How to Fix the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT Error? (10 Fixes)

Ever tried to visit a website and got hit with the “ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT” error? Frustrating, right? This issue pops up in Google Chrome when there’s a problem establishing a secure connection between your browser and a website. In simple terms, your browser can’t verify the site’s SSL certificate, which is essential for keeping your data safe.

If you see this error, don’t panic—we’re here to help. It can happen due to outdated client authentication settings, conflicting third-party software, or even just a simple date and time mismatch. The good news? It’s totally fixable, and we’re going to walk you through 10 easy ways to get back online.

SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificates play a crucial role in encrypting data and verifying a user’s identity, ensuring a secure exchange between the browser and the website. To fix this error, users should check for an updated client certificate, ensure proper SSL configuration, and verify server authentication settings.

What Causes the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT Error?

Before we jump into solutions, let’s take a quick look at what might be causing this issue:

• Conflicting Browser Extensions – Some extensions interfere with SSL verification.
• Incorrect Date & Time Settings – Your computer’s date and time must be accurate.
• Antivirus or VPN Blocking Connections – Some security software blocks SSL connections.
• Chrome’s QUIC Protocol Issues – This experimental feature can cause problems.
• Corrupted Browser Data – Stored cookies and browser cache can interfere with secure connections.
• Outdated Chrome or OS – Older versions might not support modern security protocols.
• Misconfigured CDN or DNS Settings – If you use a Content Delivery Network or custom DNS, incorrect settings can cause issues.
• Expired or Invalid SSL Certificate – The website’s security certificate might be outdated or misconfigured.

Now that you know what’s behind the problem, let’s fix it!

How to Fix the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error

Encountering the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error can be frustrating, but don’t worry – there are several ways to tackle it. This guide will walk you through 10 effective fixes to help you resolve the issue and restore secure access to your website.

1. Clear your Browsing Data

As you probably know, your browser stores data like cookies and cache to speed up your online experience. While this is generally helpful, sometimes this stored information can lead to conflicts, especially when dealing with SSL certificates.

Sometimes, stored cookies and cache create conflicts. If you’re facing the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error, a simple cleanup of your browser cache and cookies might just be the solution you need.

Here’s how you can clear your browsing data in the Google Chrome browser:

Steps to Clear Browsing Data in Chrome:

1. Click the three-dot menu in Chrome’s top-right corner.
2. Go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Delete Browsing Data.
   

   

3. Select Cached images and files and Cookies and other site data.
4. Choose the time settings for which you want to clear browsing data from the dropdown menu.
   

   

5. Hit Delete Data and restart Google Chrome.

Clearing your browser cache often helps resolve conflicts caused by old or corrupted data. If this step doesn’t solve the issue, consider checking your browser extensions – one of them could be messing things up.

2. Deactivate Browser Extensions

Certain extensions in your Google Chrome browser can interfere with SSL authentication, leading to the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error. To find out which extension is causing the issue, you can disable them one by one.

Here’s a straightforward way to do it:

Steps to Disable Extensions:

1. Open Chrome and click on the three-dots menu in the upper right corner.
2. Select Extensions > Manage Extensions
   

   

3. Disable all extensions and restart Chrome.
   

   

4. Re-enable them one by one to find which one of the installed Chrome extensions is causing the error.
5. When you find the culprit, delete conflicting browser extensions.

If this doesn’t resolve the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error message, you can move on to adjusting Chrome’s QUIC protocol settings for further troubleshooting.

3. Disable Chrome’s QUIC Protocol

The QUIC protocol, developed by Google, aims to improve browsing speed by reducing latency and enhancing performance.

Despite its benefits, the QUIC protocol is designed to make browsing faster, it can sometimes lead to SSL conflicts, such as the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error. Disabling it might help resolve these issues.

Here’s how you can turn off the Experimental QUIC Protocol in Chrome:

Steps to Disable QUIC:

1. Open Chrome and type chrome://flags/#enable-quic in the address bar.
2. Locate Experimental QUIC Protocol and disable it.
   

   

3. Restart Google Chrome.

After turning off the QUIC protocol, revisit the website to see if the SSL issues have been resolved. If not, continue to the following troubleshooting steps to address the problem.

4. Update your Browser

Using an outdated browser? That might be the reason for the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error you are experiencing.

Keeping your browser up to date is important because it includes updates for new features, security improvements, and bug fixes. An outdated browser may pose security threats and overall performance issues. That is why to fix ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error you must check if your browser needs an update.

Here’s how to update the Chrome browser:

Steps to Update Chrome:

1. Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner and go to Settings.
   

   

2. Scroll down to the About Chrome section.
   

   

3. If an update is available, Chrome will automatically download it. So, update Google Chrome if necessary and restart your browser.
   

   

Keeping your browser updated helps prevent errors and ensures that your browser stores data efficiently. If the error persists after updating, proceed with the next solution.

5. Sync The Date & Time on your Computer

Incorrect date and time settings on your device can cause SSL errors, including the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error. A website’s SSL certificate is valid for a certain time frame and then expires to keep security strong and prevent outdated encryption.

That’s why browsers check the SSL certificate’s timestamp to verify its validity. If your device’s date and time are wrong, it can misread even a valid certificate as expired. This triggers SSL errors and blocks secure connections.

So, making sure your computer’s clock is accurate is critical for your secure connections because SSL certificates are time-sensitive.

Here’s how to synchronize the date and time on your system:

Windows 10 & 11

1. Open Windows Settings
   

   

2. Navigate to Time & Language.
   

   

3. Under Date & Time enable Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically.
   

   

If the culprit was your local date and time configuration, setting it right may fix the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error.

MacOS

1. Click on the Apple icon in the top left corner of your screen.
   

   

2. Open System Settings > Date & Time.
   

   

3. Enable Set date and time automatically.
   

   

These settings ensure your system retrieves the correct time from internet servers, helping prevent SSL-related errors due to incorrect time settings.

6. Disable your Antivirus/ VPN/ Proxy Temporarily

Third-party software like antivirus programs, VPNs, and proxy services can interfere with SSL certificate verification. And that could trigger the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error.

Antivirus software helps tremendously in securing your device and protectingyour browsing. Occasionally, your anti-virus software includes HTTPS scanning, which modifies SSL certificates and causes authentication issues.

VPNs and proxies may also reroute traffic in a way that disrupts Transport Layer Security (TLS), making it difficult for Chrome to verify a website’s SSL certificate.

That’s why disabling these third-party services on your device may help with fixing the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error message.

Antivirus Software

Open your antivirus software and navigate to its settings. Look for SSL scanning, HTTPS scanning, or TLS settings and disable them. Some antivirus programs place this under web protection or advanced settings.

VPN

If you’re using a VPN, disconnect from it and try reloading the page. Some VPNs interfere with SSL verification by altering connection routes.

Proxy Settings

Disable your proxy settings by going to your computer’s network settings.

• On Windows, open Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy and toggle off any proxy configurations.
  

  

• On macOS, go to System Settings > Network > Advanced > Proxies and uncheck any enabled options.
  

  

After disabling each of these services restart Google Chrome and check if the error persists.

If disabling these services resolves the issue, adjust their settings to allow SSL connections while keeping your security protections intact. If the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error continues, move on to the next solution.

7. Update your Operating System

Keeping your Operating System updated is vital for security and performance. Outdated software may not support the latest Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocols, causing SSL errors like ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT.

Regular updates ensure your system stays compatible with modern encryption standards and security patches.

So, to make sure that the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error message is not due to outdated software, it’s best to check if your OS version is up to date.

You can find the steps for how to update Windows and MacOS below.

Windows 10 & 11

To check if your Windows OS needs an update, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings > Update & Security
   

   

2. Go to the Windows Update screen.
3. See if you are using an outdated Windows version. If so, click Check for updates and install any available updates.
   

   

MacOS

See if your MacOS is using the most recent OS version with the steps below:

1. Open System Settings
   

   

2. Go to General > Software Update.
3. Install any available macOS updates.

Reload the site to check if updating your software solved the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error. In case the error persists, proceed to the next step.

8. Verify your SSL Certificate Configuration

If previous solutions haven’t resolved the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error, it’s important to examine your SSL certificate configuration. This part covers how to verify your SSL certificate chain and renew expired certificates, ensuring your website stays secure and reliable. Addressing these issues can strengthen your site’s security and maintain user trust.

Let’s see how you can go about that in the following sections.

Check Certificate Chain

An ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error can occur if there is a broken or missing link in the chain of certificates issued by the Certificate Authority (CA). To troubleshoot this issue, ensure that the certificates are properly installed and chained in the correct sequence.

Each certificate within the chain verifies the one before it, so maintaining the proper order is crucial. Verify the installation of the following certificates:

• Server Certificate: This is the certificate issued to your domain and must be installed on your server.
• Intermediate Certificate: These certificates bridge the gap between your server certificate and the root certificate, establishing trust.
• Root Certificate: The top-level certificate that anchors the chain of trust.

Use an SSL checker to evaluate your SSL certificate installation. In the screenshot below, you can see an example output of a similar check.

If any issues are detected, adjust your SSL settings accordingly to ensure a complete and correct SSL certificate chain.

Renew SSL Certificate

An expired SSL certificate can also trigger the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error. If you are the website owner or administrator, renewing your SSL certificate can resolve this issue. An expired certificate disrupts SSL connections and compromises your website’s security.

To renew your SSL certificate, create a new Certificate Signing Request (CSR) and submit it to the Certificate Authority for validation. Once you receive the new SSL files via email, install them on your server using the same procedure as the initial installation.

For most users encountering this error as a website visitor, the best course of action is to contact the website owner and inform them of the error so they can address the certificate issue promptly.

9. Validate your DNS settings

While the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error is primarily related to client authentication issues, confirming your DNS settings are correct can help maintain overall connectivity to the server. Proper DNS configuration ensures that requests reach the intended web server, which is crucial for secure connections.

Although DNS issues don’t directly cause this specific error, verifying your DNS settings can prevent other connectivity problems that might complicate troubleshooting efforts.

To verify your DNS settings, follow these concise steps:

• Verify Name Servers: Check that your domain points to the correct name servers provided by your DNS hosting provider.
• Check for DNS Propagation: Use online DNS propagation checkers (like WhatsMyDNS) to confirm that recent changes have propagated globally.
  

  

• Flush DNS Cache: Clear the local DNS cache to resolve potential issues related to outdated entries in the server software.

If you make sure these aspects are correct, you can help maintain a reliable connection to your web server and possibly fix the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error.

10. Check your CDN Settings

Using a CDN service? Double-check your SSL settings to ensure they match your site’s configuration. Issues with CDN settings can cause the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error if the SSL certificate is not properly configured or synchronized between the CDN and the origin server. That can lead to client authentication failures.

• Verify CDN Configuration: Ensure that your CDN is properly configured to handle SSL traffic and that the SSL certificate is correctly installed on both the origin server and the CDN.
• Check SSL Settings: Confirm that the SSL settings on your CDN match those on your origin server to prevent any conflicts.
• Purge CDN Cache: Clear the CDN cache to ensure that the latest SSL configurations are applied

Try these fixes and see which one works for you. If you’re still facing issues, consider reaching out to the website owner or your hosting provider.

ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT Wrap Up

Dealing with the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error can be frustrating, but these 10 fixes should get you back on track. Whether it’s clearing your cache, updating your system, or tweaking your Chrome settings, one of these solutions should work for you.

If the issue persists, try accessing the site from a different device or network. Still stuck? It might be time to reach out to the website owner or your hosting provider for further assistance.

Now, go ahead and refresh that page – you’ve got this!