you’re on a safe site. The error message in this case is caused by bugs that need to be fixed.
Let’s get started.
How to Get Rid of Not Secure Warning on Edge?
1. You can only use HTTPS with Microsoft Edge
The HTTP protocol has been changed to HTTPS, which makes it better. So, HTTPS is the most common way to make sure you can safely connect to the internet. But if you try to link to a website that uses an old HTTP protocol, Microsoft Edge will tell you that the site is not safe. You might want to try opening all sites with HTTPS instead. In Microsoft Edge, you can do this by turning on a flag.
This is how.
- Open Microsoft Edge and type this URL into the address bar to find the flag. edge://flags/#edge-automatic-https
- It will be easy to find the Automatic HTTPS flag. Click the drop-down button next to it and pick “Enabled.”
- Microsoft Edge will now ask you to restart it. Click the box that says “Restart.”
- You can now connect to any website that uses the HTTPS protocol. This can get rid of the ‘Not Secure’ warning on Microsoft Edge.
You can also fix this problem by going to the site in an InPrivate window, which is what Microsoft Edge does when it is in private mode.
2. Make Sure That the Date and Time Are Correct
Our computers and web apps use security codes to make sure a site is safe. Imagine it as an ID. If a website has a valid security certificate, your computer knows that the website pretending to be your bank is really your bank’s website, and so on.
Also Read: How to Make Chrome Default Browser Windows 11,10,8, Pc, Android, MacBook
There are times when security licenses can’t be used, just like our government-issued ID cards. If the date and time on your computer are wrong, certificates may look like fakes, and your web browser may start giving you security warnings.
3. Use the “InPrivate Window”
Since private viewing mode doesn’t save your details or cache, you might not see the error message. Here’s how to use Microsoft Edge’s InPrivate window.
- Click the three little dots in the top right corner of Edge.
- Click on “New window in private mode.”
- It will open a new InPrivate window, which you can use to browse in peace while you check to see if the error message is still there.
- If the “Not Secure” message is still there, move on to the next way.
4. Check the Expiration Date on Your SSL Certificate
First, check to see if your site’s SSL certificate has already run out. You may not have updated your SSL certificate when you should have. For example, Let’s Encrypt’s free SSL certificates only work for 90 days, so you’ll need to keep changing them.
Follow these steps in Google Chrome to find out when an SSL certificate will expire:
- Go to the site in question and click on the lock icon next to the search bar.
- Click the button that says “Connection is safe.” Keep in mind that this option may look different based on the web browser you use.
- Certificate is still an option.
- In the new window, next to “Valid from,” you’ll see the date when the SSL certificate will no longer be valid.
- If your SSL certificate hasn’t already expired, try the next step to fix the problem. If it doesn’t work anymore, it’s probably what went wrong.
- How you renew an SSL certificate relies on who hosts your website and who gave you the certificate in the first place. Usually, there are three steps:
- Ask someone to sign an SSL certificate (CSR).
- Use the new SSL certificate right away.
- Put it on your page.
All of Hostinger’s plans come with a free SSL certificate that lasts forever. If you have a lifetime SSL certificate, you will never have to change it by hand again.
Also Read: Say Goodbye To Internet Limitations With The VPN Chrome Extension
Conclusion
We hope that this guide helped you fix the ‘Not Secure’ message on the Microsoft Edge menu. But we think it’s best to listen to your web browser and not go to the site if it says there’s a risk.
