Website settings

Permissions

When you visit a website, you can easily adjust cookie and permissions settings related to that site in Google Chrome.

Cookies and site data

Cookies are files created by websites you've visited to store browsing information, such as your site preferences or profile information. They're allowed by default. It's important to be aware of your cookie settings because cookies can allow sites to track your navigation during your visit to those sites. Learn more about managing cookies

Permissions

Use the "Permissions" section to manage site specific settings. The following actions may apply to various sites you visit and you can adjust these actions by clicking the downward arrow to the right of each feature.

Icon What it means
Images are allowed by default. To prevent images from displaying, select "Always block on this site."
JavaScript is commonly used by web developers to make their sites more interactive. If you choose to disable JavaScript, you may find that some sites don't work properly.
Plug-ins are used by websites to enable certain types of web content (such as Flash or Windows Media files) that browsers can't inherently process. They're allowed by default. Learn more about managing plug-ins
Pop-ups are blocked by default from appearing automatically and cluttering your screen. Learn more about managing pop-ups
Location: Google Chrome alerts you by default whenever a site wants to use your location information. Learn more about location sharing
Notifications: Some websites, such as Google Calendar, can show notifications on your computer desktop. Google Chrome alerts you by default whenever a site wants permission to automatically show notifications.
Fullscreen: Some websites might request to open in fullscreen mode. You can choose how Chrome handles this type of request.
Mouse Lock: Some sites or web apps might request to disable your mouse cursor, such as games. You can choose how Chrome handles this type of request.
Media: Sites with media functionality, such as video conferencing, can request access to your camera and microphone. Learn more about camera and microphone access

Connection

When you connect to a website, Google Chrome can show you details about your connection and alert you if it’s unable to establish a fully secure connection with the site. Learn about Google Chrome's security settings.

See if the site is using a secure connection (SSL)

If you’re entering sensitive personal information on a page, look for a lock icon to the left of the site’s URL in the address bar to see if the site uses SSL. SSL is a protocol that provides an encrypted tunnel between your computer and the site you’re viewing. Sites can use SSL to prevent third parties from interfering with the information traveling through the tunnel.

Icon What it means
Blank page icon The site isn't using SSL. This icon displays for http:// sites. Most sites don’t need to use SSL because they don’t handle sensitive information. Avoid entering sensitive information, such as your credit card information or bank login information, on the page. If sensitive information is being requested on a site not using SSL, consider contacting the website owner.
Lock icongreen https Google Chrome has successfully established a secure connection with the site. Look for this icon and make sure the URL has the correct domain, if you’re required to log in to the site or enter sensitive information on the page.

If a site uses an Extended Validation SSL (EV-SSL) certificate, the organization's name also appears next to the icon in green text.
alert icon yellow https The site uses SSL, but Google Chrome has detected insecure content on the page. Be careful if you’re entering sensitive information on this page. Insecure content can provide a loophole for someone to change the look of the page.
alert icon red https The site uses SSL, but Google Chrome has detected either high-risk insecure content on the page or problems with the site’s certificate. Don’t enter sensitive information on this page. Invalid certificate or other serious https issues could indicate that someone is attempting to tamper with your connection to the site.

SSL warning messages

You might get a warning message when Chrome detects the site you're visiting might be harmful to your computer.

Warning message What it means
This is probably not the site you are looking for! This message appears when the URL listed in the site's certificate doesn't match the site's actual URL. The site you're trying to visit may be pretending to be another site. Learn more about this warning
The site's security certificate is not trusted! This message appears if the certificate wasn't issued by a recognized third-party organization. Since anyone can create a certificate, Google Chrome checks to see whether a site's certificate came from a trusted organization. Learn more about this warning
The site's security certificate has expired!
or
The server's security certificate is not yet valid!
These messages appear if the site's certificate is not up-to-date. Therefore, Google Chrome can't verify that the site is secure.
The server's security certificate is revoked! This message appears if the third-party organization that issued the site's certificate has marked the certificate as invalid. Therefore, Google Chrome can't verify that the site is secure.

See more details about the site

Click the Blank page icon icon or the lock icon to see even more details about the site’s identity, your connection, and your visit history for the site.

Site identity

Sites using SSL present security certificates to the browser to verify their identity. Anyone can set up a website pretending to be another site, but only the real site possesses a valid security certificate for the URL you’re trying to reach. Invalid certificates could indicate that someone is attempting to tamper with your connection to the site.

Icon What it means
green lock The site’s certificate is valid and its identity has been verified by a trusted third-party authority.
orange alert The site has not provided the browser with a certificate. This is normal for regular HTTP sites (look for the Blank page icon icon in the address bar), because certificates are usually provided only if the site uses SSL.
red lock Google Chrome has detected problems with the site’s certificate. You should proceed with caution because the site may be pretending to be another site in order to trick you into sharing personal or other sensitive information with them.

Your connection to the site

Google Chrome lets you know whether your connection is fully encrypted. If your connection is insecure, third parties might be able to view or tamper with the information you provide on the site.

Icon What it means
green lock Google Chrome has successfully established a secure connection with the site you’re viewing.
orange alert Your connection to the site is not encrypted. This is normal for regular HTTP sites (look for the Blank page icon icon in the address bar).
gray alert Your connection to the site is encrypted, but Google Chrome has detected mixed content on the page. Be careful if you’re entering information on this page. Mixed content can provide a loophole for someone to manipulate the page. This content could be third-party images or ads embedded on the page.
red lock Your connection to the site is encrypted, but Google Chrome has detected mixed scripting on the page. Be careful if you’re entering personal information on this page. Mixed scripting can provide a loophole for someone to take over the page. This content could be third-party scripts or videos embedded on the page.

If you’re connected to the Internet via a public wireless network, mixed scripting is especially risky because wireless networks are easier to tamper with than wired networks.

Visit history

This will show if you've ever visited the site before. However, if you've cleared cache and cookies, the visited history is also cleared

Icon What it means
blue alert You’ve visited the site before, so chances are you trust this site.
orange alert You've never visited this site before. This message is normal if you know this is true. However, if the site looks familiar and you didn’t clear your browsing history recently, it may be pretending to be another site. Please proceed with caution.
  • Nov 6, 2012

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