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You are here: Home / iPad / Get “the certificate for this server is invalid” error? How to fix it

Get “the certificate for this server is invalid” error? How to fix it

By Sudz Kar 16 comments Last updated January 2, 2023

Several iPod touch, iPad and iPhone users reported the following error message when attempting to access the iTunes Store, App Store, the Mail app, or a website: The certificate for this server is invalid.  You might also see the error cannot verify server identity.

Contents

  • Quick tips
      • Follow these quick tips when getting certificate errors on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod
  • What is a certificate?
  • What are certificate errors like the certificate for this server is invalid?
    • One of the most common reasons for certificate errors is when your device’s or computer’s date & time are incorrect
    • Wait it out and visit site or app later
    • Toggle off or reset Safari’s Fraudulent Website Warning
      • A better option is to reset it!
  • Seeing this certificate for this server is invalid error on a Mac?
    • Check if a certificate is valid using Keychain Access
  • Reader tips

Quick tips quick tips 2019

Follow these quick tips when getting certificate errors on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod

  • Restart your device
  • Force close the app and launch it again
  • Update your device’s Date & Time settings to Set Automatically
  • For issues with the Mail app, delete the account and add it back
  • Reset all settings on your device

What is a certificate?

A secure website that encrypts data needs to obtain a site or host certificate from a trusted certification authority (CA) to verify that the site is indeed secure. These security certificates are part of the HTTPS  (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure) protocol, designed to encrypt all data that travels back and forth between a server and a user’s browser.

Basically, a certificate ensures that your data is indeed encrypted so any information you provide is kept private.

These errors indicate that a website or server is not trustworthy, so never enter any private, confidential, or sensitive personal information if you see these types of certificate errors.

What are certificate errors like the certificate for this server is invalid?

You find certificate errors when there’s an issue with a site’s or server’s use of a certificate. 

One of the most common reasons for certificate errors is when your device’s or computer’s date & time are incorrect

Luckily, this is an easy fix.

Check your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch’s date and time by going to Settings > General > Date & Time. we recommend toggling on Set Automatically instead of entering manually.

Date & Time Settings on iPhone
Turn on ‘Set Automatically’ and select your Time Zone.

For Macs, go to System Preferences > Date & Time and tick the box for Set date and time automatically. Error Occurred During Activation for iMessage or FaceTime on Mac?

Wait it out and visit site or app later

If you continue to see the error after updating the date & time, it’s possible the certificate has expired and needs renewal.

Do not continue with the site until the certificate warning is gone.

Since this is a problem with the server or website, there is nothing you can do other than wait for the certificate to renew.

Toggle off or reset Safari’s Fraudulent Website Warning

If you’re confident that the site is secure or it’s your own site/blog, you can toggle off Safari’s warnings.

When you turn on Fraudulent Website Warning, Safari displays a warning if a site is suspected of phishing or other fraudulent behavior. When browsing with this feature on, Safari might verify the site address with Google Safe Browsing to ensure it’s not fraudulent.

While we don’t recommend it, you can disable Fraudulent Website Warnings in Safari by going to Settings > Safari, then toggling the Fraudulent Website Warning off. safari website warning for fraudulent sites

A better option is to reset it!

  1. On your device, go to Settings > Safari > toggle off the Fraudulent Website Warning 
  2. Restart your device
  3. Return to those same settings and toggle the Fraudulent Website Warning back on
  4. Test the site or app again

Seeing this certificate for this server is invalid error on a Mac?

Certificate trust settings in Keychain Access app

Check if a certificate is valid using Keychain Access

Use your Mac’s Certificate Assistant in Keychain Access to evaluate a certificate by looking at its trust policy and determine if it is valid.

  1. Open Keychain Access from your Mac’s Applications > Utilities folder
  2. Choose Certificates in the Category list
  3. Double-click the certificate you wish to evaluate
  4. Go to the top menu and choose Keychain Access > Certificate Assistant > Evaluate certificate name
  5. Select a trust policy
  6. Click Continue

Reader tips

  • For email account issues, go to Settings> Passwords & Accounts> tap the specific email account > Advanced > toggle off Use SSL

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sudz - apple
Sudz Kar

Obsessed with tech since the early arrival of A/UX on Apple, Sudz (SK) is responsible for the original editorial direction of AppleToolBox. He is based out of Los Angeles, CA.

Sudz specializes in covering all things macOS, having reviewed dozens of OS X and macOS developments over the years.

In a former life, Sudz worked helping Fortune 100 companies with their technology and business transformation aspirations.

Reader Interactions

Write a Comment Cancel reply

Show 16 Comments

  1. Geoff says

    September 20, 2023 at 1:01 AM

    Well updating to iOS 17 was a bloody mistake.

    Upon restart, I was assaulted by a bevy of warnings regarding inability to connect to a variety of Google services. Then upon opening Music I can not even play anything (A SERVICE WHICH I PAY FOR) due to an invalid certificate warning for bag.itunes.apple.com.

    I am less than impressed – sort your issues out.

    Reply
  2. Loridawn says

    December 13, 2021 at 6:53 PM

    I’ve tried all of your suggestions to no avail. I also have an older iPad that I use to download library books. While my device is slower, this seems to be the one site giving me this issue. Any other suggestions wod be appreciated. Thanks

    Reply
  3. Lynn E Baden says

    November 4, 2021 at 3:42 PM

    I have a fairly old IPad. 16gb. Model A1430. Serial DMPHF8YJDVGG. When trying to download ebooks from local libraries, I get “Certificate for this server is invalid.” Is this on my end or the libraries? I have reseached but don’t know next steps… than you.

    Reply
  4. Terrance McInnis says

    January 11, 2021 at 8:19 AM

    My mail is not working properly. I got a message that the certificate for this server is invalid and you might be connected to a server that is pretending to be “imap.bellaliant.net” which could be a confidentially issue. Bell told me that this is NOT a certificate issue but it is an Apple issue. Looked up on Google and told this was an outdated certificate problem.
    I was trying to set up my new iPhone around the same time this problem started occurring.
    I can see my email at Bells web site but not on my computer.
    Please help me because I’m tired of the run around.
    Terrance McInnis

    Reply
  5. Billy says

    March 10, 2020 at 1:42 PM

    My defender app says this on all my devices tried the time thing on all of them but didn’t fix it any other way to fix it

    Reply
  6. DEDON says

    September 14, 2019 at 3:17 AM

    thanks alot ma problem was solved through u. appreciate

    Reply
  7. Albert Spohn says

    May 13, 2019 at 8:09 AM

    The date, time and timezone are all correct on my phone, but this message persists whenever I tried to connect with iCloud.

    Reply
  8. Fred Msuya says

    May 1, 2019 at 1:04 AM

    Thank you very much you help me

    Reply
  9. Amanda says

    September 5, 2015 at 2:24 AM

    Excellent fix thanks worked

    Reply
  10. Jonas says

    May 22, 2015 at 10:19 AM

    Thanks. It solved mynproblem. However i needed to set up the time manually.

    Reply
  11. Sarah Beynon says

    November 15, 2014 at 3:50 PM

    It is happening on my ipad whilst using itunes. The time zone is set up correctly

    Reply
  12. Corvo says

    November 9, 2014 at 12:15 AM

    Dude Thanks You So Much I Have This Problem For Maybe 2 Months Ago ..
    Finally I Got A Solution Thanks Dude

    Reply
  13. John H says

    November 5, 2014 at 5:20 PM

    Same problem for me with my IPad. If I change to set automatically the Time zone box goes into perpetual timeout. Usual frustration, I guess the idea is to make us all expect that nothing works as it should then we are grateful for the time it does work.

    Reply
  14. Marie says

    April 24, 2014 at 3:11 PM

    Same here. Date/time is correct but still receive the certificate error.

    Reply
  15. Diana says

    November 16, 2013 at 9:37 PM

    Get the same prob with my date and time are both correct, tried to ON the set automatically but the prob still dont go away.

    Reply
  16. Rowan MacBean says

    October 12, 2013 at 1:17 PM

    What if you get this error and all your date, time, and timezone settings are correct?

    Reply

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Last Updated on January 2, 2023 by Mitch Bartlett