safari can't establish a secure connection to localhost

How to Fix the “Safari Can’t Establish a Secure Connection to the Server” Error (6 Solutions)

When you’re browsing the web, the last thing you want is to run into an error message. If you’re a macOS user, one of the issues you might come across is: “Safari can’t establish a secure connection to the server” error.

While it may seem intimidating at first, this is a relatively common problem with a few simple solutions. All it usually takes is a little bit of troubleshooting before you’re able to effectively (and safely) access the site.

This post will explain what this Safari error message is and some of its common causes. Then we’ll provide you with six easy ways to fix the problem.

Let’s get started!

What’s the “Safari Can’t Establish a Secure Connection to the Server” Error?

Some of the best features of Mac devices are their built-in security settings . Apple has created an experience designed to keep you and your device safe, especially while browsing the web.

This is why its native browser, Safari, will sometimes prevent you from accessing a website that it doesn’t deem as secure. When this happens, you’ll likely see an error message that says, “Safari can’t establish a secure connection to the server.”

The specific wording of the error may vary. For example, as you can see in the image above, you might also come across a notification letting you know that “Safari Can’t Open the Page.”

In a nutshell, this error message means that the browser doesn’t trust the encrypted data on the site. Alternatively, Safari could not access and verify the information successfully. For example, this might happen when a site doesn’t have a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate  properly configured.

Using SSL and Secure Shell Access (SSH)  is critical for websites today. This is especially true when you have a site that handles sensitive customer data, such as a WooCommerce store .

However, if you know the site that you’re accessing is secure, the problem is likely with Safari. Many people experience this error message when accessing popular websites, such as Facebook, YouTube, and Google.

What Causes “Safari Can’t Establish a Secure Connection to the Server” Error?

There are many different reasons you might be seeing this error message. As we mentioned, the main explanation is that Safari can’t verify that the website you’re trying to access is secure enough to protect your data.

However, it’s essential to understand  why it deems the site unsecured to know how to resolve it. Sometimes, you may not know what the culprit is until you try troubleshooting it.

With that said, there are a handful of common causes behind the “Safari can’t establish a secure connection” message. For example, the issue may be attributed to a third-party extension or add-on you have installed on your browser. It could be something as simple as having outdated cache data. However, it could be a more complicated problem, such as the Internet Protocol (IP) version you’re using.

How To Fix the “Safari Can’t Establish a Secure Connection to the Server” Error (6 Solutions)

Now that we understand more about the issue and its potential causes, it’s time to look at how to fix it. Below are six solutions you can use to resolve the “Safari can’t establish a secure connection” error.

1. Clear Your Browser Data

When you visit websites, Safari will store some of the information in the browser cache and cookies. If this data includes outdated details relating to the site’s SSL or encryption , it can be the reason you see the error message.

Therefore, one of the quickest and simplest methods you can use to resolve this error is to clear your browser cache . To do that in Safari, you can start by opening up the browser.

Next, click on Preferences  > Privacy , then select Remove All Website Data .

After it finishes loading (it may take a minute or two), you can decide which websites to clear the data from. For example, you can select them all or simply the one you’re having trouble accessing.

When done, click on the Done  button at the bottom of the screen.

Next, to clear your entire browsing history, you can navigate to  Safari  > History  > Clear History .

When finished, try revisiting the site that was showing the error message. If it’s still there, you can move on to the next solution.

2. Check Your Device’s Date and Time

While it may seem odd, sometimes having the incorrect date and time on your Mac device can cause some issues within Safari. Therefore, it’s essential to ensure that yours is set to the correct time zone and date.

To get started, you can click on the Apple icon, then navigate to System Preferences  > Date & Time .

From here, you can verify that you’re using the right date and time.

Under the  Time Zone tab, you can also enable your device to sync to your current location automatically. When you’re done, you can exit the window and try re-accessing the site.

3. Change Your DNS Settings

If the error is still there, you might want to check out your Domain Name Server (DNS)  settings. In a nutshell, your DNS acts like a phonebook that allows devices and sites to reach each other. Safari uses your DNS settings to connect to websites.

If there are issues with your DNS settings, it might be why you see the “Safari can’t establish a secure connection to the server” message. To see if this is the case (and resolve it), you can try changing your DNS addresses. For example, you could use Google’s Public DNS.

To get started, browse to Apple  >  System Preferences  > Network .

From this window, select your connection, then click on the Advanced tab, followed by DNS . Next, click on the (+) icon next to IPv4 or IPv6 addresses .

Then you can enter the new DNS IP addresses. For example, if you want to use Google’s Public DNS, you can enter “8.8.8.8” and “8.8.4.4”.

When you’re finished, click on the OK  button. Recheck the website to see if this process removed the error message.

4. Uninstall or Disable Your Browser Extensions

As we mentioned earlier, an extension or add-on in your browser may be conflicting with Safari’s ability to connect to a site securely. Sometimes, this is common with anti-virus programs and security-related extensions.

Therefore, the next step is to try deactivating all your browser extensions. To do this, you can open Safari, then navigate to Preferences  and click on the Extensions  tab.

A list of your extensions will display in the left column. You can click on the checkmark next to the add-on name to disable it.

Once you’re done, try revisiting the site. If this solves the problem, you’ll need to pinpoint which extension was to blame. You can do this by systematically enabling each add-on and visiting the site after each time.

5. Disable IPv6

Internet Protocol (IP) is a set of rules that controls how data moves across the internet. IPv6 is a newer protocol version. However, some websites still use the older version, IPv4. If this is the case, it might be why you’re running into the “Safari can’t establish a secure connection” message.

Therefore, you can try disabling IPv6 on your network. To do so, navigate to System Preferences > Network once again, then click on your network connection, followed by the Advanced  button.

Under the TC P/IP tab, click on the dropdown menu under  Configure IPv6  and select Manually .

When you’re done, click on the OK button. This should resolve the issue if IPv6 were the problem. If not, there’s one last solution you can try.

6. Make Sure Keychain Trusts the Certificate

Earlier, we mentioned how Safari could sometimes present the connection error message if it cannot verify the validity of the site’s SSL certificate. If this is the case, you can bypass the issue by configuring settings in your macOS’s Keychain Access app.

Keychain Access is the application that stores your passwords , account details, and application certificates. It keeps your data secure and can control which sites are trusted by your device. As such, you can tell it to accept a site’s SSL certificate moving forward.

To do this, you can go to the website showing the error message, then click on the lock icon to the left of the address bar, followed by View/Show Certificate  > Details .

With the Details panel expanded, click Control + Space Bar . A Spotlight Search bar will appear in the top right-hand corner of your screen. Enter “Keychain” in the search field.

Next, on the left, click on System Roots . Search for the website’s certificate. Once you locate it, go to the Trust section. Then click on the dropdown menu next to When using this certificate section  and select Always trust :

That’s it! You should now be able to access the site successfully.

Trying to access a website only to be met with an error message can be highly frustrating. While Safari is simply trying to keep your data protected, sometimes it can get misconfigured. In this case, the browser may unnecessarily present a security notification such as “Safari can’t establish a secure connection.”

There are six methods you can use to fix this issue when it happens:

• Clear your browser data, including the cache and cookies.
• Check your device’s data and time.
• Change your DNS settings.
• Uninstall or disable your browser extensions and add-ons.
• Disable IPv6.
• Make sure Keychain trusts the SSL certificate.

Do you have any questions about fixing the Safari secure connection issue? Let us know in the comments section below!

Content & Marketing Editor at Kinsta, WordPress Web Developer, and Content Writer. Outside of all things WordPress, I enjoy the beach, golf, and movies. I also have tall people problems ;).

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Tried as much of this as possible, and Safari still doesn’t work. Couldn’t try some things, because I’m running it on a PC, and not on a Mac.

However, I am able to access all sites with FireFox, so teh problem does seem to be with Safari. Too bad.

Thank you so much!!! My date was wrong and it fixed the issue thank u ❤️👍

I tried all six of the fixes you offered. All seemed to work – except I did not fully grasp the extensions one. Also cannot get to the lock on the website I’m trying to open (gov.uk) because that website won’t open so no lock is shown.

Fixing date and time worked for me

Great information. I went through every step and got to the SSl certificate section. There is no certificate for the site I’m attempting to visit. Safari will not allow me to visit many sites. So it isn’t just the one site.

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Safari cannot connect to localhost but can connect to 127.0.0.1

For some reason, all of a sudden my Safari cannot connect to localhost because it cannot establish a secure connection. However, it is able to connect 127.0.0.1. Oddly enough Firefox is able to connect to localhost and 127.0.0.1. I believe it's some sort of certificate issue, but that's just a guess. What can I do so I can connect to localhost on Safari again?

• I feel like you're leaving out a lot of key details. What kind of webserver (or other software package with its own integrated web service) have you been running on your machine? Have you perhaps been experimenting with HSTS or HPKP security on a website you're developing on localhost? –  Spiff Feb 18, 2017 at 19:40
• I'm running MAMP. I recently upgraded from MAMP 3.5.x to the latest version. I did uninstall MAMP Pro which did some edits to the host file. I haven't been experimenting with either of those things. I did install a Docker image of cozy.io last night and removed it promptly. That was the first time I had some secure connection issues though it was able to be bypassed by adding an exception. –  The Kid From Yesterday Feb 18, 2017 at 20:46

2 Answers 2

You probably installed something on your machine that acts as a web server and uses HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) to make sure your browser knows it should always use TLS (HTTPS) when connecting. Then you connected to it by pointing your browser at localhost, and now your browser believes it should only use HTTPS when connecting to localhost.

Apparently Safari stores its list of HSTS websites in ~/Library/Cookies/HSTS.plist , so you should be able to fix it by editing that plist file to remove the entry for localhost, or by deleting that plist altogether if you don't mind resetting the whole list of sites Safari has learned to strictly require TLS for.

• I think this is the solution, but the only problem is that it keeps adding the localhost entry after I start Safari. Even if I delete the plist. –  The Kid From Yesterday Feb 18, 2017 at 23:12
• Deleted this plist and restarted and this worked thank you so much! –  The Kid From Yesterday Feb 18, 2017 at 23:28

Note: This might not solve everyone's problem.

I am a MAMP user and noticed in my hosts settings that 127.0.0.1 localhost was removed somehow. Type sudo nano /etc/hosts , type in your password, and then add these default lines back:

127.0.0.1 localhost ::1 localhost

This worked for me. I hope others find it helpful.

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7 Ways to Fix Safari Can’t Establish a Secure Connection on Mac

With Privacy Reports and iCloud Private Rely , Safari continuous to be one of the most secure browsers in the Mac ecosystem. However, those added security protocols can be too much for some websites out there and users might face Safari can’t establish a secure connection on Mac. If the error is bothering you, read along to learn how to fix Safari can’t establish a secure connection on Mac.

Fix Safari Can’t Establish a Secure Connection on Mac

Safari showcasing can’t establish a secure connection should be an indicator to not trust the website you are trying to visit. However, if you are sure about the website’s authenticity and want to bypass the limitation then the error might be bothersome to you. Let’s fix the issue.

Before we go ahead, let’s understand why it’s happening in the first place.

Why Can’t Safari Establish a Secure Connection

Most modern websites use encryption to protect user data and identity from hackers. If the website you are trying to browse doesn’t offer encryption, you might face the Safari can’t establish a secure connection error.

That way, Safari is advising you against visiting the website with personal info as the information will be available in plain text for others to steal.

The browser also checks the SSL certificate of a website. If it’s expired then, you will face an error while browsing the website. We recommend you learn more about SSL certificates and other security settings .

1. Check Web URL Again

You must have heard of hackers stealing information from users by creating scam website versions of the original and popular websites. They cleverly change a word or two and send you to a fake website to steal your login, password, card details, and other info.

Let’s say, you are trying to visit adidas.com and make a single mistake and visit abidas.com instead. Most of these fake websites don’t follow security protocols and you might end up facing Safari can’t establish a secure connection error.

Check the address bar at the top and inspect the web URL again. If there are any typos, then fix them and try to visit the original website again.

2. Check Current Date and Time

You might be surprised but using the wrong date and time on your Mac might lead to Safari can’t establish a secure connection error on Mac. Here’s how to fix it. Click on the little Apple icon in the upper left corner.

1. Click on the System Preferences menu.

2. Select Date & Time .

3. Enable Set date and time automatically toggle.

Make sure Mac is displaying the correct time and date. Open Safari and try to browse the same website again.

3. Disable iCloud Private Relay

For iCloud+ subscribers, the Private Relay automatically enables the Safari browser. iCloud Private Relay shields your online location and routes the traffic from an Apple-branded server. That way, the website provider won’t have your actual location through the IP address.

The behavior might mess up the experience where your actual location is needed to visit the website. You should disable iCloud Private Relay from the System Preferences menu.

Open the System Preferences menu on Mac and click on Apple ID . Disable Private Relay from the following menu.

4. Disable Private Relay for a Wi-Fi Connection

You can also disable iCloud Private Relay on Mac for a specific Wi-Fi connection. Here’s how to do it.

1. Open the System Preferences menu on Mac and go to Network .

2. Select your connected Wi-Fi connection and disable Use iCloud Private Relay toggle.

Now go ahead and try browsing the web again.

5. Change DNS

DNS acts like a phone directory on your Mac to check the location of the website. You can change the default DNS settings to Google’s public DNS and browse the web without any issues.

Here’s how to do it.

1. Open the System Preferences menu and click on Network .

2. Go to Advanced > DNS menu.

3. Click on the + icon at the bottom and add Google’s public DNS servers.

Here are they.

6. Disable Antivirus

If you are using any antivirus on Mac, then disable it and try to browse Safari again. Normally, you don’t need an antivirus on Mac, but even if you are using it on Mac, you should turn it off for a time being.

7. Disable IPv6 for Your Network

Internet Protocol version (IP) identifies and locates everything that’s connected to the internet. The previous version was IPv4 and the latest one is IPv6. Some websites still use the IPv4 protocol and that might trigger the error in the Safari browser.

You need to temporarily disable IPv6 on your Mac. Here’s how to do it. Go to System Preferences > Network and select the Advanced menu at the bottom. From the following menu, click on TCP/IP and select Manually from the Configure IPv6 menu.

Hit ok at the bottom and start browsing the web in Safari.

Wrapping Up: Fix Safari Can’t Establish Secure Connection on Mac

Sometimes, due to a sketchy internet connection, Safari fails to check the SSL certification of the website. You can simply reload the webpage and try again. Before you switch to a Safari alternative , Go through the tips above and fix the issue.

Parth previously worked at EOTO.tech covering tech news. He is currently freelancing at TechWiser, Android Police, and GuidingTech writing about apps comparisons, tutorials, software tips and tricks, and diving deep into iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows platforms.

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How to Fix Can’t Establish Secure Connection Error in Safari

Samir works as a Senior Editor for Guiding Tech to guide writers towards the best approach for their ideas in solving the tech problems for people. While writing for over a decade and a half, his work appears on HowToGeek, MakeUseOf, GSMArena, BGR India, The Inquisitr, TechinAsia, MySmartPrice, Digit India, and other media sites. Whenever time permits, he tackles how-tos, tutorials, and guides on Mac, iOS, Windows, and Internet tools. He prides in using Windows 11 and macOS for work.

That nagging feeling of someone looking over your shoulder is quite discomforting. The same is being replicated by the nasty ad trackers that track your browsing activities and and the way you consume content. As much as I wish not to spook you, you need to be aware of what is really going on with your favorite websites.

Thankfully, Apple is cracking down on the creepy websites that track your behavior whether you click on their site or not. Besides that, Apple’s latest version of Safari incorporates the Intelligent Tracking Protection 2.0, which scrutinizes and wards off third-party as well as first-party cookies with a potential of tracking your browsing activities.

That’s why Safari may throw errors while opening a suspicious or improperly designed page. If you have been facing the “Can’t Establish Secure Connection” error with your frequently visited sites, then you are not alone. Here are the best working solutions to help you fix that error and continue browsing peacefully.

1. Check for Proper Certificate

To keep it simple, make sure you are accessing the correct website by clicking on the address bar. You should scrutinize the URLs, and look for the green lock icon in front of the site address. If it appears grey, then it is possibly a smartly crafted phishing site with the exact logo and layout of a bank or another website you frequently visit.

2. Clear the Browser History

Safari’s option to clear the Browser History is like a double-edged sword. Usually, the Clear Browser History option would remove the list of websites you visited. However, the latest iteration of Safari removes the related data such as cookies and content of the respective sites. So tread with caution.

Step 1: In Safari, click on History form the menu options at the top of the window.

Step 2: From the drop-down menu next to the word Clear, select All History. Then click Clear History.

3. Uninstall Suspicious Extensions and Plugins

Extensions, Plugins, and Add-ons are like little helpers that speed up the process of undertaking specific tasks with a click or two. However, installing too many of them does affect Safari’s performance. So, it is only wise for you to remove the unwanted and unused plugins or extensions.

Step 1: Click on the Safari menu and select Preferences.

Step 2: From the pop-up window, click on Extensions to view the list of extensions you have installed for Safari. I did not install any extensions. However, if you see any, then select and remove them.

4. Unblock All Cookies

It might be an honest mistake that you accidentally clicked on the box that appears right below the one that states – Prevent cross-site tracking. If that is the case, then that box is essentially blocking all cookies.

Step 1: Open Safari’s Preferences, and click on Privacy.

Step 2: Clicking on Manage Website Data will bring up a new window. From that you can select and remove the cookies of the sites you think you no longer need or want.

5. Check Permissions

Besides going overboard on plugins, some of them do force Content Blocking for websites that are known to carry unsolicited pop-ups and misleading ads with some code on them. If you believe that Safari is hitting a false-positive, then you better check the permissions for the Content Blockers and other elements such as Location.

Step 1: Click on Safari’s menu and select Preferences. From the window that pops up, click on the Websites tab.

Step 2: Click on the Content Blockers in the left pane and see if you have blocked any particular element of the site you are trying to access.

6. Flush DNS Cache

At times, flushing the DNS cache helps to fix a lot of connection and website speed related issues. This solution is quite simple provided you write the command accurately.

Make sure that Safari is not running, and if it is, then you can quit it. Launch the Terminal app on your Mac and feed the following command:

You will have to enter the Admin password and then tit the Enter key. Now relaunch the Safari to check if that helped.

7. Firewall Settings

Firewall protections you from nefarious requests to steal your data and resources. It is possible that some software has enforced strict Firewall policies and barring Safari from any Internet connectivity. Well, it happens when parents or office environment don’t want you to browse the web. There’s a safe way to check whether the Firewall is blocking Safari.

Step 1: Hit Command+Space keys together to launch the Spotlight Search bar.

Step 2: Type Firewall in the Spotlight Search and hit Enter.

Step 3: Click the lock at the bottom-left corner, type your system password, and tap on Unlock button to make changes in the Firewall settings. Once you get the access, click on the Firewall Options button.

Step 4: On the Firewall Options window, ensure that the box for Block all incoming connections is unchecked.

Also, check if Safari appears in the exceptions list and has Allow incoming connections enabled for it. If Safari does not appear there, then proceed to the next solution.

8. Sync the System Time

Though it sounds unlikely that the system time on your Mac is wrong, it’s best to check it once. Here’s how you can verify and change system time.

Click on the Apple Menu and select System Preferences. From the window that pops up, click Date & Time. Then click on the Time Zone to check if you have selected the correct one. If you want to make any change, then you must click on the lock icon at the bottom-left corner and enter your macOS account password.

9. Remove All Website Data

Apple removed the Reset Safari button since the Yosemite update. Thankfully, there are two easy ways to achieve stock Safari experience.

Step 1: Launch Safari, click on the Safari menu, and choose Preferences.

Step 2: Click the Privacy tab from the pop-up window and then hit the button that says – Manage Website Data.

Step 3: Wait for the pop-up window to populate the list of websites. Now you can either remove data of select sites or all. You can also hit the Remove all button and wipe the data clean.

Performing this solution, along with the first one, should be good enough to set the Safari to the factory state. You can quit Safari and relaunch it to try accessing the site giving you so much grief.

10. Use a Different Browser

If nothing works and you need to use a browser, then it’s better to use another browser like the Firefox or Chrome.

Download Firefox for macOS

Download Chrome for macOS

Pursue Secure Browsing

If none of the solutions mentioned above work, then the problem might be with the site. Reinstalling the macOS is the last resort, and I bet it won’t come to that. One of the solutions mentioned above should work for your Mac. It is entirely possible that the site you are trying to access is not available and is facing a downtime.

Was this helpful?

Last updated on 15 February, 2023

The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.

The article above may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. The content remains unbiased and authentic and will never affect our editorial integrity.

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Samir Makwana

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Fixing Safari's 'can't establish a secure connection' when updating a self-signed certificate

I do a lot of local development, and since almost everything web-related is supposed to use SSL these days, and since I like to make local match production as closely as possible, I generate a lot of self-signed certificates using OpenSSL (usually using Ansible's openssl_* modules ).

This presents a problem, though, since I use Safari. Every time I rebuild an environment using my automation, and generate a new certificate for a domain that's protected with HSTS , I end up getting this fun error page:

Safari Can't Open the Page – Safari can't open the page because Safari can't establish a secure connection to the server 'servername'.

There's no possible way of adding an exception, or deleting the old cert from Keychain Access, or really any way to get around this—at least none exposed via Safari's UI.

There are only three ways to get around this annoying issue—one is good for one-off use cases, one requires the deletion of the HSTS cache, the other requires wiping all your web history:

Method 1 - Private browsing session

• Open a new Private Browsing window (Shift + ⌘ + N)
• You should see the link to add an exception for the site.

Note that this exception only persists during that private browsing session. This definitely works in a pinch, or when you're doing a bunch of HTTPS testing.

Method 2 - Clear HSTS cache

This is the easiest method which doesn't require to to re-login to every single site and service you use but allows more permanent exceptions to be stored. Basically:

• killall nsurlstoraged to stop the HTTP storage manager (since it has an in-memory cache of the HSTS hosts).
• rm -f ~/Library/Cookies/HSTS.plist to delete the HSTS cache file.
• launchctl start /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.nsurlstoraged.plist to start up nsurlstoraged again.

I'd rather have the ability to drop just one domain, but it's really annoying trying to edit plist files (it basically has to be done in Xcode nowadays).

Method 3 - Clear all browsing history

This method will log you out of all websites and sessions in Safari, and also wipe out local storage, etc. Not a horrible thing to do every now and then, but it can be really annoying if you do it a few times a day!

• Go to Safari > Clear History... > all history.

There's apparently also a way to force the cert by copying it into Keychain Access manually, then trusting it via Terminal command , but that's super annoying for projects where I rebuild them sometimes dozens of times a day.

The self-signed certs you add exceptions for are also added to Keychain Access, but deleting them from there and restarting Safari doesn't do the trick.

After using one of the methods above, I am able to see the options to add an exception by clicking the 'visit the website' link:

Further reading

• Self-signed certificates via Ansible for local testing with Nginx
• Generating self-signed OpenSSL certs with Ansible 2.4's crypto modules
• Nginx serving up the wrong site content for a Drupal multisite install with https
• Add new comment

I like to use a wildcard cert `*.test` for local work. Each site needs to be approved but the setup is once.

Thank you for this information I was really stumped as to what was going on in the first place. I came up with a way to use PlistBuddy (part of macOS) quite easily to remove a single domain from the HSTS plist.

HSTS_DOMAIN=example.com killall nsurlstoraged /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Delete :com.apple.CFNetwork.defaultStorageSession:${HSTS_DOMAIN}" ~/Library/Cookies/HSTS.plist defaults read ~/Library/Cookies/HSTS.plist launchctl start /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.nsurlstoraged.plist

This page is the only useful one on the internet to solve that problem.

This isn't working for me in the latest macOS release & Safari versions, I get this error:

$ /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Delete :com.apple.CFNetwork.defaultStorageSession:${HSTS_DOMAIN}" ~/Library/Cookies/HSTS.plist Error Reading File: /Users/dmckenna/Library/Cookies/HSTS.plist

I tried opening the file with XCode but it gives an error saying I can't read the file and says I should change the permissions in Finder. I check Finder and the permissions are fine, it even loads a preview of the file.

You have to grant "Full Disk Access" permissions to your terminal application first: http://osxdaily.com/2018/10/09/fix-operation-not-permitted-terminal-err…

Awesome help, thank you very much.

Thanks guys!

So, let me merge all the above here, if you are looking in 2020+ final steps are:

1. Allow terminal to edit files and folders ( http://osxdaily.com/2018/10/09/fix-operation-not-permitted-terminal-err… ) 2. Open terminal and execute line by line: HSTS_DOMAIN=example.com killall nsurlstoraged /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Delete :com.apple.CFNetwork.defaultStorageSession:${HSTS_DOMAIN}" ~/Library/Cookies/HSTS.plist defaults read ~/Library/Cookies/HSTS.plist launchctl start /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.nsurlstoraged.plist

Does not work for `localhost`.

You don't mean "defaults read"- do you mean import?

Thanks for this. I had to use the Finder to browse directly to ~/Library/Cookies/ and manually delete the HSTS.plist file. That worked. The rm command in terminal returned that the operation was not allowed. Cheers!

awesome tip. thank your vey much for sharing

# 2 worked, thanks!

Wow, this helped me big time!

I had visited a site (the management console of a media recorder) when it wasn't properly responding to requests. Safari "somehow" was caching the Error Response in a way that wasn't responding to clearing the cache or any website data. But the URL would work under private browsing, so it was clearly some other information Safari had saved about the page.

It turns out it was in the HSTS cache. Instead of wiping it out entirely, I:

1) Opened ~/Library/Cookies/HSTS.plist in PLIST editor; searched for the misbehaving hostname, and deleted its entry 2) sudo killall nsurlstoraged 3) Save HSTS.plist 4) launchctl start /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.nsurlstoraged.plist

And on next visit, it loaded correctly. Huzzah! This has been plagueing me for over 2 weeks now...

MiraMatt's (most recent one) worked for me! Thank you!

For anyone here on Safari 14+:

1. Open Safari preferences 2. Privacy -> Manage Website Data... 3. Search for localhost and delete the entry

No need to leave Safari!

Whatta great, simple solution. THANKS!

You are great. This worked on my phone.

Thanks for that dear Sir!

Just to update this article for anybody coming from Google in 2024:

The HSTS file is now at:

/System/Volumes/Data/Users/username/Library/Containers/com.apple.Safari/Data/Library/Caches/WebKit/HSTS/HSTS.plist

You will not find them in ~/Library/HSTS.plist any more.

Hope this helps somebody!

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Safari Can't establish a secure connection for localhost

I am running my application with localhost in safari, and it says 'cant open localhost:4200' because safari can't establish a secure connection.

Is there any setting to be done for this?

please help , how can I run localhost in safari

MacBook Pro

Posted on Jan 30, 2020 12:24 AM

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Jan 30, 2020 5:53 PM in response to pmadhavi14

What type of application is this? The two most likely candidates appear to be Angular and some Virtual Reality applications. Do you have the firewall turned on? These items would make a difference. I'm not clear on what you are doing, making it difficult.

There are a number of mentions in the internet about being unable to open port 4200 because it is already in use. It says that there are ways to change the port used by the ng server.

sudo lsof -i -n -P | grep ":4200" should hopefully list any applications using the port.

Sometimes you can use 127.0.0.1 when localhost doesn't work.

*** *** ****

I was just looking at some more articles, such as https://www.router-switch.com/faq/difference-between-https-port-443-and-8443.html

If you are running https, why are using 4200? I thought 443 and 8443 were the normal ports. If this is a server, what server software are you using.

Jan 31, 2020 12:08 AM in response to Bradley Ross

I am running angular application with 'ng serve' - which runs in ' https://localhost:4200' by default

I have just given 4200 as reference(as you said we can use any port with ng serve --port <any portnumber>) , but my problem is localhost is not working in safari/chrome whatever the port it is .

I found that, the problem I was facing is with 'localhost Certificate trust', - it resolved my problem

Jan 30, 2020 5:04 PM in response to pmadhavi14

Do you have the site certificates trusted?

Jan 30, 2020 2:30 AM in response to pmadhavi14

Set up your web server to support https (secure http).

Jan 30, 2020 2:59 AM in response to Barney-15E

with the same https://localhost, I can run in Mozilla, it is working, I am facing this issue in safari and chrome

Jan 31, 2020 12:09 AM in response to Barney-15E

The problem is with Certificate issue - this resolved my issue

Home > News Tips

Safari Can't Establish a Secure Connection, Try These Solutions!

Updated on Monday, May 13, 2024

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To protect users' security and privacy, Apple enables websites to use strong encryption to provide a secure web connection, which makes Safari continuous to be one of the most secure browsers on Mac. However, if a webpage on a server doesn't meet Safari's secure cryptographic standards, the below warning message may show up:

• Safari can't open the page because Safari can't establish a secure connection to the server .
• Safari can't open the website because it's using weak encryption.

If you're facing the  Safari won't open  problem due to the unsafe connection to the server, just read along to learn how to fix Safari can't establish a secure connection on Mac.

Why can't Safari establish a secure connection?

There are many reasons why Safari can't establish a secure connection to the server you're trying to access. Namely, they're:

• The webpage you're trying to access is under low encryption.
• A third-party extension or add-on has been installed on your browser.
• Your browser has outdated cache data.
• The SSL certificate of a website is expired.

How to fix Safari can't establish a secure connection?

Now that you've understood the potential causes of Safari not establishing a secure connection to the server , it's time to look at how to fix it. Below are 8 solutions you can use to resolve the error.

Fix 1: Double-check the URL

The first thing you should do when Safari can't establish a secure connection is to check the URL again. Click the URL to view the full web address to make sure the web address is correct. Any small mistakes (like .cn should be .com) could bring you to a wrong and unsafe site.

Sometimes, the website you're trying to open isn't actually the one you want to visit. Fake websites are often designed to look like the real one to steal your precious personal data.

Fix 2: Check the current date and time

You may not know using the wrong date and time on your Mac can cause some unexpected issues. It might stop you from installing the latest software update, downloading new apps, or loading secure web pages. Thus, to fix the  Safari not working  issue you're facing, make sure the date & time you set is correct.

Click the Apple menu and go to System Preferences > Date & Time . Click the padlock to unlock changes, then tick the option named Set date and time automatically .

Fix 3: Disable iCloud Private Relay

If you're an iCloud+ subscriber, the  iCloud Private Relay  is automatically enabled for the Safari browser. iCloud Private Relay shields your online location and routes the traffic from an Apple-branded server. In that way, the website provider won't have your true location through the IP address.

However, the website may need your actual location to load. You need to disable iCloud Private Relay to fix Safari can't establish a secure connection . Simply open the Apple menu > System Preferences > Apple ID . Then, disable Private Relay from the list.

Fix 4: Disable your Safari browser extensions

An extension or add-on in your Safari browser may be conflicting with Safari's ability to connect to a site securely. Therefore, it may be helpful for troubleshooting the Safari issue if you disable all your browser extensions, especially those anti-virus programs and security-related extensions.

To do this, launch Safari first, then click Safari in the top menu bar and navigate to Preferences . Switch to the Extensions tab and cancel the checkmark next to the add-on name to disable it.

Fix 5: Clear the Safari browser history

As mentioned earlier, the outdated cache browser history may cause Safari can't establish a secure connection to the server . So let's see if  clearing the browser history on Mac  will resolve the Safari issue.

Step 1: Open Safari, and click on History from its menu bar.

Step 2: From the given list, select Clear History .

Step 3: A dialogue window shows up, select All History from the drop-down menu next to the word Clear . Then click Clear History again.

Fix 6: Change to a different DNS

If the error is still there, you may need to check your Domain Name Server (DNS) settings since issues with your DNS settings might be responsible for Safari can't establish a secure connection to the server. To see if this is the case (and resolve it), you can try using a different DNS address. For example, you could use Google's Public DNS.

• Go to Apple menu > System Preferences > Network .
• Select Advanced and switch to the DNS tab.

Fix 7: Disable IPv6 for your network

Internet Protocol (IP) controls how data moves across the internet. Its previous version was IPv4 and the latest one is IPv6. Some websites still use the IPv4 protocol and cause you to face the Safari can't establish a secure connection message. So you need to temporarily disable IPv6 on your Mac. Here's how to do it.

• Go to Apple menu > System Preferences > Network and select the Advanced menu at the bottom.
• Switch to TCP/IP this time and select Manually from the Configure IPv6 menu.

This should resolve the Safari issue if IPv6 were the problem. If not, there's one last fix you can try.

Fix 8: Make Keychain trust the certificate

Keychain Access in macOS  is the application that stores your passwords, account details, and application certificates. It also keeps your data secure and can control which sites are trusted by your Mac device. Thus, you need to make sure that Keychain Access trusts the certificate of the site you're trying to open.

• With the Details panel expanded, click Command + Space keys to bring Spotlight Search bar, enter "Keychain" in the search field and open it.

Anna Yuan is a professional tech editor at iBoysoft who specializes in writing articles related to software, macOS, Windows OS, Apple products, and Windows computers. Furthermore, she writes articles for some well-known tech websites. And as she has been a Mac user for many years, she's highly willing to share information on Mac utilities and tips.

Jessica Shee is a senior tech editor at iBoysoft. Throughout her 4 years of experience, Jessica has written many informative and instructional articles in data recovery, data security, and disk management to help a lot of readers secure their important documents and take the best advantage of their devices.

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Home » Mac » Safari Can’t Establish a Secure Connection for Localhost? Here’s What You Should Do

Safari Can’t Establish a Secure Connection for Localhost? Here’s What You Should Do

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Safari browser not loading some websites and showing the error message “a secure connection could not be established.” Need to investigate the cause, which could be related to the website’s security certificate or your network connection.

Well, many Mac users have reportedly encountered the same error message when using Safari. While some were able to successfully resolve the problem, others weren’t. And for these users, problems like this can be frustrating.

Fortunately, there are ways to resolve it. And below, we will share with you some ways to fix the Safari can’t establish a secure connection error on Macs. But before anything else, what is this error message all about?

The Safari Can’t Establish a Secure Connection for Localhost Error

There are times when Safari can’t establish a secure connection, preventing you from accessing your favorite websites, such as YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. According to experts, this error happens if the site you are trying to access is using a server that does not meet the recommended cryptographic standards.

Pro Tip: Scan your Mac for performance issues, junk files, harmful apps, and security threats that can cause system issues or slow performance.

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To fix the problem, IT specialists often suggest performing the following actions:

• reboot your Mac
• remove website data
• uninstall suspicious browser add-ons, plug-ins, and extensions
• clear cookies
• reset Safari, and
• modify permissions

If none of these troubleshooting actions worked, then try the recommended fixes we have listed below.

How to Fix the Safari Can’t Establish a Secure Connection Error?

Before you proceed with any of the fixes below, make sure your Mac is free of junk files and potentially unwanted programs. In some cases, these files may keep you from accessing your favorite sites on Safari.

To clean your Mac from any unnecessary files and programs, we suggest that you download a Mac repair tool. Once you have one installed on your Mac, run a quick scan and let it do its job of finding junk files hiding on your system.

After cleaning your Mac, try any of the fixes below:

Fix #1: Check your DNS settings

Often times, malware entities interfere with your system and DNS settings, causing error messages to pop up.

To check your DNS settings, follow these steps:

• Go to System Preferences and select Network .
• Choose Advanced .
• Navigate to the DNS tab, and then click the + button.
• Into the text field, input 8.8.8 and press Enter.
• Again, click the + button.
• Input 8.4.4 into the text field and hit Enter.
• Hit Apply .

Fix #2: Make sure the website’s certificate is trusted

SSL certificates are important to secure credit card transactions, logins, and data transfers. So, when visiting a website, make sure that it has a trusted certificate, especially if you are completing transactions.

To ensure that a site’s certificate is trusted, follow these instructions:

• Open Safari and visit the site that throws the error message “Safari can’t establish a secure connection error.”
• Check the address bar and click the Secure button that comes in the form of a lock icon.
• Click More Information.
• Select View Certificate.
• Check what certificate is in use by navigating to the Details tab and clicking the CMD + Space keys.
• Into the Spotlight search, input Keychain .
• Select System Roots and hover over the site’s certificate.
• Click on the certificate and expand the Trust section.
• In the When using this certificate section, choose Always Trust.

Fix #3: Disable IPv6 on your Mac

Because IPv6 is the latest Internet Protocol, not all devices support it yet. So, you might want to disable it first to ensure no errors arise while surfing the web.

Here’s how to disable IPv6 on your Mac:

• Go to System Preferences.
• Select Network .
• Choose Ethernet and click Advanced .
• Navigate to the Configure IPv6 section and select Manually .
• Click OK and choose Apply .

Fix #4: Clear Safari’s browsing history

Often times, clearing Safari’s browsing history resolves the error. Though some people think this is a bad idea, it actually worked for other Mac users.

To clear the browsing history of Safari, follow these steps:

• Launch Safari and click Clear History.
• Click the All History option.
• Your browsing history should now be removed.

Fix #5: Uninstall suspicious plugins and extensions

Add-ons, plugins, and extensions may speed up certain tasks with just a click or two. However, installing more than what you need may take a toll on Safari’s performance. Therefore, it is only wise to remove any unnecessary plugins and extensions.

Here’s how:

• Launch Safari and go to its menu.
• Select Preferences .
• In the window that pops up, click Extensions . This will show you a list of extensions that are currently installed on Safari.
• If you find a suspicious extension or one that you no longer need, click on it and select Remove .

Fix #6: Remove unnecessary cookies

Did you accidentally click on a pop-up that asks you to prevent cross-site tracking? In that case, you have probably accepted or enabled cookies. These cookies are messages that web servers send to end-devices. They are created for the purpose of remembering important information or record browsing activities.

Enabling cookies doesn’t really have a major fatal impact on your Mac, but it can trigger error messages like the Safari can’t establish a secure connection error.

To remove unnecessary cookies, here’s what you should do:

• Open Safari and go to Preferences .
• Click Privacy.
• Select Manage Website Data.
• Find and select the cookies of the sites that you no longer need.

Fix #7: Flush the DNS cache

Flushing the DNS cache can help fix different connection issues. While it seems like a difficult task, it is actually very easy to do, provided you input the command correctly.

Here’s how to flush the DNS cache:

• Close Safari .
• Launch the Terminal utility on your Mac.
• Into the command line, input this command: sudo killall –HUP mDNSResponder
• You might be prompted to enter your login credentials. Enter your username and password, then hit Enter .
• Relaunch Safari and check if the error persists.

Wrapping Up

If none of the fixes above worked, then it is likely that the problem is with the website. It could be possible that the website is facing a downtime at the moment, hence the error message.

Of course, reinstalling macOS is also an option, but we wouldn’t really suggest doing that. Just work your way down the list of fixes above, and you should find one that will work.

Do you have other fixes to add to our list? Share them in the comments section below.