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Fix "certificate name does not match" (ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID)

Browsers show ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID, NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID or Your connection is not private: the certificate is not valid for this name when the certificate installed does not cover the address the visitor typed.

The usual causes

• www or no www. A certificate for www.example.com normally covers example.com as well, but check the certificate really lists both. Our certificate checker shows every name on the certificate.
• A different sub-name. A single-domain certificate does not cover shop.example.com or mail.example.com. A wildcard certificate covers every name one level below your domain, such as shop.example.com. It does not cover names two levels down, such as a.shop.example.com. Many wildcard certificates also include the plain example.com, but check the list of names to be sure.
• The wrong certificate is installed on that site. On a server hosting several sites, the certificate for another site may be answering. The site's own virtual host or binding needs its own certificate.
• Visiting by IP address, or by an old or alternative domain name that is not on the certificate.

Fix it

1. Run the checker on the address that shows the error and read the list of names.
2. If the name is simply missing, you need a certificate that includes it. A multi-domain certificate covers several named domains, and a wildcard covers your domain and one level of subdomains. We can help you choose: Help me choose.
3. If the right certificate exists but is not the one answering, make sure it is attached to the correct site in your server or control panel, then reload.

More in this section

• My CSR was rejected: what the messages mean
• Fix "unable to get local issuer certificate" and incomplete chain errors
• Fix "key values mismatch": private key does not match the certificate
• I installed the new certificate but the site still shows the old one
• Domain validation is not completing: what to check

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