If you’re managing your own WordPress site, installing an SSL certificate seems like a straightforward way to make your site secure and trusted. I followed all the typical steps—purchased an SSL certificate, activated it through my hosting provider, and even updated my site URL from HTTP to HTTPS. Yet, whenever I visited my site, the dreaded message still appeared in the browser bar: “Not Secure.” Frustration set in quickly, but after much digging and experimenting, I discovered that the root of the problem was more complex than it initially appeared. Thankfully, the WP Force SSL plugin helped me resolve it completely.
TL;DR
Even after installing a valid SSL certificate, your WordPress site may still display as “Not Secure” due to mixed content issues, improperly configured settings, or caching problems. I encountered this frustrating scenario myself and tried a range of solutions. In the end, WP Force SSL automatically redirected all traffic to HTTPS and corrected my mixed content problems, effectively securing my site. It’s a simple, yet powerful plugin that can save you countless hours of troubleshooting.
SSL Is Active—So Why Is My Site Still Not Secure?
At first glance, the SSL installation was a success. My hosting control panel indicated that the certificate was active, and I could even visit the HTTPS version of my site. However, users—and I—continued to see the “Not Secure” notice in the browser’s address bar. Here are the most common reasons why this can happen, even with a valid SSL:
- Mixed content issues: Certain resources like images, scripts, or stylesheets are still loading over HTTP instead of HTTPS.
- Incorrect WordPress settings: The WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) might still be pointing to HTTP.
- URL hardcoding: Static files or site components are hardcoded with HTTP in theme or plugin files.
- Browser caching: Older HTTP versions of pages are being loaded from local cache.
Initially, I tried solving the issue by updating the site URL values in the WordPress settings to use HTTPS. But that alone wasn’t enough.
Mixed Content: The Stealthy Culprit
The term “mixed content” refers to a website that is loaded over a secure HTTPS connection but still includes resources (such as images, iframes, or scripts) that are being loaded over an HTTP connection. Modern browsers treat this as a security threat and flag the site as partially unsafe—hence the “Not Secure” notice.
This made me dive deeper into the source code of my pages, and sure enough, I found several references that looked like this:
<img src="http://example.com/wp-content/uploads/image1.jpg" />These legacy URLs had survived past redesigns, plugin installations, and template changes. Manually changing each of them seemed like a nightmare, especially for a site with hundreds of pages and media files.
Enter WP Force SSL: The One-Click Hero
I stumbled across WP Force SSL while searching for better solutions. This plugin promised a simple method to force all traffic over HTTPS and fix mixed content issues by automatically replacing HTTP links with HTTPS versions wherever possible. At this point, I had nothing to lose, so I gave it a try.
Setting It Up
The setup couldn’t have been more straightforward:
- I installed the WP Force SSL plugin from the WordPress Plugin Repository.
- Activated it and went to its settings page.
- Toggled the option to enable SSL redirection.
Immediately, every visit to my site was redirected from HTTP to HTTPS seamlessly.
Mixed Content Scanner & Automatic Fixes
WP Force SSL also comes with a mixed content scanner. It crawled my site and listed all the URLs still pulling resources over HTTP. Not only did it identify the problematic links, but it also gave me the option to automatically fix them by rewriting URLs in real-time. This was a lifesaver.
It handled:
- Image links in posts and pages
- Stylesheets and JavaScript files
- Iframe and embed links
- Hardcoded HTTP references in themes
After running the scan and applying the fix, I reloaded my homepage. No more “Not Secure” warnings. The green padlock was finally there, beaming with a glorious sense of victory.
Other Useful Features of WP Force SSL
While the primary goal was to shift everything to HTTPS, the plugin also delivered additional features that I hadn’t expected but grew to appreciate:
1. SSL Monitoring
The plugin includes SSL certificate monitoring. It checks whether the SSL is valid, when it will expire, and sends alerts before expiration. This ensures my certificate never lapses again.
2. Site Health Dashboard
It combines SSL status with site health overview, offering real-time diagnostics and actionable insights—all from inside the WordPress admin panel.
3. No Developer Knowledge Required
I didn’t need to modify any code manually or change .htaccess files. Everything was done through the WordPress GUI.
Avoid Common Mistakes When Switching to HTTPS
Even with powerful tools like WP Force SSL, be sure to follow these best practices to ensure a fully secure WordPress site:
- Update site URL in Settings: Go to Settings > General and make sure your WordPress Address and Site Address both begin with
https://. - Use a plugin to update URLs: Plugins like “Better Search Replace” can help mass-update URLs in your database.
- Regenerate static files: Busted cache files can still load old HTTP references. Clear your browser’s cache and your site’s cache after making changes.
- Remap CDN resources: If you're using a CDN, ensure all assets delivered by it are available over HTTPS.
Real-World Impact
Once everything was corrected and the site was fully HTTPS-compliant, I noticed a few significant improvements:
- Higher trust with users: Visitors no longer feared submitting forms or making purchases.
- SEO benefits: Google confirms that HTTPS is a ranking signal. My site’s position improved slightly.
- Security enhancements: SSL encrypted the communication channel, significantly reducing vulnerability to attacks.
Final Thoughts
The battle to get that reassuring green padlock wasn’t won just by installing an SSL certificate—it required identifying and resolving multiple hidden issues. WP Force SSL turned out to be much more than a redirection tool. It offered a comprehensive solution to managing my site’s transition to HTTPS by handling mixed content, configurable redirects, and live monitoring.
If your WordPress site is still showing “Not Secure” even after installing a valid SSL certificate, don’t panic. Chances are you're facing the same hidden issues I did. And trust me—letting WP Force SSL handle it might just be the easiest and most effective fix available.
Happy (and secure) blogging!
