Internet Explorer Secure Site Problems

Secure sites, those with "https" in the browser's address bar, don't always load correctly into Internet Explorer (IE). The source of this problem might have nothing to do with actual security issues, but with settings on your computer, which can fortunately be changed so the secure site becomes viewable.

Compatibility View

You can apply Internet Explorer's Compatibility view for one possible solution to secure site issues. The Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) code in the web pages of some secure sites may be old or incompatible with Internet Explorer. IE has a Compatibility View tool to allow you to view such pages. You can use this tool by clicking the small icon that displays the torn page, located just to the right of Internet Explorer's address bar.

Interference From Add-ons

Internet Explorer's add-ons might be another reason why secure pages won't load, because add-ons can interfere with the site's content. Add-ons are scripts or programs that aren't part of Internet Explorer itself, but that you add on to provide a convenience, e.g. filling in forms or viewing special types of files like Portable Document Format (PDF). The solution in this case is to disable one or more add-ons.

Add-ons can be disabled individually by choosing "Tools>Manage Add-ons", selecting the add-on that you want to disable, and pressing the "Disable" button in the window's lower right corner.

No-Add-Ons Mode

All add-ons can be temporarily disabled by starting up Internet Explorer in "No Add-ons" mode: This can be done by pressing the Windows "Start" button, typing "Internet Explorer," and clicking on the "Internet Explorer--No add-ons" item that appears.

If running Internet Explorer with no add-ons enables access to the secure site, you can restart Internet Explorer with all add-ons enabled; disable them all individually; then enable one add-on at a time and try to access the site again, to find the one causing the problem.

Date and Time Settings

Date and time settings on your computer are another possible source of problems in Internet Explorer's access of secure sites. Some sites require computers accessing them to have accurate internal clocks.

You can make your PC's internal clock accurate by typing "time" after pressing the "Start" button; selecting the "Date and Time" item that appears; pressing the "Change date and time" button; and setting the correct time and date manually.

Update Time Automatically

You can also tell the PC to pull the correct time automatically from the Internet by clicking the "Internet Time" tab of the Date and Time window; clicking "Changes Setting," checking the "Synchronize with Internet time server" checkbox and clicking "OK."

Restore Default Options

Other options within Internet Explorer might be making secure sites inaccessible. In this case, restoring IE's default settings may solve the problem. You can do this by clicking "Tools>Internet Options," clicking the "Advanced" tab, and pressing the "Reset" button.

References

• Microsoft Support: You Cannot Access a Secure Website in Internet Explorer