What "Your Connection Is Not Private" means and when it's safe to bypass

When your browser shows "Your Connection Is Not Private" or "This site may be unsafe", it is warning you that the website's security certificate — the digital proof that you are talking to the real website and not an imposter — cannot be verified. Your browser is protecting you from a real risk: someone between you and the website could be reading or changing what you send.

Most of the time, you should not bypass this warning. But there are specific situations where it is safe: you are on your own home network testing a device you set up yourself, the website is a local router or printer you own, or you are a developer working on your own test server. If you are trying to visit a normal website like your bank or email and see this warning, close the tab and contact the website's support team instead.

The warning appears because of a mismatch between the certificate the website is showing and what your browser expects. This can happen because the certificate expired, the website is using the wrong certificate, your device's date and time are wrong, or someone is intercepting the connection. Knowing which one it is determines whether bypassing is safe.

Key Takeaways

  • Only bypass this warning for websites you own or control — your router, a local printer, or a test server on your home network.
  • If the warning appears on a public website like Gmail or your bank, do not bypass it; contact the website's support team instead.
  • Check your device's date and time first, because an incorrect system clock causes this warning more often than an actual security problem.
  • On Windows, you can bypass the warning by clicking "Advanced" and then "Continue to this website (not recommended)", but only after confirming you own the device.
  • On Mac, you can bypass it by clicking "Show Details" and then "Visit this website", but the same ownership rule applies.

Check your device's date and time first

Before you bypass anything, verify that your device's clock is correct. Certificates are valid only during a specific time window, and if your device thinks it is 2020 when it is actually 2024, the certificate will appear expired even though it is not. This is the most common cause of this warning and the easiest to fix.

On Windows: Right-click the clock in the bottom right corner of your screen and select "Adjust date and time". Check that the date, time, and timezone all match what you see on your phone or a clock you trust. If they are wrong, click "Change" and correct them. Restart your browser after you fix the time.

On Mac: Click the Apple menu, select "System Settings", then click "General" and "Date & Time". Verify that the date and time are correct. If you see a toggle for "Set automatically", make sure it is turned on. Close your browser completely and reopen it.

If the date and time were wrong and you have now fixed them, try visiting the website again. The warning should disappear. If it does not, move to the next step.

Bypass the warning on Windows

On Windows, when you see the "Your Connection Is Not Private" page, look for a link that says "Advanced" near the bottom of the warning. Click it to expand more options.

You will now see a link that says "Continue to this website (not recommended)". Click that link. Your browser will take you to the website, but your connection will still not be encrypted — anything you type on that site could be seen by someone on your network. Only do this if you are certain you own or control the device and the website.

If you do not see an "Advanced" link, you may be using a browser other than Chrome or Edge. Firefox and Safari have different steps, covered in the sections below. Some corporate networks also block this bypass entirely, in which case you will need to contact your IT department.

Bypass the warning on Mac

On Mac, the warning page looks different depending on which browser you use. In Safari, click "Show Details" to expand the full error message, then look for a link that says "Visit this website". Click it to proceed.

In Chrome on Mac, click "Advanced" at the bottom of the warning, then click "Continue to [website name] (unsafe)". As on Windows, your connection will not be encrypted, so only do this for websites you own or control.

After you bypass the warning, your browser will remember your choice for that specific website. The next time you visit, you may not see the warning again — though some browsers will ask you again after a certain amount of time has passed.

Bypass the warning in Firefox

Firefox handles this warning differently than Chrome or Safari. When you see the "Warning: Potential Security Risk Ahead" page, click "Advanced" to expand the options.

You will see a checkbox that says "Accept the Risk and Continue". Check that box, then click the button that appears. Firefox will then load the website. Like other browsers, Firefox will remember your choice for that specific website on that specific device.

If you do not see the "Advanced" button, your Firefox may be configured by your workplace or school to block this bypass. Contact your IT support to proceed.

What to do if you cannot bypass the warning

Some networks — particularly corporate networks, school networks, and some public WiFi systems — block the ability to bypass certificate warnings entirely. If you click "Advanced" or "Show Details" and do not see an option to continue, your network administrator has disabled it.

If you are on a work or school network, contact your IT department and tell them the website you are trying to reach and why. They can either unblock it, add it to an exception list, or help you find an alternative way to access what you need.

If you are on your own home network and still cannot bypass the warning, the issue may be that your router or a security tool on your device is blocking it. Restart your device and try again. If that does not work, you may need to temporarily disable any third-party security software and try once more.

When to contact the website owner instead of bypassing

If the warning appears on a public website — your bank, email, social media, shopping site, or any website you do not own — do not bypass it. Instead, note the exact website address and the error message, then contact the website's support team through a different method. Call their phone number, send them an email from a different device, or contact them through social media.

Tell them: "I am seeing a certificate error when I try to visit your website. The error says [describe what you see]. I am on [Windows/Mac], using [Chrome/Firefox/Safari], and my system date and time are correct." They can tell you whether the problem is on their end or yours, and they can confirm whether it is safe to bypass.

If many people are reporting the same error on a major website, it is usually a problem the website's team is already working on. Waiting a few hours is often faster than trying to bypass it yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it dangerous to click "Continue" or "Accept the Risk"?

It depends on what you are doing. If you are visiting a website you own on your home network, it is safe. If you are visiting a public website, someone on your network could read or change what you type — passwords, credit card numbers, messages, anything. Only bypass for websites you control.

Why does this warning appear on my router or printer?

Home routers and printers often use self-signed certificates, which are certificates that the device created for itself rather than buying from a trusted authority. Your browser does not recognize self-signed certificates, so it shows the warning. It is safe to bypass for devices you own and set up yourself.

Will bypassing the warning affect my other devices on the network?

No. The bypass is specific to one device, one browser, and usually one website. If you bypass on your laptop, it will not affect your phone or your partner's computer. Each device makes its own decision about whether to trust the certificate.

What if the warning says "NET::ERR_CERT_AUTHORITY_INVALID"?

That is the technical name for the same problem: the certificate authority that signed the certificate is not one your browser recognizes. The steps to bypass are the same. If this appears on a website you do not own, contact their support team instead.

Can I permanently remove this warning for a website?

Your browser will remember your choice for that website on that device, so you usually will not see the warning again. But if you clear your browser's cache and cookies, or if you use a private browsing window, the warning will return. This is intentional — it keeps you from accidentally bypassing a warning on a website that has been compromised.