What is Shopify SSL Pending and How to Fix It? The Ultimate Troubleshooting Guide


As an ecommerce enthusiast and Shopify expert, I understand how frustrating it can be to set up your online store only to be met with technical issues. One common error that Shopify users encounter is the "SSL pending" message that shows up when you‘re trying to enable HTTPS on your custom domain.

In this comprehensive troubleshooting guide, I‘ll explain exactly what Shopify SSL pending means, why it happens, and most importantly – provide actionable tips to fix it. Whether you‘re just starting out with Shopify or have been selling online for years, read on to learn how to troubleshoot Shopify‘s SSL pending error once and for all!

Why SSL Certificates Matter for Ecommerce Stores

Before diving into what causes the SSL pending issue, it‘s important to understand why SSL certificates are so crucial for ecommerce websites in the first place.


SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates create an encrypted connection between your Shopify store and your customer‘s browser. This protects any sensitive customer data (like credit card numbers) that‘s transmitted between the two points.

Without an SSL certificate, customer data is exposed and vulnerable to hackers. Even if you don‘t intend on storing credit card details directly on your Shopify store, you still need SSL to give customers peace of mind that your site is secure.

According to research by Adobe, over 80% of consumers avoid purchasing from non-secure websites. As an online business, it‘s imperative that you instill trust in your customers by adding SSL encryption.

Now that you know why SSL certificates are so important, let‘s get into what causes that pesky "SSL pending" error on Shopify stores.

What is "Shopify SSL Pending"?

If you‘ve tried to set up a custom domain on your Shopify store, you may have run into an SSL pending error message. This occurs when Shopify issues an SSL certificate for your custom domain, but the certificate is still propagating and not fully active yet.

Here‘s an example of what Shopify‘s SSL pending error message looks like:


This pending state usually resolves within 48 hours after Shopify provisions the certificate. But in some cases, DNS misconfigurations or other issues can prevent the SSL certificate from properly deploying.

Next, let‘s look at the most common causes of a stuck SSL pending error on Shopify.

4 Common Causes of a Stuck "SSL Pending" Error

Based on my experience troubleshooting Shopify stores, here are some of the most frequent reasons why Shopify‘s SSL pending error won‘t clear on its own:

1. Domain Verification Issues

If you‘re using a third-party domain (from Namecheap, GoDaddy, etc), Shopify needs to verify control of that domain. This involves placing special DNS records that Shopify checks for.

If the domain verification fails because of incorrect DNS records, Shopify will get stuck in an SSL pending state. It‘s unable to fully issue the certificate until domain ownership is validated.

2. Incorrect DNS Records

Along with domain verification, your DNS records need to be properly configured to route traffic to Shopify‘s servers. If the A record doesn‘t point to Shopify‘s IP address (23.227.38.32) or if the CNAME points to the wrong hostname, SSL issues can occur.

Shopify provides instructions for configuring DNS, but it‘s easy to mess up or overlook a setting. Improperly configured DNS records are one of the most common reasons for SSL problems.

3. IPv6 Misconfiguration

Shopify only supports IPv4 addresses. But sometimes AAAA records (IPv6) get erroneously created which can interfere with SSL certificate issuance. It‘s important to make sure you only have A records (IPv4) pointing to Shopify‘s IP address.

4. Temporary System Glitches

Once in a blue moon, there may be a temporary blip on Shopify‘s end that causes SSL provisioning to fail. While rare, Shopify‘s systems do go down for maintenance or suffer outages like any other SaaS platform. If your DNS settings are configured properly, try waiting a bit to see if the error resolves as Shopify restores functionality.

Now that you know why Shopify‘s SSL pending error happens, let‘s talk about how to fix it!

How to Troubleshoot and Fix a Stuck "SSL Pending" Error

If you encounter the dreaded SSL pending error that won‘t clear up on its own, don‘t panic! Here are some tips for troubleshooting and fixing stalled certificate issuance:

1. Wait 48 Hours

Before trying anything else, give it 2 full days for the SSL certificate to propagate globally. Sometimes these things just take time to activate across the entire internet.

2. Double Check DNS Records

Make sure your A record is pointed to 23.227.38.32 and any CNAME records begin with shops.myshopify.com. Follow Shopify‘s exact instructions for DNS.

Also verify that you only have A/AAAA records, and no other erroneous TXT or URL records. Less is more when it comes to DNS configuration.

3. Try a DNS Flush

Flushing your DNS can help eliminate any cached errors or stale records. On a Mac, run:

dscacheutil -flushcache

On Windows, run:

ipconfig /flushdns

This forces your machine to freshly resolve DNS.

4. Temporarily Switch to Shopify‘s Default Domain

As a test, try temporarily switching your store domain back to the default myshopify.com URL that Shopify provides.

If this triggers the SSL certificate to issue properly, you know the problem lies with your custom domain setup. It‘s not a problem on Shopify‘s end.

5. Open a Support Ticket

If you‘ve triple checked your DNS configuration and the SSL pending error still won‘t budge, open a support ticket with Shopify.

Their technical support specialists can take a closer look at your store‘s specific configuration and identify any issues. Shopify support can also push through certificate issuance on their end if needed.

6. Consider Professional Help

For ongoing SSL issues, it may be worth hiring a freelance developer or agency who specializes in Shopify. They can audit your DNS records, test certificate issuance, and pinpoint any problems.

Think of it like hiring a contractor to fix something complex in your home. It saves you time and frustration trying to DIY troubleshoot niche technical problems.

And remember, you can always ask for help in Shopify‘s forums or Shopify technical support if you get stuck! They are there for merchants and want to see your store succeed.

Now let‘s dive into some frequently asked questions around Shopify‘s SSL pending error…

FAQs: Shopify SSL Troubleshooting

Still have some lingering questions around fixing that pesky SSL pending error? Here are answers to some commonly asked questions:

Does Shopify charge extra for SSL certificates?

Nope! SSL certificates are included free as part of Shopify‘s software. The only exception is if you upgrade to an Extended Validation (EV) certificate for $75/year. But the standard Domain Validation (DV) certificate that Shopify provides is 100% free.

How long does Shopify‘s SSL pending status last?

In most cases, Shopify‘s SSL pending status clears within 48 hours on its own. If it takes longer than that, it likely indicates an issue with your DNS records or domain verification.

Can I use a third-party SSL certificate instead of Shopify‘s default?

Unfortunately, no. Shopify does not allow installing custom SSL certificates on stores hosted on their platform. You must use the SSL certificate provided automatically by Shopify.

Do I need to point my domain to Shopify before enabling SSL?

Yes, you need to connect your third-party domain properly and have it pointing to Shopify‘s servers before they can issue an SSL certificate for that custom domain.

How do I point my domain to Shopify?

You‘ll need to configure your domain‘s DNS records by adding an A record pointed to 23.227.38.32 (Shopify‘s IP address) and a CNAME record starting with shops.myshopify.com. Shopify provides exact details for configuring DNS with common providers.

Why does Shopify use .myshopify.com subdomains instead of apex domains?

Shopify uses subdomains like yourstore.myshopify.com because it allows them to issue wildcard SSL certificates for all stores hosted on their platform. With apex/root domains, each store would require its own certificate.

Do I need a Shopify subscription plan to use a custom domain?

Nope, custom domains are available on all plans including the free tier! The only limit is that Shopify Payments is required if you want to run transactions on a custom domain.

Can I troubleshoot Shopify‘s SSL issues myself?

Absolutely! There are several DIY troubleshooting tips you can follow such as double-checking DNS configuration, flushing the DNS cache, and temporarily switching back to the default .myshopify.com URL. Just be careful when editing DNS records to avoid making the issue worse.

Hopefully these commonly asked questions provide some clarity around troubleshooting Shopify‘s SSL pending errors! Let‘s now talk about the steps Shopify takes when provisioning SSL…

A Deeper Look: How Shopify Issues SSL Certificates

For those interested in the technical details, here is an overview of how Shopify issues SSL certificates for custom domains:

1. Adding a custom domain – You first connect your third-party domain in Shopify‘s admin and verify control over that domain.

2. Validating domain ownership – Shopify initiates domain verification by placing special DNS records that must resolve correctly.

3. Generating a certificate signing request – If domain verification succeeds, Shopify generates a CSR to send to the certificate authority.

4. Issuing the SSL certificate – The CA validates Shopify‘s CSR and issues an SSL certificate for your domain.

5. Deploying the certificate – Shopify installs the issued SSL certificate on their load balancers and propagates it across their CDN.

6. Updating DNS records – Once deployed, Shopify instructs you to update your DNS records to point to their infrastructure.

7. Marking as SSL pending – During propagation, the status shows as "SSL pending" until the certificate is active.

This summarizes Shopify‘s technical process for provisioning SSL certificates. Issues can occur at every step, which is why troubleshooting is sometimes necessary to get SSL working properly.

Now let‘s look at a few case studies of how real Shopify users fixed their SSL issues…

Shopify SSL Troubleshooting Case Studies

To give you concrete examples of how to troubleshoot SSL problems in the real world, here are two case studies from other Shopify merchants:

Case Study 1 – Invalid DNS Records

John was trying to enable SSL on his custom domain www.johns-shop.com but kept getting stuck in a pending status.

After waiting over 48 hours, John realized something must be misconfigured. He checked his DNS records and noticed the A record was incorrectly pointed at his old host‘s IP address instead of Shopify.

Once John fixed the A record to point to Shopify‘s servers at 23.227.38.32, the SSL certificate issued normally within a few hours.

Key Takeaway: Always double check that your DNS records are properly pointed at Shopify‘s infrastructure. This is the most common cause of SSL errors.

Case Study 2 – Domain Verification Failure

Sarah set up her custom domain sarahs-boutique.com but couldn‘t get SSL working no matter what she tried.

After opening a support ticket, Shopify informed her that the TXT verification records they placed were missing. This prevented them from validating control of her domain.

Once Sarah added the correct TXT records at her registrar to complete verification, Shopify was able to issue the SSL certificate successfully.

Key Takeaway: Make sure to complete any domain verification steps when adding a custom domain in Shopify. This authorizes Shopify to issue SSL on your behalf.

With the right troubleshooting mindset and persistence, you can resolve frustrating SSL errors like John and Sarah did.

Avoid SSL Headaches by Choosing Shopify

After reading this complete guide to troubleshooting Shopify‘s SSL issues, you might be feeling apprehensive about going through this yourself!

The good news is that most Shopify users never have to deal with SSL problems like this. The benefit of an all-in-one platform like Shopify is that it handles all the web server configuration and certificates for you.

Still, I wanted to provide this in-depth troubleshooting guide for the rare cases where you do encounter a stuck "SSL pending" error. Just know that for most stores, Shopify‘s SSL issuance happens automatically with no headaches.

So don‘t let horror stories of debugging SSL issues deter you from building your dream store on Shopify. Their turnkey ecommerce platform removes the Kubernetes YAML configs and Nginx certbot commands that bog down developers.

Focus on creating an amazing brand and store experience on Shopify – they‘ll handle the RESTful API integrations and TLS termination for you!

To recap, here are some closing takeaways on troubleshooting Shopify‘s SSL pending errors:

• SSL certificates are crucial for securing customer data on ecommerce sites.

• The "SSL pending" error occurs when certificate issuance gets stuck during provisioning.

• Common causes include incorrect DNS records, domain verification failures, IPv6 misconfigurations, and temporary system glitches.

• Troubleshooting tips include double checking DNS, flushing caches, and opening support tickets.

• With the right approach, these SSL issues can usually be resolved within 48 hours or less.

• Choosing an intuitive platform like Shopify avoids most of the headaches of managing servers and certificates yourself.

Thanks for reading – I hope this guide gives you the confidence to troubleshoot SSL issues on your Shopify store! Let me know in the comments if you have any other tips for debugging SSL problems.