A small padlock icon in a browser’s URL bar tells visitors a site uses HTTPS. HTTPS helps protect sensitive customer data, including personal and financial information, and can help build customer trust in your business. As of May 2026, nearly 90% of all websites use HTTPS as their default protocol, according to W3Techs.
Using HTTPS signals to shoppers and search engines that your business takes security seriously. Google even warns visitors when a site doesn’t use HTTPS. To move your online store from HTTP to HTTPS, you’ll need to install a secure sockets layer (SSL) certificate and set up 301 redirects to send visitors to the secure URL.
This guide explains the difference between HTTP and HTTPS, how to complete your migration, and how to better protect customer data.
What is HTTP?
Hypertext Transfer Protocol, or HTTP for short, is the system the web uses to communicate. It lets you and your browser request information from web servers. HTTP handles tasks like loading websites, clicking links, and submitting forms.
When you access a website using HTTP, the server sends information to your browser as plain text. The website protocol doesn’t have built-in encryption to protect personal information or a system to verify if data was changed.
Browsers like Chrome, Safari, and Firefox now label HTTP websites as unsecured. Visible security alerts notify visitors that their connection is not private, which can result in higher bounce rates as users exit the site to protect their personal information.
What is HTTPS?
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, or HTTPS, encrypts data sent over the standard Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). It uses a secure sockets layer (SSL) or transport layer security (TLS) certificate to create an encrypted channel when you connect to a website. In short, it’s a more secure browsing experience.
The official standard for TLS, which is called RFC 8446, is designed to let client/server applications communicate over the internet in a way that prevents eavesdropping, tampering, and message forgery. The “S” at the end of HTTPS and the padlock icon in a browser’s address bar indicate that an ecommerce site protects private data like credit card information.
HTTPS connection encrypts and verifies data moving between a browser and a website. It maintains data integrity and prevents man-in-the-middle attacks, according to Google’s Transparency report. It confirms the website matches the destination you’re visiting. All of these are of great value for an ecommerce store.
Why convert to HTTPS?
HTTPS protects users and builds trust in a store. It offers additional benefits including:
Security and data protection
Migrating your website from HTTP to HTTPS protects your customer data. The website protocol encrypts private information, including:
- Names and email addresses
- Passwords
- Shipping addresses
- Payment details
HTTPS also secures data flowing between your website and third-party services. It ensures the content hasn’t been altered by others on the network, like internet service providers.
SEO performance
Google has used HTTPS as a signal in its SEO ranking since 2014. Google wants any site its users find through Google search to be secure, so site security affects SEO.
Trustworthiness and page speed are other ranking factors Google considers alongside site security. A secure site supports search visibility, but HTTPS is one of many signals.
Credibility
Browsers use signals to warn users of unsecure sites: the padlock icon, a page warning, or red and green URL bar color coding (i.e., red means stop and green means go).
Firefox and Chrome display a “not secure” warning if you’re not using HTTPS. These warnings alert visitors that a site isn’t secure. When it comes to online shopping, HTTPS translates into a more secure, confident ecommerce experience for your customers.
Site speed
Encrypting with HTTPS doesn’t slow down your site. Use HTTP/2 to help your site load faster. This protocol optimizes resource use and bandwidth. It also compresses content using Brotli or HPACK so it downloads faster.
How to migrate from HTTP to HTTPS
Many hosted ecommerce platforms use HTTPS. Shopify uses standard SSL encryption for all pages on its stores—it’s not just for processing payments. You can seamlessly enable HTTPS to create a secure connection and protect communication between your site and customers.
Check platform documentation before setting up SSL encryption manually. For self-managed servers, follow these steps to migrate to HTTPS:
- Back up your website
- Obtain and install an SSL certificate
- Update internal links and fix mixed content
- Set up HTTP to HTTPS redirects
- Verify Google Search Console and Analytics tracking
- Update your XML sitemap and verify migration
1. Back up your website
Before changing your site from HTTP to HTTPS, it’s important to create a full backup. Back up all site files, including themes, plug-ins, uploads, and configuration files.
Back up your database with all its content, settings, users, and comments. If your website migration isn’t successful, your backup will be a restore point.
Be sure to store your backup separately from your live site, and confirm the restoration process before starting. Google for Developers lists HTTP-to-HTTPS changes as a site move. It recommends preparing, testing, mapping URLs, and monitoring afterward.
2. Obtain and install an SSL certificate
Purchase an SSL certificate from a certificate authority like DigiCert, GlobalSign, or Let’s Encrypt. These authorities issue .crt or .pem files and intermediate certificates or .ca-bundle files, though many hosting plans already include them.
Generate a certificate signing request (CSR) to create a private key. Store the key securely and don’t share it.
Install the certificate based on the type of platform you’re using:
- Hosted platforms. Use the built-in SSL settings Shopify, Squarespace, and Wix provide.
- WordPress. Use the SSL tools available through the host, or check their SSL settings.
- Self-hosted servers. Upload the certificate files to the server and configure SSL in the server settings.
Follow the platform’s setup instructions. DigiCert provides a guide to generate a CSR with OpenSSL, an open-source library used to secure network communications, and configure Apache with SSL.
3. Update internal links and fix mixed content
It’s important to ensure that every link on your site uses https://, including internal and outbound links. Review your website’s HTML code and replace each instance of an http:// link with https://. Update external resources like images, scripts, and cascading style sheets (CSS) that reference non-secure URLs.
Web development tools have a search-and-replace function. Automated tools like Screaming Frog SEO Spider, Apify, and Browse AI can scan your site for HTTP references. Use these tools to identify and replace them with HTTPS.
4. Set up HTTP to HTTPS redirects
Website builders like Shopify, Squarespace, and Wix provide site settings to enable automatic HTTP to HTTPS redirects.
Shopify automatically provides TLS certificates for connected domains, and automatically redirects HTTP traffic to HTTPS once the certificate is active. HTTPS is used by default, but insecure content can still come from custom code or externally hosted assets that are not loaded over HTTPS.
You can also edit your .htaccess file manually. Download the .htaccess file from the public_html folder on the server using FTP or a host’s file manager.
Open the file with a text editor and add this code to the top:
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]
</IfModule>
The code directs the server to change incoming HTTP requests to HTTPS using a permanent 301 redirect. This preserves your website’s SEO value by passing SEO ranking power to your new HTTPS URLs. Check for mixed content after the redirect is active to be sure everything converted successfully.
Mixed content occurs when a page loads over HTTPS but pulls assets over HTTP. This triggers browser warnings and prevents parts of the page from loading.
Look for security warnings near the address bar and check the browser’s developer tools console for blocked HTTP resources. Common sources include images, scripts, stylesheets, fonts, videos, iframes, and third-party embeds.
Troubleshoot mixed content by taking these steps:
- Update old HTTP links to HTTPS
- Replace external resources that don’t support HTTPS
- Remove outdated embeds
- Upload assets directly to your site
5. Verify Google Search Console and Analytics tracking
After switching to HTTPS, you can use Google Search Console and Google Analytics to monitor your site’s migration.
In Google Search Console, make sure the HTTPS version of the site is verified. A Domain property covers all protocols and subdomains for a domain, and a URL-prefix property tracks only the exact version entered, such as https://example.com/. If you use a URL-prefix property, add and verify the HTTPS version.
Choose the verification method that fits the property type. Domain properties usually require DNS verification through the domain provider. URL-prefix properties can use other methods, such as an HTML file upload, HTML meta tag, Google Analytics, or Google Tag Manager.
Once the property is verified, check the HTTPS report. This report shows how many indexed URLs Google sees as HTTP versus HTTPS.
In Google Analytics, check the GA4 web data stream for the website. Confirm the Google tag is installed on the HTTPS version of the site, then use the Realtime report to confirm Analytics is collecting data after the migration.
6. Update your XML sitemap and verify migration
A sitemap helps Google and site users navigate your website. It’s important to make sure that all links in the sitemap point to HTTPS versions of your pages.
Regenerate your sitemap using a CMS like WordPress, a tool like Screaming Frog, or an SEO plug-in like Yoast SEO. Sitemaps are in the site’s root directory and named /sitemap.xml.
The robots.txt file refers to the sitemap URL on the server. After you’ve updated the sitemap, log in to Google Search Console and paste the URL into the Add a new sitemap field.
Verify that redirects and indexing work. Test old HTTP URLs to ensure they redirect to HTTPS pages. Check Google Search Console for indexing status, crawl errors, or pages Google still indexes with HTTP URLs.
HTTP to HTTPS FAQ
Should you redirect HTTP to HTTPS?
A permanent 301 redirect transfers SEO ranking and search benefits from HTTP pages to their HTTPS versions. This connection ensures that visitors who find your website from external links like social media posts or emails reach the secure version of the site.
How can HTTP be converted to HTTPS?
To move from HTTP to HTTPS:
- Purchase and install an SSL certificate.
- Update all site pages and URL references to HTTPS.
- Set up the server to redirect traffic.
- Update the Google Search Console profile.
- Submit a new XML sitemap.
What happens if you use HTTP instead of HTTPS?
Browsers often display security warnings to visitors on HTTP sites. Some browsers also block forms or scripts from loading over HTTP to prevent data exposure. These warnings can reduce traffic and sales because they stop potential customers from entering the site.
What role does an SSL certificate play in HTTPS?
An SSL certificate is a digital verification system that confirms a website’s identity. It creates an encrypted channel to protect sensitive data, such as credit card details and passwords, from interception. It deters unauthorized parties from reading information sent across the network.
How can HTTPS implementation be verified on a website?
The padlock icon in a browser’s URL bar indicates a secure connection. Use the HTTPS report in Google Search Console or check browser developer tools for mixed content errors. These methods identify assets, like images or scripts, that load over unsecure connections.
