What happens if non-www is set as the default in Webflow and Chrome shows a privacy warning while Safari immediately gives up?
TL;DR
- If the non-www domain is set as default in Webflow but lacks valid SSL, browsers like Chrome and Safari may show errors.
- To fix, ensure SSL is enabled, DNS records are correct, and consider setting the www domain as default to avoid redirect and SSL issues.
If the non-www domain is set as default in Webflow but there's an issue with SSL, you may encounter browser-specific SSL or redirect behavior. Here's how it works and what's likely causing it.
1. Understand the Default Domain Behavior
- In Webflow, you can choose either the www or non-www version of your custom domain as the default domain.
- The default version receives a 301 redirect from the other (e.g., non-www → www or vice versa) and is where SSL is served from.
- All traffic is routed to this version, so it’s critical that SSL is properly configured and active on the default domain.
2. Why Chrome Shows a Privacy Warning
- Chrome gives a "privacy warning" when it detects an invalid SSL certificate, mismatched domain, or an incomplete certificate chain.
- If your non-www domain is the default, but its SSL certificate is missing or hasn't propagated, Chrome will show a "Your connection is not private" message (SSL_ERROR or NET::ERR_CERT) when visiting the default domain.
3. Why Safari Immediately Fails
- Safari is stricter and sometimes fails faster than Chrome when encountering SSL or redirect issues.
- It may not load the page at all or return a vague "Cannot open page" message if:
- The SSL certificate is invalid or missing
- The domain is stuck in a redirect loop
- The forwarded canonical domain can't be reached
4. How to Fix This in Webflow
- Go to Project Settings > Hosting tab.
- Under Custom Domains, check the SSL status next to each domain name (www and non-www).
- A valid setup should show both domains with an active SSL icon.
- Confirm which domain is set as “Default Domain.”
- Click the “Make default” button next to the domain that has a working SSL certificate.
- Webflow often recommends setting the www version as default, as it generally avoids root domain redirect issues.
- If the non-www version is required, ensure:
- SSL is enabled under the SSL section at the bottom of the Hosting tab.
- A and CNAME records are correctly pointing to Webflow: (a) A Records should be set to 75.2.70.75 and 99.83.190.102, (b) CNAME on www pointing to proxy-ssl.webflow.com.
- After changes, click Publish to both domains to regenerate SSL certs.
Summary
If the non-www domain is set as default in Webflow but lacks a valid SSL certificate, Chrome may show a privacy warning, and Safari may fail immediately. To fix, ensure SSL is active on the default domain and correctly pointed via DNS. Making the www domain the default often helps avoid such issues.