5 Methods To Fix “?gws_rd=ssl” SSL Connection Error in Chrome

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In This Guide

DO IT NOW: Fixing the ?gws_rd=ssl SSL Connection Error

3 Easy Ways to Fix the “?gws_rd=ssl SSL” Connection Error:

Method 1: Sync Your PC’s Time and Date

Method 2: Clear Your Browser’s Cache and Cookies

Method 3: Use a Different Internet Network

2 Advanced Methods:

Method 1: Disable Any Browser Security Plugins Installed

Method 2: Reset Your Browser

Fix It Now

The SSL connection error is quite a common error that occurs when you try to open a website in your browser. When this happens, you will see an extra parameter in the URL, known as ?gws_rd=ssl, along with the SSL certificate or error connection on the page.

The ?gws_rd=ssl SSL connection error is usually caused by an invalid SSL certificate. So how do we fix the ?gws_rd=ssl SSL connection error in Google or other browsers?

In this guide, we will reveal a number of ways to fix the SSL connection error. So read on to find out how you can successfully access a webpage without any SSL errors.

Another common issues that users encounter along with this one are ERR_CONNECTION_RESET, Chrome automatically deleting your downloaded files and the Chrome one — “Network Change Was Detected”.

3 Easy Ways to Fix the “?gws_rd=ssl SSL” Connection Error:

The ?gws_rd=ssl SSL connection error prevents you from accessing a website. However, there are many easy fixes that can resolve this error.

Method 1: Sync Your PC’s Time and Date

One of the reasons you are getting the SSL connection error on your browser may be because your PC’s time and date settings are inaccurate or not synced. Make sure you are using the accurate time zone according to your actual location. 

Here’s how to sync the time and date settings of your PC:

• On your keyboard, press ‘Win + I’ to open “Settings”.
• Now go to “Time & Language” > “Date & time”.

• Expand the “Time zone” settings and select the right time zone.
• Enable the “Set time automatically” option.

• Now restart your browser. 

Method 2: Clear Your Browser’s Cache and Cookies

You can also try clearing your browser’s cache and cookies to fix the SSL connection error. To do so:

• In your browser, click on the three-dotted/lined icon.
• Now go to “Settings” > “Privacy and security”.

• Select the “Clear browsing data” option or press ‘Ctrl + Shift + Delete’.

• Navigate to the “Advanced” tab.
• Now go to the “Time range” option and select “All time”.
• Select everything and hit the “Clear data” button.

If you are using Microsoft Edge:

• Go to the Edge “Settings” panel.
• Navigate to the “Privacy, search, and services” section.

• Now locate the “Clear browsing data” panel.
• Select the “Choose what to clear” button.
• Now go to the “Time range” option and select “All time”.
• Select everything and hit the “Clear now” button.

Method 3: Use a Different Internet Network

Many websites have security restrictions for public WiFi connections, which may trigger the SSL connection error. This can also sometimes happen with your home WiFi connection.

Try connecting to a different internet connection temporarily to see if you can access the website. For instance, switch to an ethernet connection if you are using WiFi to see if your internet connection is the culprit.

2 Advanced Methods:

If you are still encountering the SSL connection error after applying the above-mentioned fixes, try the following methods:

Method 1: Disable Any Browser Security Plugins Installed

Browser security extensions are designed to protect you from spam links, cyber threats, and malware. But sometimes, these extensions can conflict with a webpage if SSL certification verification fails. 

Try disabling all the security plugins installed on your browser one by one to find the culprit. If you are able to successfully access the webpage upon disabling a plugin, keep it disabled until you’re done using that webpage. 

Method 2: Reset Your Browser

If everything else fails, try resetting your web browser. 

For Google Chrome:

• Select the ‘three-dotted’ icon.
• Go to the “Reset Settings” tab.
• Select “Restore settings to their original defaults” option.
• Hit the “Reset Settings” button.

For Microsoft Edge:

• Go to the Edge “Settings” panel.
• Navigate to the “Reset Settings” section.
• Select the “Restore settings to their default values” option.
• Hit the “Reset” button.

Now restart your browser and try accessing the webpage again. You can also try switching to a different browser or updating your current browser to resolve the error.

Note: many users encounter another issue — an ERR_ADDRESS_UNREACHABLE error, see how to solve it here.

To potentially resolve both of them, I recommend getting a reliable VPN, after all it has a free trial.