What to Do If Your Site Looks Broken After Switching to HTTPS?
Typical scenario: you bought an SSL certificate, configured nginx, the https:// version works — but the browser shows a "not secure" warning, half the images don't load, the shopping cart stops working. The cause is almost always mixed content. Resources — scripts, styles, images — continue to load over HTTP because the Bitrix database still has old absolute links. Our team has been configuring SSL for 1C-Bitrix sites for over 7 years, completed more than 50 projects — and we know how to eliminate these issues in just a few hours. For example, on one of our client's projects with a catalog of 30,000 products, we fully fixed mixed content in one day, increasing page load speed by 40% and removing browser warnings. Get a free evaluation of your project — contact us.
Problems We Solve
- Mixed content after HTTPS installation — the most common issue. Even a single HTTP request on a page makes the browser consider the connection insecure.
- Incorrect redirects — many forget to configure a 301 redirect from HTTP to HTTPS, causing duplicate pages and SEO drops.
- Broken Bitrix components — cart, feedback forms, AJAX requests may use hardcoded HTTP URLs and stop working after HTTPS is enabled.
Why Does Mixed Content Occur?
Mixed content is a consequence of remaining http:// links in the system. In Bitrix, this can be:
- In information blocks — element texts and properties
- In component settings — explicitly specified URLs
- In template files — static links to images
- In system settings — incorrectly set site protocol
To detect such links, we use SQL queries on tables b_iblock_element and b_iblock_element_property. Example:
SELECT ID, DETAIL_TEXT FROM b_iblock_element WHERE DETAIL_TEXT LIKE '%http://%' LIMIT 100; After replacing all occurrences with https://, mixed content disappears.
How We Configure SSL for Bitrix: Step-by-Step Plan
- Certificate selection — for most projects, free Let's Encrypt (automatic renewal) suffices ($0/year). If wildcard subdomain support or enhanced organization validation (OV/EV) is required, we use commercial certificates from Sectigo or DigiCert (typically $50–$200/year).
- Server installation — via certbot (for nginx) or manually (for Apache). We configure HTTP->HTTPS redirect at the web server level.
- Bitrix configuration — change protocol in site settings, clear cache, check
dbconn.phpand.settings.phpfiles for hardcoded HTTP addresses. - Content migration — bulk replace http:// with https:// in the database. We use scripts or modules from the Marketplace.
- Testing — scan pages through mixed content check services, test forms and cart.
Below is a comparison table of certificate types:
| Parameter | Let's Encrypt | Commercial (Sectigo, DigiCert) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $0/year | $50–$200/year |
| Validity | 90 days (auto-renew) | 1-2 years |
| Wildcard support | Yes (via DNS-challenge) | Yes |
| Validation | Domain only (DV) | DV / OV / EV |
| Automation | Full (certbot) | Manual renewal required |
Case from Practice
One of our clients, an online store running the Business edition — after installing Let's Encrypt, the browser displayed an insecure page warning. The cause was the sale.order.ajax component: the template had a hardcoded http://example.com/ajax.php. Additionally, 150 banners in b_iblock_element_property contained HTTP links. We found all occurrences via SQL, replaced them with relative paths (ajax.php) and HTTPS versions for external resources. After that, the certificate worked correctly. The entire project took 4 hours, including testing on 20 critical pages. This case demonstrates our proven experience and guaranteed results.
Common Errors When Setting Up SSL Yourself
| Error | Consequence | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Forgot to change SITE_PROTOCOL | Admin panel works over HTTP | Set https in site settings |
| No HTTP→HTTPS redirect | Duplicate pages, SEO decline | Configure 301 redirect in web server config |
| Absolute links in templates | Mixed content | Replace with relative or protocol-relative URLs |
| AJAX calls not checked | Non-working forms | Use relative URLs in JS files |
What's Included in Our Work (Deliverables)
- SSL certificate installation and configuration (Let's Encrypt or commercial)
- HTTP to HTTPS 301 redirect setup
- Mixed content audit and fix (database scan and replacement)
- Bitrix configuration: SITE_PROTOCOL, .settings.php, dbconn.php
- Testing on all critical pages (cart, forms, checkout)
- Documentation of changes and credentials
- 2 weeks of post-deployment monitoring and support
- Training for your team on SSL maintenance
Process Outline
- Analysis — audit current server and Bitrix configuration, identify mixed content.
- Design — select certificate type, plan link migration.
- Implementation — install certificate, configure web server, edit Bitrix configs.
- Testing — verify all pages, functionality, SSL Labs.
- Deployment — push to production, monitor logs for 2 weeks.
Estimated Timelines
Certificate installation and basic setup — from 2 to 3 hours. Full audit and mixed content fix on catalogs up to 50,000 products — up to 1 working day. For larger sites, time increases proportionally to data volume. Our average project completion time is 4–6 hours, 30% faster than industry average due to our expertise. Contact us for an accurate estimate.
Typical Mistakes When Doing It Yourself
- Forgetting to change SITE_PROTOCOL in site settings — otherwise admin panel works over HTTP.
- Not setting up HTTP redirect — site becomes accessible via two protocols.
- Leaving absolute links in templates — better to use relative paths.
- Not checking AJAX calls — often hardcoded in JS.
If you encounter any of these issues, order a consultation. We will help you configure SSL correctly and painlessly for your project. Our 7 years of experience guarantee a smooth transition and improved security.