Browser unable to use certificate

Swapnil Giram 0 Microsoft Employee

Hi All,

I cloned project code from Azure Repo, installed certificates, configured Project Web Properties, configured applicationhost.config, setup SSL URL in IIS using certificate Thumbprint. My project builds successfully, but application fails to load in browser. I get error "Hmmm… can't reach this page". When I click 'i' icon in browser address bar, it shows "This site does not have a certificate. - This site does not have a certificate.".

Same certificates work for all my colleagues, I wonder why its failing on my machine only.

1 answer

Pradeep M 6,315 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2025-02-25T10:41:34.99+00:00

Hi Swapnil Giram,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q & A forum.

1.Check Certificate Installation: Open mmc, navigate to Certificates (Local Computer) → Trusted Root Certification Authorities, and ensure your certificate is listed.

2.Verify IIS Binding: Open IIS Manager, go to Bindings, and confirm that HTTPS is properly configured with the correct certificate.

3.Ensure Private Key is Present: Open certmgr.msc, find your certificate under Personal → Certificates, and check if it includes a private key. If not, try reimporting the .pfx file.

4.Validate applicationhost.config: Make sure the correct certificate thumbprint is referenced in the configuration.

5.Clear SSL State & Restart IIS: Go to Internet Options → Content → Clear SSL State, then run iisreset to restart IIS.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any additional questions.

If you have found the answer provided to be helpful, please click on the "Accept answer/Upvote" button so that it is useful for other members in the Microsoft Q&A community.
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Swapnil Giram 0 Reputation points Microsoft Employee

2025-02-25T12:28:04.0933333+00:00

I am sorry, I don't have IIS. Instead, I have IIS Express. So some of the IIS related steps you suggested, not possible to implement. Any other suggestion?

Pradeep M 6,315 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2025-02-26T05:31:56.5233333+00:00

Hi Swapnil Giram,

Since you're using IIS Express, try these steps:

1.Check Certificate Installation: Open mmc, go to Certificates (Current User) - Personal - Certificates, and ensure the certificate is installed with a private key.

2.Verify SSL Binding: Run:

netsh http show sslcert

Ensure the correct certificate is bound to your port.

3.Update applicationhost.config: Locate it in C:\Users{YourUser}\Documents\IISExpress\config, and verify the correct certificate thumbprint is set.

4.Clear SSL State & Restart IIS Express:

Go to Internet Options > Content > Clear SSL State

Restart IIS Express using:

iisexpress /site:{YourSiteName}

Swapnil Giram 0 Reputation points Microsoft Employee

2025-02-28T10:44:08.34+00:00

Hi Pradip,

Thank you for response. But my issue is still not resolved. See below more details:

I am using Visual Studio 2019 Enterprise

I have dot NET Core Web application

I imported SSL certificate into Local Computer > Personal store

I have IIS Express 10 which got installed automatically with VS, not IIS as its not needed.

I configured applicationhost.config file in .vs folder of my project as below:

<site name="Project.Portal" id="2">

<application path="/" applicationPool="Clr4IntegratedAppPool"> <virtualDirectory path="/" physicalPath="C:\Users\abc\source\repos\SolutionName\ProjectName" /> </application> <bindings> <binding protocol="http" bindingInformation="*:8379:localhost" /> <binding protocol="https" bindingInformation="*:6352:localhost" /> <binding protocol="https" bindingInformation="*:6352:myportal.com" /> </bindings> </site>

I ran below IIS command from command prompt in admin mode

cd C:\Program Files (x86)\IIS Express

IisExpressAdminCmd.exe setupsslUrl -url:https://myportal.com:6352/ -CertHash:<Certificate Hash from Certificate Details Thumbprint>

Updated hosts file under C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc, and add the following entry
127.0.0.1 - myportal.com

Updated Project's csproj file in Visual Studio (administrator privilege required) with the following:
Under 'Web' tab >

Start URL: https://myportal.com:6352/

Apply server settings to all users (store in project file) IIS Express > Bitness: Default > Create Virtual Directory Selected - 'Override application root URL' and entered same URL as above i.e. https://myportal.com:6352/

Now I rebuild my project and it succeeds without any error or warning

I click 'IIS Express (Microsoft Edge)' button to run the application

Browser window opens with project URL in address bar - https://myportal.com:6352/

but instead of loading the page, I get error "Hmmm… can't reach this page".

when I click 'i' icon in front of URL to look for site information, it shows me message - "Your connection to this site isn't secure This site does not have a certificate. Because this connection is not secure, information (such as passwords or credit cards) will not be securely sent to this site and may be intercepted or seen by others." I have also tried below things:

deleted applicationhost.config file from folder C:\Users\abc\Documents\IISExpress\config. Then ran application which recreated this file

to created same <bindings>entries in applicationhost.config file from folder C:\Users\abc\Documents\IISExpress\config.

Clear browser cache and run web app in InPrivate mode

delete and reimport SSL certificate

import same certificate in 'Trusted Root Certification Authority' folder of Certificates Local Computer using mmc.exe But it did not resolve my issue.

Hope this detail helps Do you have any more suggestions to fix my issue?

Swapnil Giram 0 Reputation points Microsoft Employee

2025-02-28T11:10:59.26+00:00

Hi Pradip,

Thank you for response. But my issue is still not resolved. See below more details:

I am using Visual Studio 2019 Enterprise

I have dot NET Core Web application

I imported SSL certificate into Local Computer > Personal store

I have IIS Express 10 which got installed automatically with VS, not IIS as its not needed.

I configured applicationhost.config file in .vs folder of my project as below:

<site name="Project.Portal" id="2">

<application path="/" applicationPool="Clr4IntegratedAppPool"> <virtualDirectory path="/" physicalPath="C:\Users\abc\source\repos\SolutionName\ProjectName" /> </application> <bindings> <binding protocol="http" bindingInformation="*:8379:localhost" /> <binding protocol="https" bindingInformation="*:6352:localhost" /> <binding protocol="https" bindingInformation="*:6352:myportal.com" /> </bindings> </site>

I ran below IIS command from command prompt in admin mode

cd C:\Program Files (x86)\IIS Express

IisExpressAdminCmd.exe setupsslUrl -url:https://myportal.com:6352/ -CertHash:<Certificate Hash from Certificate Details Thumbprint>

Updated hosts file under C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc, and add the following entry 127.0.0.1 - myportal.com

Updated Project's csproj file in Visual Studio (administrator privilege required) with the following: Under 'Web' tab >

Start URL: https://myportal.com:6352/

Apply server settings to all users (store in project file) IIS Express > Bitness: Default > Create Virtual Directory Selected - 'Override application root URL' and entered same URL as above i.e. https://myportal.com:6352/

Now I rebuild my project and it succeeds without any error or warning

I click 'IIS Express (Microsoft Edge)' button to run the application

Browser window opens with project URL in address bar - https://myportal.com:6352/

but instead of loading the page, I get error "Hmmm… can't reach this page".

when I click 'i' icon in front of URL to look for site information, it shows me message - "Your connection to this site isn't secure This site does not have a certificate. Because this connection is not secure, information (such as passwords or credit cards) will not be securely sent to this site and may be intercepted or seen by others." I have also tried below things:

deleted applicationhost.config file from folder C:\Users\abc\Documents\IISExpress\config. Then ran application which recreated this file

to created same <bindings>entries in applicationhost.config file from folder C:\Users\abc\Documents\IISExpress\config.

Clear browser cache and run web app in InPrivate mode

delete and reimport SSL certificate

import same certificate in 'Trusted Root Certification Authority' folder of Certificates Local Computer using mmc.exe But it did not resolve my issue.

Hope this detail helps Do you have any more suggestions to fix my issue?
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