SSL technology is an industry standard for web traffic encryption and is used on millions of websites worldwide.
SSL is something you’ve heard about and know that you must add to your website. However, all of the technical jargon sounds confusing.
You don’t have to worry about it, securing your website takes only a few steps. Let’s get started.
What is an SSL Certificate?
SSL (Secure Socket Layer) is a type security that protects data when it travels between your computer or the internet. It encrypts the information between the parties and prevents it from being read by others, even people who are on the same network.
All of your website traffic and contents are protected with HTTPS
As a user browses your website, their activity on the site is encrypted.
Customers are not putting their personal data at risk.
To ensure that your customers are protected on your website, get an SSL certificate when you register your domain.
What are the benefits of having an SSL certificate on your Shopify store?
SSL certificates are a standard in online security and customer trust.
Hackers can steal passwords, credit cards numbers and data from checkout pages if you log in to an unsecure website.
The padlock icon indicates that your site is secure. It also means that all information being sent to and from your sitemap is protected.
Customers can feel confident when they see the padlock icon next to your URL in their browser.
Google Search also stated that encryption is crucial for search engine ranking.
Google published a page on HTTPS site ranking. It identified SSL encryption as the definitive rank factor and offered other security best practices to improve SEO for your sales company.
Optimizing for Google searches also increases visibility for your business and sets a positive example to new visitors.
You can increase your sales and make Google Search happy by protecting content across all your domains.
Does Shopify Provide Free SSL Certificates?
They do!
Shopify makes it simple for merchants to secure their online shops with SSL certificates.
Shopify offers SSL certificates free of charge for all Shopify stores. This ensures that online shoppers are protected against data theft.
All Shopify-hosted pages can be migrated to HTTPS in just a few steps.
To switch to HTTPS, all you need to do is activate the plugin
How to add SSL to Shopify
Log in to your newly created online store Shopify issues and installs SSL certificates automatically across every URL after your domain has been connected .
Your SSL certificates will validate if your host and any CDNs that you use also use SSL. Then your online store will be secured.
You will then need to update the HTTP sitemap. If you have never created an HTTP sitemap, I’ve prepared a quick tutorial.
Navigating around your site will allow you to verify that SSL certification was granted.
If they do not, the padlock icon will not appear in your browser.
Your SSL encryption could fail due to site refresh delays, content errors, or domain misconfiguration.
Shopify’s SSL certificate is not loading on your online shop. You’ll notice a warning message on the site saying SSL Unavailable, SSL Pending.
What does SSL Unavailability mean for your Shopify Store?
SSL Unavailable error message in Shopify admin center indicates that SSL is not available to be used on your site. However, this does not mean that you cannot use Shopify’s free encryption. Shopify cannot issue SSL certificates if this happens.
Although there are many reasons why your domain or content delivery service might not be able to establish a secure link, most of the time it’s a configuration problem that can be fixed to make your online store SSL-ready.
How to fix SSL unavailability in your Shopify store
- Give it 48 hours
- Register Your Domain
- Removing IPv6 records
- CAA Records Can Be Removed (Or Alternated)
SSL Unavailable refers to a Shopify error, not a browser error.
If SSL is not available, shoppers will not notice it unless they are able to find the padlock icon in web browsers.
Secure shopping is possible only if SSL content is used. If you see the error on Shopify’s settings page or in your webmaster tools, it is important to fix it immediately.
1. Give it 48 Hours
After making any modifications to your custom domain, web server or website, your SSL certificates must be renewed and re-verified.
It can take up 48 hours for HTTPS encryption installation to be completed and distributed on your site.
The 2-day deadline starts at the time you create your website. If you need to do any of the next steps, you will have to wait again.
2. Fix Your Domain Record
Shopify adds your custom domain automatically to your Shopify admin panel when you create it through Shopify. Shopify also configures it for your convenience.
However, if Shopify didn’t allow you to create your custom domain, you will have to add it yourself.
Verify that your A record points at Shopify’s IP address 23.227.38.65
If you are using CNAME entries, your CNAME entries should be directed at: shops.myshopify.com
You can’t have multiple A records on a domain. If you have additional A record entries, it will trigger the SSL Unavailable error in Shopify.
3. Removing IPv6 records
Although IPv6 (AAAAA) records are valid types of A records, they are completely irrelevant to Shopify’s website hosting and can cause HTTPS encryption to be broken.
To ensure that you get the HTTPS URL prefix, keep your IPv4 A records.
4. Remove (Or Alter CAA Records)
CAA records are unnecessary and can cause Shopify to use HTTPS encryption in error.
You will need to include certificate authorities for digicert.com and globalsign.com in any CAA records.
These certificate authorities are third-party services that confirm that an HTTPS certificate is valid.
How to Fix a Pending SSL Certificate on Your Shopify Store
- Your A Name Records are available for inspection
- Make sure you have the correct CNAME records
- Let It Proclaim
SSL Pending is something a little different. It means that SSL has been activated in your stores, but Shopify has not yet verified your server or content to ensure compliance with the encryption protocol.
1. Check your A Name Records
SSL Pending will be displayed if all your DNS configuration is correct, but your A records are not in order.
Shopify will now authorize SSL for your server immediately after it receives your domain.
Your A records should be corrected to point at Shopify’s IP address: 23.227.38.65
If you need assistance using the webmaster tools of your host domains to set up these records for your website, contact them.
2. Fix Your CNAME Records
A CNAME is a unique record that maps one domain’s DNS records to another domain’s records.
Your Shopify-specific CNAME Record to point to shops.myshopify.com
The CNAME record should always point at a domain name and not an IP address.
3. Let It Propagate
Regardless of the error, it doesn’t matter what. It can take up to 48 hours to propagate any changes to your domains at each storefront.
You should wait at least two business days before you contact your third-party admin support, Shopify support communications or an IT service to help secure your storefront.
Shopify is a popular platform for e-commerce. A Shopify store that is well-designed and optimized can bring you many benefits, including increased traffic and conversions. Shopify SSL is a key component of creating a great Shopify online shop.
Your data is protected by ensuring that your online store remains secure. This can help build customer trust. Shopify makes it easy to do this. You can protect yourself, your company, and your customers with just a few simple steps.
Shopify SSL Certificate: Why should you Need it?
Netscape developed a protocol called Secure Sockets Layer encryption in the mid 1990s. This protocol allowed HTTP to run to send sensitive data to ecommerce websites. HTTPS was the secure version of HTTP. This allowed users to securely transmit credit card information via encrypted connections. SSL protocols allow for encryption, authentication and protection of data integrity.
This works by the web server sending a valid SSL certificate to the user upon accessing the secure website. It contains a public key and a private encryption key. An independent certificate authority will verify the identity of the SSL certificates for ecommerce if the public encryption key matches that of the private encryption key. There are many types of certificates, each with different levels.
Google declared in 2014 that it would start weighing whether HTTPS websites were included in its search results rankings. Google Chrome started identifying HTTP websites as “not secured” in July 2018. Since then, most web browsers have followed the example.
SSL protection from Shopify is an essential part of protecting your website. An SSL certificate is required for a website to protect user data, verify ownership, prevent counterfeit copies, and ensure that the site remains secure. This certificate will build trust between your company and customers. SSL secure checkouts are more likely to make customers complete their purchases.
The padlock symbol is displayed next to the URL. This signifies that the customer can safely enter their data. Customers can make their purchases without worrying about their personal data being stolen. An SSL certificate for ecommerce has the added benefit of protecting your business from third parties and protecting customers’ data. It also prevents data being lost in transit.
Shopify SSL also gives you a higher ranking on search engines. Rankings are affected by the security of a website. Google search has made clear that site encryption is an important factor in determining search rank. Google regards security as one of the most important practices for effective search engine optimization (SEO). Optimizing your website for Google search can give you a significant boost in traffic and visibility.
Shopify SSL Certificate
Make sure you add an SSL certificate to your domain name registration. This will protect you and your users. Hackers could steal your personal information if you use an unsecure site. This includes passwords, credit card numbers, or other sensitive information. This is particularly important for e-commerce platforms where tons of this information is transmitted every second.
Shopify offers free SSL certificates to all domains. All online merchants can encrypt and protect their data with Shopify. Once a domain is properly configured, SSL certificates will be automatically created and added into the online store.
It can take up 48 hours to set up the SSL certificate. Your browser may display a security warning during this time. If the problem persists, be sure to check your website regularly and contact Shopify. Your store URL will be changed from HTTP to HTTPS once the certificate is authenticated.
How to create a Shopify SSL Custom domain
All domains created through Shopify automatically receive an SSL certificate, as mentioned previously. There are two options to create a Shopify SSL custom domain . Shopify is the first option. Shopify charges around $11 per annum for a domain.
Shopify will allow you to manage your domain settings after you have purchased a domain. You can edit or create subdomains here. You can also renew and pay for domains. Shopify domains are purchased for one year. They can be renewed each year.
You can also use a third party domain. If you have a Shopify SSL domain already registered with another provider, this is a great option to create one. Your third-party domain can be used by linking it to Shopify or transferring it. Shopify can transfer most domains.
All domain management is transferred to Shopify once a domain has been transferred. Linking is the best option if you want to continue using a third-party domain. Your domain settings will be managed by Shopify even if you link to a third-party website. The third-party provider will continue to renew and pay for your domain.
Shopify Secure E-Commerce Website
Shopify is trusted to protect their e-commerce websites by more than one million merchants. Shopify is under immense pressure to ensure that both customer and merchant data security is maintained. Shopify SSL is not the only security feature. There are many more. Shop owners can also display a Shopify Secure Badge on their website. This allows users to shop with confidence.
Secure Payment Options
Shopify uses the most stringent standards to ensure safe credit card processing. Shopify stores are PCI compliant automatically. They strictly adhere to data security rules. Customers can shop online without having to worry about credit card information.
This is why Shopify is better than self-hosting. Shopify also offers SSL certificates for all domains at no cost. This means that every purchase can be done securely through SSL secure checkout.
Admin Security
Shopify’s backend website uses a staff permission system. It is secured. This allows you to set up accounts for every person who has access to your Shopify admin. This protects your online store against security breaches. This is done by requiring authentication. This will also prevent access from suspicious activity. Only shop owners can restrict access to their staff.
Fraud Protection
Shopify’s Fraud Protect feature helps protect merchants against fraudulent chargebacks. Eligible stores must be located in the United States and accept Shopify payments. Shopify orders placed online through Fraud Protect will be either “protected” (or “not protected”) after the activation of Fraud Protect.
Merchants must pay a fee to protect orders , and Shopify will guarantee the payment. Shopify will take care of any fraudulent activity that occurs on a protected order.
