Your clock is ahead or Your clock is behind error on Google Chrome

If you are trying to open a website in Google Chrome and you see an error message saying, either Your clock is ahead or Your clock is behind, then here are a few things you need to take a look at. The accompanying error code could be NET::ERR_CERT_DATE_INVALID.

This problem’s primary cause is the synchronization conflict between SSL certificates and your computer’s time zone. If an SSL certificate is expired, but the browser cannot verify it due to some time zone issue, there is a chance of getting one of these error messages on Google Chrome.

Your clock is ahead or Your clock is behind error on Chrome

To fix Your clock is ahead or Your clock is behind error on Google Chrome, follow these steps-

1. Set time automatically
2. Change the default time zone
3. Set time.windows.com as the default Internet time server
4. Clear cache and browsing history
5. Reinstall SSL certificate

To know more about these steps, keep reading.

1] Set time automatically

Like previous versions of Windows, it is possible to set the time on Windows 10 in two different ways. First, you can set the time automatically. Second, you can choose a custom date and time according to your preference. People use the latter option when they need to test something.

In case you have opted for the second option, it is better to choose the first method. For that, press Win+I to open Windows Settings on your computer and go to Time & Language > Date & time. On the right-hand side, toggle the Set time automatically button.

Restart Google Chrome and try to access the website.

2] Change the default time zone

Depending upon when you are from, Windows 10 chooses a different time zone for showing the date and time. However, if you have made some changes in the time zone and following that, Google Chrome shows this error message on all websites, it is better to change the current time zone and switch to the default one.

For that, open the Windows Settings and go to Time & Language > Date & time. On the right-hand side, you can see a drop-down list saying Time zone. Expand this list, and choose a time zone accordingly.

3] Set time.windows.com as the default Internet time server

By default, Windows synchronizes the date and time with the time.windows.com server. However, if it is changed due to a malware or adware attack, you might get the issue on Google Chrome. In that case, you must verify if the default Internet time server is set to time.windows.com or not.

For that, Right-click on the clock visible on the Taskbar and select the Adjust date/time option. Following that, click on the Add clocks for different time zones and switch to the Internet Time tab. Once it is opened, click the Change settings button.

After that, enter time.windows.com in the empty box, make a tick in the Synchronize with an Internet time server checkbox, and click the Update now button.

Next, click the OK button, restart Google Chrome, and try to open the website.

4] Clear cache and browsing history

At times, the SSL certificate of a specific website might not work due to an internal error. If it is happening with you, clearing the cache and browsing history might be handy for you. Therefore, follow this detailed tutorial to clear cache, cookies, and browsing history

5] Reinstall SSL certificate

This solution works only when you are the administrator of a website or can reinstall the SSL certificate. As it is an SSL-related issue, all the first four solutions might not work until you reissue the SSL certificate.

These are some of the working solutions to fix this issue.