How to Fix Mixed Content Warning on the SSL Website

A Mixed Content Warning is one of the most common errors faced by websites that implement SSL certificates. This warning occurs when a webpage loaded over HTTPS contains resources (images, scripts, or stylesheets) that are loaded over HTTP, rather than HTTPS. This creates a situation where secure (HTTPS) and insecure (HTTP) content is mixed, compromising the security of the website.

In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the reasons behind Mixed Content Warnings and provide step-by-step instructions on how to fix them, ensuring that your website is fully secure.

What is Mixed Content?

Mixed content refers to the presence of both secure (HTTPS) and insecure (HTTP) resources on the same page. When a website is loaded over HTTPS, all elements on the page, including images, scripts, CSS files, and even third-party resources, should also be served over HTTPS. If any of these resources are served over HTTP, it leads to a Mixed Content Warning in the browser.

Mixed content can be divided into two types:

1. Passive Mixed Content: This includes resources such as images, videos, and audio files. Passive mixed content does not directly affect the functionality of the page but can still create security issues.
2. Active Mixed Content: This includes JavaScript, CSS files, and other files that can potentially alter the content of the page. Active mixed content is a major security risk and can lead to attacks such as data interception, script injection, and more.

Why is Mixed Content a Problem?

Mixed content undermines the security of your website and your users’ data. Here’s why it’s problematic:

1. Data Interception: HTTP traffic is not encrypted, making it easier for hackers to intercept sensitive data (like passwords, credit card information, and other personal data) sent from the browser to the server.
2. Script Injections: If your website loads insecure resources over HTTP, malicious users can inject harmful scripts into your page that could compromise user security.
3. SEO and User Trust: Google and other search engines prioritize secure websites (HTTPS). Additionally, mixed content warnings can drive away users, damaging your site’s credibility and trust.
4. Browser Warnings: Modern browsers such as Google Chrome, Firefox, and Edge display mixed content warnings or even block insecure resources altogether, leading to poor user experience.

How to Fix Mixed Content Warning on SSL Websites

Now, let’s explore step-by-step how you can resolve Mixed Content warnings on your SSL-enabled website.

Step 1: Identify the Mixed Content

The first step to fixing the Mixed Content Warning is identifying where the insecure content is being loaded from.

Use Developer Tools to Find Mixed Content:

You can use the browser’s developer tools to quickly identify mixed content.

1. In Google Chrome:
   • Right-click anywhere on your webpage and click Inspect or press Ctrl + Shift + I.
   • Go to the Console tab.
   • You will see warnings related to mixed content (e.g., “Mixed Content: The page at ‘https://yourwebsite.com‘ was loaded over HTTPS, but requested an insecure resource ‘http://example.com/image.jpg‘. This request has been blocked; the content must be served over HTTPS.”).
2. In Mozilla Firefox:
   • Right-click anywhere on your webpage and click Inspect or press Ctrl + Shift + I.
   • Go to the Console tab.
   • You will see a similar warning indicating which resources are being loaded via HTTP.

Use Online Tools:

You can also use online tools to find mixed content issues:

• Why No Padlock: This tool scans your website for mixed content issues and provides a detailed report of which elements are insecure.
• SSL Labs’ SSL Test: This tool helps to evaluate your SSL implementation and security.

Step 2: Update URLs of Resources

Once you have identified the HTTP resources, the next step is to update their URLs to HTTPS.

1. Update Image URLs: Check all image URLs and make sure they are served over HTTPS. If an image is being loaded over HTTP, update the URL in your HTML code or CMS settings to HTTPS.
2. Update Script and CSS URLs: Check for any external scripts (JavaScript) or CSS files that are being loaded over HTTP. Change the links to HTTPS. For example:
   <script src="http://example.com/script.js"></script>


   Should be changed to:

   <script src="https://example.com/script.js"></script>

3. Update Resource URLs in Database: If your website is powered by a content management system (CMS) like WordPress, you may need to update your database. Plugins like Better Search Replace or Velvet Blues Update URLs can help you replace HTTP URLs with HTTPS in the database.
4. Check Third-Party Resources: Sometimes external resources (like fonts, APIs, or widgets) might be loaded over HTTP. Ensure that these third-party resources are available over HTTPS. If not, contact the service provider or consider finding an alternative.

Step 3: Redirect HTTP to HTTPS

For any resource that still might be requested over HTTP, you can configure a server-side redirect to force all HTTP traffic to HTTPS.

1. For Apache: In your .htaccess file, add the following redirect rule to force HTTP requests to HTTPS:
   RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

2. For Nginx: You can modify your server block to ensure all HTTP traffic is redirected to HTTPS:
   server {
listen 80;
server_name yourwebsite.com;
return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}

3. For WordPress: WordPress automatically redirects HTTP to HTTPS if the site URL is updated to HTTPS in the General Settings section. Make sure both the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) are set to HTTPS.

Step 4: Use Protocol-Relative URLs

If you’re using a lot of external resources (like images or scripts) and are unsure if they support HTTPS, you can use protocol-relative URLs. These URLs automatically load resources over HTTPS if the page is loaded over HTTPS, and over HTTP if the page is loaded over HTTP.

For example:

This will work over both HTTP and HTTPS, depending on the protocol of the page.

Step 5: Test Your Site for Mixed Content Issues

After making the necessary changes, it’s important to test your site to ensure that the mixed content issue has been resolved. You can use the following tools to perform the test:

• SSL Labs’ SSL Test: This test will help verify if your SSL certificate is installed correctly and if all content is served over HTTPS.
• Why No Padlock: Use this tool to check for any remaining mixed content warnings on your site.

Step 6: Monitor and Maintain SSL Configuration

To ensure long-term security and avoid mixed content issues in the future, here are some recommendations:

1. Regularly Check for Mixed Content: Make it a habit to periodically check your website for mixed content, especially after updating plugins, themes, or adding new external resources.
2. Use SSL Plugins: If you’re using a CMS like WordPress, consider using SSL management plugins such as Really Simple SSL to automatically handle SSL issues, including mixed content warnings.
3. Renew SSL Certificates Regularly: Keep your SSL certificates up to date and ensure they don’t expire, as expired certificates can also lead to security warnings.

Conclusion

Fixing the Mixed Content Warning is essential for maintaining a fully secure website that operates smoothly and instills trust in your users. By identifying the mixed content sources, updating URLs to HTTPS, using redirects, and ensuring that all external resources support HTTPS, you can eliminate these warnings and improve your website’s security.

A website free of mixed content issues not only secures your users’ data but also boosts your site’s credibility and SEO ranking. Follow the steps in this guide to make sure your site runs without any security warnings, providing a safe and trustworthy browsing experience for all visitors.