How to Fix an SSL Certificate Between IONOS and WordPress

Is your WordPress site showing “Not Secure” even after enabling SSL in IONOS? Here’s how to fix the SSL certificate issue quickly and keep your website running smoothly.

Understanding the SSL Certificate Problem

What Is an SSL Certificate?

An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate encrypts data between your site and visitors, ensuring secure browsing. When it’s not properly installed or configured, users may see browser warnings or errors.

Why IONOS + WordPress Has SSL Conflicts

Although IONOS offers free SSL certificates, integrating them with WordPress can result in common errors:

• “Your connection is not private”
• Mixed content warnings
• Redirect loops

These issues often stem from:

• Improper domain pointing
• Missing HTTPS redirection in WordPress
• Cached HTTP content
• Inactive SSL plugins or theme misconfigurations

How to Fix an SSL Certificate Between IONOS and WordPress

1: Check SSL Installation in IONOS

Log in to your IONOS dashboard:

• Go to Domains & SSL
• Confirm that your domain has a valid SSL certificate
• If not, activate it under the SSL Certificate section

💡 Tip: The SSL certificate usually comes free with your hosting plan. Activate it manually if it’s not enabled.

2: Force HTTPS in WordPress

Option A: Use a Plugin

Install and activate the Really Simple SSL plugin:

• Automatically detects SSL and configures your site to use HTTPS
• Fixes mixed content issues
• Redirects HTTP to HTTPS

This method is safe and doesn’t touch your code.

Option B: Update WordPress Settings

Navigate to:
Settings → General
Update these two fields:

• WordPress Address (URL): https://yourdomain.com
• Site Address (URL): https://yourdomain.com

Save changes and clear your browser cache.

3: Clear Cache and CDN Conflicts

• If you’re using caching plugins (like WP Rocket), clear all caches
• Flush server cache via IONOS dashboard if available
• If using Cloudflare or other CDNs, ensure Full SSL is selected under SSL settings

4: Replace Mixed Content

Some assets (images, scripts, CSS) may still load over HTTP. Use these tools:

• Better Search Replace plugin to find and replace http:// with https:// in the database
• Or use SSL Insecure Content Fixer for targeted asset correction

How This Affects Website Design

SSL and User Trust

Without SSL, users may abandon your website. This damages not only credibility but also conversion. Clean, secure design must go hand-in-hand with technical setup.

SEO Impact

Google prioritizes secure (HTTPS) sites. A broken SSL harms your search rankings. Even with stunning design, poor SSL configuration ruins performance and visibility.

Our Design Perspective

At AIRSANG DESIGN, we understand that design doesn’t end with visuals—it extends to user trust, security, and performance. While we don’t dive into backend server development, we do:

• Ensure SSL is integrated seamlessly in your WordPress project
• Use best practices to avoid mixed content
• Implement plugins like Really Simple SSL during launch
• Test responsiveness and HTTPS performance on all devices

We build not just beautiful websites, but secure and trustworthy experiences.

Conclusion: Fix It and Future-Proof It

If your SSL certificate isn’t working between IONOS and WordPress, don’t panic.
With the right plugin setup, redirection tweaks, and caching cleanup, you can quickly resolve the issue—no coding needed.

And remember, great website design starts with great functionality. Security is not an afterthought—it’s a core part of the experience you provide to your users.

This article was shared by Airsang Design.