Fix ‘Can’t Establish Secure Connection in Safari’ Issue – Guide
Apple’s Safari browser is designed to keep users safe while browsing the web on their iPhone, iPad or Mac. It features a range of security measures, including refusing to load websites that are not secure. This serves as a reminder to be cautious when it comes to trusting online sources. However, sometimes Safari will not load even the most trusted sites. To resolve this issue, users should take the following steps…
1. Check the appropriate certificate
To ensure you’re accessing the right website, check the URL and look for a green lock icon in front of the address. If it’s gray, it could be a phishing site designed to mimic your bank or other trusted sites.
2. Clear your browser history
Safari’s Clear Browser History option can be a double-edged sword: while it removes the list of websites you’ve visited, it also deletes related data like cookies and website content. Exercise caution when using this feature.
Safari users can access their browsing history by selecting ‘History’ from the menu at the top of the window.
Select ‘All history’ from the drop-down menu next to ‘Clear’ and click to erase your browsing history.
3. Uninstall suspicious extensions and plug-ins
Installing too many extensions, plug-ins and add-ons can slow down Safari’s performance, so it’s best to remove any that are no longer needed.
To access Safari’s Preferences, click the menu and select the option.
Click the Extensions tab in the popup window to view any installed Safari extensions. If you find any, select and remove them.
4. Unblock all cookies
Accidentally clicking the box below “Prevent cross-site tracking” can block all cookies, potentially leading to an honest mistake.
To adjust your Safari browser’s privacy settings, open the Preferences menu and select Privacy.
Users can delete cookies from sites they no longer need or want by clicking “Manage Site Data” in their browser settings.
5. Check permissions
Some Safari users have experienced issues with content blocking due to overuse of plug-ins and code that falsely identifies certain sites as containing unsolicited pop-ups and deceptive ads. To address this, it is recommended to review the permissions for content blockers and other elements, such as location.
Revamp: To adjust Safari’s website preferences, click the Safari menu and select Preferences, then click the Sites tab.
Check if you’ve blocked any elements of the website you’re trying to access by clicking on Content Blockers in the left pane.
6. Flush DNS Cache
Clearing your DNS cache can help resolve connection and speed issues with your website. It’s a straightforward process, but accuracy is key when entering the command.
Ensure Safari is not running by entering the command “killall Safari” into the Terminal application on your Mac.
This command terminates the mDNSReply process, which is used to enable network services on a computer.
Enter the administrator password, then restart Safari to see if the issue is resolved.
7. Firewall settings
A Firewall can protect you from malicious attempts to access your data and resources. It is possible for certain software to restrict Safari’s access to the Internet, which may be done by parents or employers who don’t want you browsing the web. To check if a Firewall is blocking Safari, there is a simple way to do so.
To open the Spotlight Search bar, press Command + Space.
Search for ‘Firewall’ in Spotlight and press Enter to access it.
To gain access to the Firewall settings, enter the system password and click the Unlock button in the lower left corner. Then, click on Firewall Options.
Uncheck the box blocking all incoming connections in the Firewall options window.
If Safari isn’t listed in the exceptions, move on to the next solution. Ensure Allow incoming connections is enabled for Safari if it is present.
8. Synchronize the system time
It’s worth double-checking the system time on your Mac, just in case. Here’s how to do it.
To ensure your computer is set to the correct time zone, open System Preferences from the Apple menu and select Date and Time. To make any changes, you’ll need to enter your macOS account password.
9. Remove all data from the site
Apple has removed the Reset Safari button from its Yosemite update, but users can still restore their browser to its original settings with two simple methods.
Safari users can access Preferences by clicking the Safari menu and selecting it from the drop-down list.
Users can access site data by clicking the Privacy tab in a pop-up window and then selecting the Manage site data button.
You can now clear your data from selected sites or all of them by using the popup window. Alternatively, you can click the ‘Remove all’ button to delete all data at once.
Restarting Safari after running two solutions should reset it to its original settings, allowing users to access the website that has been causing issues.
Final note
This guide provides a solution to the issue of not being able to establish a secure connection in Safari. If you have any questions, please reach out for help. Share this article with your friends and spread the word.
