If you’re facing the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR on Google Chrome, you’re not only. Almost all users have faced this sort of error at least once. The ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR is not a big deal and can be fixed by using some pretty straightforward tricks.
This error often goes itself when you refresh the browser page, but sometimes it arrives again and again. If you are encountering such kinds of warnings, here we’re listing multiple solutions to fix ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR.
Fixes to ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR
Check the Date of Your System
Since wrong system dates and times can generate the SSL/TLS connection to fail, you should look at the system clock when the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR message arises on your Chrome browser page. If there is a notable difference between what’s shown and real-time or if the incorrect date has been set, the browser is often incapable of accurately loading SSL connections. Make sure that the time and date are right and adjust them if needed. By default, you can do this straight from the taskbar – alternatively, you can get the right menu inside ‘Date and time’ in the Control Panel.
Clear Browsing Data
Sometimes, the browser’s history data may also come in the path of your internet surfing experience, thus delivering you that cruel SSL error again and again. If the date on your PC is correct, follow the moves given below to clear browsing data from your Chrome browser:
- Start Chrome browser
- Click Ctrl + Shift + Delete
- Just verify that the period is at “All Time.”
- Next, Tick’ Cookies and other site data’ in the checkbox.
- Then, Tick Cached images and files’ checkbox.’
- Next, press Clear Data.
Please wait for it to finish, and once it has been completed, try loading the site again in your browser. There’s an outstanding possibility that it will open just accurate.
Temporarily Disable Antivirus and Firewall
Software (to defend against malware) and a firewall are necessary for all user who intends to connect their machine to the Internet. Though protection tools like these work with numerous algorithms and rules, they can block access to specific sites even if they don’t pose a protection risk. For instance, the domain address or IP address has probably been classified as a safety risk, and that’s why it’s being prevented. Chrome also shows the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR message if a security application usually blocks SSL connections.
You can test whether the security applications you are using cause the error message by temporarily stopping them and revisiting the site. If the connection setup now runs without issues, you understand that you have to perform changes in the application settings and discard the IP address from the blacklist.
Disable extensions
Extensions are fabulous, and we each like them. But sometimes, the stuff that we love do us the most harm. Maintain a focus on our guide for more on this, but presently we must concentrate on ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR and the browser’s extensions. Keep disabling all extensions one by one until you locate the original culprit.
Clear you’re SSL State
If your issue continues, the next action you should attempt is clearing your PC’s SSL state. Follow the measures given below to perform that:
- Tap on the three dots displaying next to the address bar in the browser, right below the close button of the Chrome browser
- Tap Settings and scroll down to Advanced press on the button to expand Advanced settings
- Now move down to the “Open Proxy Settings” option under the System section by scrolling and press on it
- A new pane titled “Internet Properties” will open. Navigate to the Content tab in that window and press on Clear SSL State
Now try visiting the site once again in the Chrome browser.
By disabling QUIC Protocol
Quick UDP Internet Connection (QUIC) is a transport layer protocol that enhances HTTP traffic’s performance and speed. It applies a single step SSL handshake method. If your Chrome browser is actively utilizing it, it might produce some problems with your current SSL certificate. You can manually stop it from detecting if that alleviates the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR.
- Explore for chrome://flags/#enable-quic in the browser address bar to reach to Experimental Features page.
- From the right-side drop-down menu that shows default, choose Disabled.
- Relaunch the Chrome browser.
Change Your Privacy and Internet Security Settings
The whole of us is concerned about security when it evolves to using the Internet. If you are like other users, this implies you may have set your computer’s internet security and privacy levels as “High.” This could have prevented some SSL connections, thus appearing in the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR in your browser.
- Navigate to your PC’s Control Panel.
- Go to Internet Options.
- Tap on the Security tab and adjust the security level to medium or low.
- Press on the Privacy tab and change the security level to Medium or down (it will prevent third-party cookies that need privacy policy)
Restore to Default or Delete the “Hosts” File
There are two ways you can attempt to restore the hosts’ file. First, you have to download the ‘Host file restore’ application to solve it automatically. If the application doesn’t work, then you can manually build a Hosts file.
You will notice a file named hosts in the location “C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\.” Maybe it got damaged by some virus or malware, or a different program may have modified it somehow. Either way, this occurs in the file having wrong information, which may affect the internet connection to redirect the user to undesired destinations. Removing it will get rid of the failure. If you utilize the host’s file for programming, verify whether any unwanted part of the code is there. Delete it, and the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR from your browser will go.
Conclusion
We hope that this guide has benefited you to solve ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR or “This site can’t provide a secure connection” error messages on Chrome Browser. If all the above-listed solutions are unable to solve your issue, then it’s time to contact customer care support.