Share this article

Improve this guide

Dropbox Can’t Establish Secure Connection: 4 Ways to Fix It

Setting you date and time correctly will do the trick

5 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

Share this article

Improve this guide

Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial teamRead more

Key notes

A large number of users have encountered the errorCan’t establish secure connectionon Dropbox.

Because allDropboxconnections are established using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), any sort of issue with the SSL certificates can cause the above-mentioned error to appear.

Since we know how important it is for you to be able to connect toDropbox, in today’s article we will explore some of the best-proven methods to solve this issue.

Why can’t Dropbox connect securely?

Your computer will check the date of your system against the date that Dropbox’s SSL certificate will no longer be valid.In the event that the time on your system is frozen in the past or moved so far into the future that it falls outside of the validity period of Dropbox’s SSL certificate, a secure connection will not be able to be made.Changing the clock on your system to match the current date is a simple solution to this problem that we’ll show you how to implement in the list below.

Before moving on, these are the most common errors that users reported about the Dropbox connection situation:

Quick Tip:

There are many browsers for fixing Dropbox issues, but if you’re looking for the most secure and reliable one, that would beOpera One.

This browser offers you customizable workspaces, messenger tabs in the sidebar, free VPN security, ad-blocker, and AI. These are just a few of them, so install it confidently for more.

Opera One

How do I fix Dropbox can’t establish secure connection?

1. Use an alternative cloud storage program

There are a lot of cloud storage options available out there, so why not go for something new?

There are various programs you can use to back up your files safely, and never worry again about important file loss.

Hence, if you want to try out such proficient tools, you should pick from thebest cloud storage for personal usagein order to avoid the DropboxCan’t establish secure connectionerror.

2. Make sure your computer’s date and time are set correctly

If the options are enabled but your system can’t access the Internet, deactivate the options mentioned above, then press theChange buttonand set the time manually.

Your computer will compare the system date with the expiration date of the SSL certificate, so it is crucial that these two settings match.

In the case that they don’t match, the errorCan’t establish a secure connectionwill appear. The steps mentioned above should fix the issue.

3. Make sure your firewall and antivirus software is not blocking Dropbox

We’ve exemplified this here with Windows Defender, but the process is similar for other antivirus software you might be using.

Antivirus programs are known for blocking any unauthorized Internet services, so the chances that these ports are blocked are high. Whitelisting Dropbox and any other frequently used apps is important.

4. Make sure your default proxy settings are correct

Some applications end up changing your default proxy settings when installed.

BecauseDropboxuses standard Internet ports (80 and 443) to perform the data transfers, it is very important that those ports are open for connections.

In today’s fix article we explored the best methods to deal with the errorCan’t establish secure connectiononDropbox.

We hope that these steps have proven useful. We would love to know if you have any other suggestions regarding this topic.

Please feel free to contact us via the comments section below.

Dropbox Can’t Establish Secure Connection: 4 Ways to Fix It#

Why can’t Dropbox connect securely?#

Opera One#

How do I fix Dropbox can’t establish secure connection?#

1. Use an alternative cloud storage program#

2. Make sure your computer’s date and time are set correctly#

3. Make sure your firewall and antivirus software is not blocking Dropbox#

4. Make sure your default proxy settings are correct#