Shopify SSL pending – What is it & How to fix it?

If you’re like most Shopify users, you probably rely on SSL to keep your website safe and secure. But what do you do if Shopify SSL is pending? 

This article will explain the meaning of Shopify SSL pending and how you can fix SSL Pending on Shopify. We’ll also provide tips on ensuring your website is as secure as possible.

So please read on to learn more!

Jump to ‘How to fix SSL Pending’. 

What is an SSL Certificate?

An SSL Certificate is a protection measure that helps protect your online transactions from being intercepted by third parties. When you see a website that uses an SSL Certificate, the traffic between your browser and the website’s server is encrypted, creating a secure connection.

This prevents anyone else (including hackers) from accessing the data on your website, such as login credentials, bank information, or financial files.

In addition to encrypting traffic, an SSL Certificate also provides proof of identity and site legitimacy, so customers have greater confidence in doing business with websites they do not know well. By using an SSL Certificate, you can help to promote trust and safety when conducting online activities.

What are the advantages of owning an SSL Certification on your Shopify Domain?

SSL is a technology that encrypts the data transmitted between your browser and the Shopify website. It stands for Secure Sockets Layer.

The benefits of having an SSL certificate are:

• This protects your information from being accessed by unauthorized attackers on the internet.
• It also ensures that the data is not tampered with in any way. SSL certificates protect your online store from cyber attacks.
• Having an SSL certificate gives your customers a feeling of trust and security. It also helps in building better relationships with your customers.
• SSL is required for all eCommerce websites that collect personal information.

What Does SSL Pending Mean On Your Shopify Domain?

• You may get a Shopify SSL pending error message when generating your Shopify website certificate. Even when the certificate’s processing isn’t complete, you may still get this red error message. This is a common occurrence.

• Your certificate isn’t ready yet, which is indicated by the SSL pending message on Shopify. This shows that your website is not secure against internet hackers, but it is still accessible to the general public.

• You have requested an SSL certificate, but Shopify has not verified that your material and server comply with the encryption standard according to the SSL pending disclosure. You’ll only be able to access your website’s domain through the HTTP:// version during this critical time.

What Causes the “Shopify SSL Pending” Issue?

More often than not, users are confused as to what ‘SSL Pending’ means. There can be a number of reasons why Shopify SSL Pending occurs. The most common reason it occurs is:

• If the ownership of your domain is being verified. 
• If the certificate is still in the process of being issued. 
• Shopify could also be hesitant to issue a certificate due to unmet requirements with respect to the encryption protocols, 
• Due to misconfiguration 
• Due to the content on your website. 

How To Enable SSL On Shopify? 

When your domain is connected, Shopify automatically generates and deploys SSL certificates for each URL of a newly established online store.

Your SSL credentials will be validated, and your online store will be protected if your host and any CDN (Content Delivery Networks) you use also use SSL.

Driving around your site and checking that each link contains the prefix HTTPS instead of HTTP can confirm whether the SSL certificate was processed.

The padlock symbol will not be visible in the browser if they don’t. SSL encryption may fail due to website design flaws, domain misconfiguration, or site refresh delays.

source: reconvert.io

You’ll get a warning on the website that says SSL Unavailable or SSL Pending if Shopify’s free SSL certificate isn’t loading on your online store.

How To Fix SSL Pending On Shopify?

SSL is enabled for your stores, but Shopify has not verified your server and content to confirm that it meets the encryption standard, which is why SSL Pending means something different.

• Check Your A Name Records

You’ll get SSL Pending instead of SSL Unavailable if all other aspects of your DNS configuration are correct, but if your A records are off.

This indicates that Shopify will be ready and eager to allow SSL on your server as soon as your domain is verified.

Enter 23.227.38.65 as the address for your A records, which should point to Shopify.

Contact the host for your domains if you require assistance setting up these records for your sites.

• Fix Your CNAME Records

A CNAME is a unique record that transfers DNS information from one domain to another.

Change the CNAME record for your Shopify domain to point to shops.myshopify.com.

Domain names should always be referenced with a CNAME record, not IP addresses.

• Verify your Content Status

Mixed content simply implies that your site is loading both HTTP and HTTPS elements (i.e. secure and non-secure). Check the links to all your resources (images, etc) to verify whether they’re a secure connection in your website’s code and update them in case they are not.  

• Let It Multiply

The principles are the same for whichever problem you’re having: any modifications to your domains will ultimately take up to 48 hours to multiply throughout your company.

Before contacting your third-party host, Shopify customer assistance, or an IT company for assistance with securing your store, wait at least two days.

How To Fix SSL Unavailable On Your Shopify Domain?

There is another problem you might encounter when obtaining an SSL certificate in addition to the unresolved SSL status. SSL cannot be accessible on your website, which is what the SSL unavailable message means. But don’t be concerned; you may still use Shopify for free encryption, even in this scenario.

In fact, the SSL pending message can be shown in case the status of your SSL Certification is ‘unavailable’ too

In other words, since some settings or content on your website aren’t secure enough, Shopify cannot provide you with a certificate.

To solve similar issues, you simply need to take the following steps:

Give It 48 Hours

Just try to wait 48 hours if you’re sure that the material on your website meets the encryption protocol demands, but you still encounter difficulties. Installing HTTPS:// encryption on your website generally takes around two days.

The reason for this wait after changing configurations on your web server or custom domain is that your SSL certificates require time to be re-verified or renewed.

Fix Your Domain Record

Shopify, which automatically adds a custom domain to the Shopify admin panel, is used by online store owners to create their domains. The panel then handles all of the settings on its own. You’ll need to add your custom domain manually if your Shopify custom domain isn’t built.

Double-check that your A record points to 23.227.38.65 rather than Shopify’s IP address. The SSL Unavailable error will occur when there is an additional A record entry on Shopify.

Remove IPv6 Records

Using an IPv6 (AAAA) record, which is irrelevant to Shopify’s web hosting capabilities, is one of the reasons that may result in failed HTTPS:// encryption on your Shopify URL address. To obtain your desired SSL certificate, use the IPv4 Address Record Type.

Remove (Or Alter) CAA Records

Because CAA Records may delay the process of obtaining a secure HTTPS:// address for your site, it is not recommended to use them on Shopify. Include certificate authorities for each of the following sites in each record if you must apply for CAA records.

letsencrypt.org

digicert.com

globalsign.com 

The authorities mentioned above are supposed to ensure that a given HTTPS:// URL is still accessible and valid.

Conclusion

In this post, we explained what SSL is, how to use it on your Shopify domain, and the benefits of using it. When you enable SSL, customers can feel safe about their transactions since the information transmitted is encrypted.

We also provided solutions for those suffering from boSSL failure issues in their Store. Always keep reading our blog for more Shopify-related tips!

FAQ on Shopify SSL Pending

Why is my SSL pending on Shopify?

Shopify has not verified that your content and server fully comply with the encryption protocol, as shown by the Shopify SSL pending status. You will only be able to access your website via the HTTP:// version during this uncertain time.

To check if your SSL certification is pending approval:

1) Navigate to Settings > Security on the left-hand side of the screen

2) Under ‘SSL/TLS,’ you should see a section called ‘Pending Certificates.’ If this section isn’t present, something may have gone wrong with one of your certificates.

How long does it take to resolve Shopify SSL Pending?

While SSL certificates can take a few minutes to several hours to install, depending on the complexity of your store.

Once you connect your third-party domain to Shopify, it can take up to 48 hours for the TLS certificate to be issued.

Once installed, SSL will encrypt all online traffic between your Shopify site and the customers’ browsers. This helps safeguard you and your customers from potential data breaches.

Does Shopify Provide Free SSL Certificates?

Yes, Shopify does offer free SSL certificates. Using an HTTPS protocol will make your site appear more Flash-free and user-friendly on Google searches. This will help to protect your website from online security threats and makes it more secure for your customers.

They also have a fraud prevention system that monitors activity within your store for signs of fraud or theft. Additionally, they have a secure checkout feature that allows customers to enter their billing and shipping information without entering their credit card numbers.

In addition to these features, Shopify also provides many resources related to online safety and security, such as an article on creating passwords that are tough enough for thieves but easy enough for you to remember. So if you’re looking for additional protection for your business website, Shopify is worth investigating!

Is it Possible to Speed Up an SSL Connection?

There is no proven method to get an SSL Connection faster. Most users get their certification after 48 hours. In case it has still not been enabled, it is suggested that you contact Shopify’s Customer Support for further assistance and guidance. 

Can you launch a Shopify site without an SSL Certificate?

Yes, you can launch a Shopify Site without an SSL certificate, however, Shopify will automatically begin to issue an SSL certificate to your store. 

It is important and always recommended to have one, as potential customers will be hesitant to make a purchase from your store as their sensitive information will become vulnerable to attacks. It also acts as proof of identity and prevents misuse and duplication of your site.   

Can you use third-party SSL on Shopify?

No, Shopify users cannot use a third-party SSL provider for their store. Shopify provides store owners with free SSL certificates.

How do I get rid of pending SSL on Shopify?

If you have pending SSL on your Shopify domain, it may be causing some issues with loading the page. Sometimes this can be solved by upgrading to a more recent version of Shopify, but in cases where that doesn’t work, you can disable SSL entirely and load the page without any security concerns.

To do this, first, go to your website’s settings and click on SSL. Under ‘Security Level,’ select ‘No Security.’ This will stop anything from being sent over HTTPS and should resolve any Issues with pending SSL.

How do I enable SSL on Shopify?

To enable SSL on Shopify, head over to the Settings section of your account and select security from the list of settings. You will need to click on the tab and input your store’s certificate details. Once done, click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.

Next, ensure all links within your shop use HTTPS by choosing Secure Links under Site Security in Theme Options.

Finally, ensure that all ads delivered through Google Adsense are also served over HTTPS by selecting secure ad delivery under Custom Ads Settings in Your Store’s Admin Panel.

What are the different types of SSL Certificates? How To Get It On Shopify? 

There are three available options Extended Validation (EV), Organization Validated (OV), and Domain Validated (DV) SSL Certificates. 

Extended Validation SSL certificate provides the highest identity verification and data integrity. Purchaser must pass 16 verification checks before it is issued. It is often recommended for stores with multiple domains and for stores that collect data about their customers. It is also the priciest- $1000+ per year. 

Organization Validated (OV) SSL Certificate provides a mid-level security. It creates trust and is beneficial for those who want to operate and sell products from their website. A purchaser must pass 9 verification checks before it is issued. It costs $100-$999 per year. 

Domain Validated (DV) certificate provided minimal, automated identification of website owner. It meets the basic requirements of security for small businesses, blogs and similar sites. It costs around $0-$99 per year. 

You can get these on Shopify by installing it on your Store according to the instructions provided by the Certificate Authority (CA).