The short version
- 01Compare the device's complete date and time with a reliable clock, including the year.
- 02On Windows, open Settings > Time & language > Date & time and enable automatic time.
- 03On Mac, open System Settings > General > Date & Time and correct the time setting.
- 04Select the correct time zone in the device's date and time settings.
- 05Reload the same address after correcting the clock and record whether the warning remains.
- 06Keep the certificate warning in place and send persistent failures to the site owner or device administrator.
Raw message
Your clock is behind / Your clock is ahead / NET::ERR_CERT_DATE_INVALID
Likely causes
- The device's date or time is inaccurate.
- The website presents a certificate that appears expired or not yet valid against the device's clock.
- A correctly set clock leaves a certificate or connection issue requiring further investigation.
The clock changes how certificate dates are judged
Chromium defines this error as a server certificate that appears expired or not yet valid according to the computer's clock. An incorrect clock is one possible cause; an invalid certificate at the server is another. Google's Chrome help starts with correcting inaccurate device time for its clock warnings and this code.
Our recommendation is to check the day, month, year, time and time zone before changing browser settings. Compare with another accurate clock. A clock that looks right to the minute can still have the wrong date.
Windows: correct the time and time zone
Open Start > Settings > Time & language > Date & time. Turn on automatic time. For the time zone, enable its automatic setting or turn that setting off and select the correct zone from the dropdown.
If you need to enter the date and time manually, turn automatic time off, choose Change beside the date-and-time setting, enter the correct values and confirm. Our recommendation is to reload the failing address after correcting the clock.
Mac: use Date & Time settings
Open Apple menu > System Settings > General > Date & Time. Apple's automatic date-and-time option uses a network time server. To enter the values manually, turn automatic date and time off, choose Set, enter the correct values and confirm.
Automatic time-zone selection uses Location Services. To choose a zone manually instead, turn automatic time-zone selection off, enter a city in the field below and press Return. Our recommendation is to verify the displayed date and time before retrying the page.
If the clock is correct and the warning remains
Our next comparison is the exact address on another device with an accurate clock. If both fail, give the website owner the address and full error; the site certificate needs investigation. If only a managed device fails, give its administrator those details. A comparison narrows the investigation without identifying the cause by itself.
Keep the warning in place while the problem is checked. Chrome uses certificates to authenticate HTTPS connections and identifies a full-page privacy error as a problem with the site, network or device. Changing your clock to make an old certificate appear valid does not repair the site's certificate.
Sources and review notes
Checked on . Based on Chrome's error and connection-security guidance, Chromium's error definition, and Microsoft and Apple clock settings. Device comparison, retesting and routing persistent failures are editorial guidance. This page does not recommend bypassing certificate validation. Glitchary is independent of the cited vendors.