NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID: How to Fix It

NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID ("Your connection is not private") means the website presented a valid certificate, but it was issued for a different name than the one in the address bar. For example the certificate covers example.com but you visited www.example.com, or the server sent its own hostname certificate because it does not have one for your domain.

Before you start

Click Not secure → Certificate is not valid in Chrome and note the names in Issued to and Subject Alternative Names.
cPanel access for the domain.

Common causes

Missing www or subdomain on the certificate.
Server hostname certificate shown because the domain has no certificate yet (new domain or failed AutoSSL).
DNS points to another server, which answers with a certificate for some other site.
A new addon domain or alias added after the last certificate was issued.
Wildcard misunderstanding – *.example.com covers shop.example.com but not example.com itself or a.b.example.com.

How to fix it

Check DNS. Make sure the domain and www point to your server IP from cPanel → General Information. Use nslookup www.example.com.
Reissue with all names. In cPanel → Security → SSL/TLS Status, make sure the domain, www and any subdomains are listed and not excluded, then click Run AutoSSL.
For paid certificates, reissue the certificate from your provider including every name you use, then install it in SSL/TLS → Manage SSL sites.
Redirect unused names. If you do not want a hostname covered, do not link to it, and make sure there is no DNS record for it.
Retest in a private window.

Tip: Pick one canonical address (with or without www), get a certificate for both, and redirect one to the other. See the www/non-www redirect guide below.

What to check afterwards

Visit both https://example.com and https://www.example.com. Both should load with a padlock and the certificate should list both names.

FAQ

Is it safe to click "Proceed anyway"?

Not on sites you do not own. The certificate does not prove you are talking to that site.

Why does the certificate show the server's hostname?

The server has no certificate for your domain, so it falls back to its own. Run AutoSSL once DNS points to the server.

Does a wildcard certificate cover the root domain?

Only if the root is added as a separate name, which most issuers do.

Next steps

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