Site Only Works With (or Without) 'www'
Your website loads at one version of the address but not the other — www or non-www fails.
Common signs of this issue
- yourbusiness.com works but www.yourbusiness.com fails, or the reverse.
- One version shows an error, a blank page, or a security warning.
- Links from Google or old materials sometimes break depending on the version.
- Your SSL warning only appears on one of the two versions.
Safe checks you can do yourself
None of these require sharing passwords with anyone.
- Test both addresses directly — with www and without — and note which one fails and how.
- Decide on one preferred (canonical) version for your brand and stick to it everywhere.
- Check that DNS has a record for both: typically an A record for the root and a www entry (often a CNAME).
- Confirm your SSL certificate covers both www and non-www — many cover both, but not all.
- Set a single redirect from the non-preferred version to your chosen one, so everyone lands in the same place.
What this usually means
To a server, www.yourbusiness.com and yourbusiness.com can be treated as two different addresses. If only one is configured (in DNS, the web server, or the SSL certificate), the other will fail.
The clean solution is to make both resolve, pick one as canonical, and redirect the other to it — so visitors and search engines always end up on the same version with valid SSL.
What not to do
- Don't leave one version broken — visitors and search engines reach you by both.
- Don't set up redirects that point each version at the other (that causes a 'too many redirects' loop).
- Don't assume your SSL covers both unless you have checked.
When to get help
Getting DNS, redirects, and SSL to agree across both versions can be fiddly, and a wrong move can cause a redirect loop or an SSL warning. A helper can make both addresses work and funnel to your preferred one cleanly.
Not sure what to do next?
Answer a few short questions and we'll point you to the safest next step — DIY, a freelancer, or a direct review. No passwords required.
Frequently asked questions
Should I pick www or non-www?
Either is fine — it's a branding choice. What matters is picking one, making both addresses resolve, and redirecting the other to your choice.
Why does only one version show a security warning?
Your SSL certificate likely covers only that version. A certificate that includes both www and non-www, plus a redirect to one, clears it.