Why did my Webflow site stop working with a 526 error after using Cloudflare's proxy DNS?

The 526 error in Webflow typically occurs when there is a conflict between Cloudflare's SSL configuration and Webflow's own SSL settings. When you enable Cloudflare's proxy DNS (commonly known as the orange cloud), all incoming traffic to your site passes through Cloudflare's servers before reaching your Webflow hosting.

In this case, the 526 error indicates that the SSL handshake between Cloudflare and Webflow failed. This failure can occur due to a few reasons:

1. SSL Configuration: Ensure that you have properly configured SSL both on Cloudflare and Webflow. Webflow offers SSL certificates by default for all custom domains on their hosting, so it's important to disable SSL in Cloudflare or switch it to the "Flexible SSL" option.

2. SSL Certificate Renewal: Sometimes, SSL certificates expire or need to be renewed. If the SSL certificate on your Webflow site expires and you haven't updated it, it can lead to a 526 error. Make sure your SSL certificate is up to date.

3. Mixed Content Issues: If your site references resources (e.g., images, scripts, or stylesheets) using HTTP instead of HTTPS URLs, it may cause a mixed content error on Cloudflare. Double-check that all your resources are being loaded over HTTPS.

4. DNS Configuration: Verify that your DNS settings in both Cloudflare and Webflow are correctly set up. Ensure that your Cloudflare DNS records are pointing to the correct Webflow IP address.

To resolve the 526 error, you can try the following steps:

1. Disable the orange cloud/proxy in Cloudflare DNS settings temporarily and see if your site works without it. If it does, then the issue lies in your Cloudflare SSL configuration.

2. Check the SSL settings in Webflow. If you have custom SSL enabled in Webflow, disable it for now and rely on Cloudflare's SSL.

3. Ensure that all your resources are loaded over HTTPS and that there are no mixed content warnings.

4. If none of the above steps work, it's worth reaching out to Webflow support or Cloudflare support for further assistance. They can analyze your specific setup and help diagnose the root cause of the issue.

Remember, the 526 error is specific to the SSL handshake between Cloudflare and Webflow, so it's important to focus on the SSL configuration and compatibility between these two services to resolve the error effectively.

Webflow Resources

Webflow templates

Webflow inspiration

Rate this answer

Other Webflow Questions

Does Webflow have a dropdown menu function for submenus? If not, how can I export and add this function separately? Will Webflow offer this feature in the future?

How can I fix the padding and font color on a Webflow select dropdown?

Is pasting a robots.txt file in the "Indexing" section of the SEO tab in Webflow the correct way to upload it, considering that Google Search Console is not recognizing it?

Is it possible to have a custom domain name for downloading .pdf files in Webflow?

How can I add custom domain emails while being hosted on Webflow if my domain is registered with a different provider?

What could be causing the issue with the broken URL in Webflow that includes "www.www." and what steps can be taken to fix it?

How can I create a FAQ like the one shown in the video using Webflow? Additionally, what should I set the link setting to for a button in a FAQ? I removed the page link and now the button is unclickable.

Are you experiencing broken links reported by SemRush and a link checker website after exporting your Webflow site? Although all the links work, you're still finding it strange. Have you encountered this issue before and found a solution? Thank you.

How can I set up SSL on my Webflow site hosted on Amazon Route53 DNS?

Will multiple clients hosted on Webflow be seen on the same shared IP address and mixed in with other clients using the same DNS settings, if we offer client billing and host them in our account?

Is it possible to customize the style of bullets in a list using Webflow's UI?

How can I center a column in a Div or Container in Webflow?

What are the top features of Byteline's data sync tool, including its handling of field types and custom error notifications?

How do I connect the forms on my Webflow website, based on the Saasplex X template, to Hubspot without a native integration?

What alternative approach can I take to resolve the issue with my multi-reference field in Webflow that is causing my Zap to occasionally not work?

Can Webflow be used to call a CSS or JS file stored on a different server, instead of hosting them on GitHub?

Can the Webflow YouTube component recognize channel IDs instead of video IDs for embedding a Live Stream?

How can I use the Finsweet script to manage two different sliders on my Webflow page, each feeding content from different collections?

How can I prevent a full-screen slider in Webflow from pausing on hover? Additionally, I would like to link two sliders to one control or navigation. Can anyone with JavaScript knowledge help me achieve this?

How can I fix the issue with the scroll not being smooth on my mobile device (iPhone + Safari) in Webflow?

How can I prevent scroll when my nav is open in Webflow using code? The scroll is disabled correctly when I change the class name of the second 'menu', but it does not get activated when the menu is closed. It doesn't work at all if both class names are the same. Can anyone provide assistance with this issue?

How can I add date filtering to my current list of filters in Webflow using Finsweet CMS Filtering?

How can I change the language of publication dates in Webflow CMS collection from English to Portuguese?

How can I whitelist the IP or user agent of a third-party vendor to crawl my Webflow site for legal compliance archiving purposes?

How can I configure Webflow forms to exclude empty or unchecked checkboxes when sending emails? Additionally, is it possible to customize the email text for checked checkboxes, such as using "réservé" instead of "true"?

How can I dynamically redirect to a CMS created after form submission in Webflow?

How can I make the menu close when a link is clicked in Webflow?

How can I hide the "no items found" empty field in Webflow for a second multi-image gallery on certain pages?

How can I implement swipe functionality between tab panes on mobile using custom code in Webflow?

How can I add user input to the end of the redirect URL in Webflow?