Your domain and https

Custom domain shows “Not secure”, or the certificate won't issue

Your domain opens with a “Not secure” warning or a certificate error, or the host keeps saying the certificate is pending.

Checked 16 October 2026

The short answer

The host can only issue a certificate once your DNS points at it and nothing else. Check the records below, remove leftovers such as old A or AAAA records, allow the certificate authority in any CAA record, and give it a little time.

Find your cause

6 causes, most likely first

  1. 1

    The DNS doesn't point at the host yet

    How to tell: The check below shows records missing or pointing somewhere else.

    Fix

    Add the records from the guide for your registrar and host. The certificate follows by itself.

  2. 2

    Old records are still there

    How to tell: Besides the host's records there are other A or AAAA records on the same name, often from a parking page.

    Fix

    Delete them. With two answers, the host's check can land on the old server and fail. GitHub names extra A, AAAA, ALIAS or ANAME records on the bare domain as a reason certificates aren't created.

  3. 3

    A CAA record leaves out the certificate authority

    How to tell: Your domain has CAA records (dig CAA example.com shows them) that don't name your host's authority.

    Fix

    Add one for it, or remove CAA records you didn't add on purpose. GitHub Pages, Netlify and Vercel use Let's Encrypt:

    CAA record
    0 issue "letsencrypt.org"
  4. 4

    Cloudflare's proxy is in front

    How to tell: At Cloudflare, the record shows an orange cloud (Proxied).

    Fix

    Set it to DNS only (grey cloud) so the host can check the domain and issue its own certificate.

  5. 5

    It's still in progress

    How to tell: The records are right and you added them recently.

    Fix

    Issuing usually takes minutes, sometimes longer after DNS changes. On GitHub Pages, if it's stuck, remove the custom domain in Settings → Pages, add it again and save: that starts it over.

  6. 6

    Mixed content on the page

    How to tell: The certificate is fine, but one page shows no padlock and the console mentions Mixed Content.

    Fix

    Change http:// links to images, scripts and styles to https://.

Check it now

What the world sees for your domain

Where is the site hosted?

Check your domain

Once the records are in, see whether the world can see them pointing at 99helpers.

Changes can take from a few minutes to a day to show up everywhere.

Questions

Also asked

Can I enforce https before the certificate is ready?

No. On GitHub Pages the Enforce HTTPS box stays unavailable until the certificate is issued; other hosts redirect to https by themselves once it is.

Rather not fight DNS?

On 99helpers a domain is one CNAME record. The domain dialog checks your DNS as you go and says exactly what's missing, and the certificate is issued and renewed for you.

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A file, a folder or a whole site: 99helpers puts it online at its own address, with no git, no build settings and no DNS to start with. Add your own domain whenever you're ready.

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