A 526 Invalid SSL Certificate error occurs when Cloudflare cannot verify a valid SSL certificate on your Webflow site. This happens if you enabled Cloudflare's proxy (orange-cloud) feature while Webflow uses its own SSL/TLS setup.
1. Confirm the SSL/TLS Mode in Cloudflare
- Go to Cloudflare Dashboard → Your Domain → SSL/TLS.
- The recommended setting for Webflow is Full (not "Full (Strict)").
- Full (Strict) requires a valid SSL certificate on your Webflow server, which Webflow does not provide for Cloudflare’s proxy.
2. Bypass Cloudflare's Proxy
- Go to Cloudflare → DNS Settings.
- Find the A or CNAME records pointing to Webflow's servers.
- Click the Orange Cloud icon so it turns Gray (DNS-only).
- This ensures direct traffic to Webflow without Cloudflare intervening.
3. Verify Webflow's SSL Certificate
- Go to Webflow Project Settings → Hosting.
- Ensure that SSL is enabled and working. If needed, disable and re-enable SSL to refresh the certificate.
- You can also test the site by temporarily removing Cloudflare’s DNS settings and using a tool like SSL Labs' SSL Test to verify Webflow's certificate.
4. Clear Cache and DNS
- Clear browser cache and restart your browser.
- Flush local DNS cache using
ipconfig /flushdns
(Windows) or sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
(Mac). - If still not working, wait up to 24 hours for DNS propagation after making changes.
Summary
Your site stopped working because Cloudflare’s proxy setting (orange-cloud) required an SSL certificate that Webflow doesn’t provide for Cloudflare's strict mode. Set SSL/TLS to "Full", disable Cloudflare’s proxy (gray-cloud the records), and ensure Webflow SSL is enabled. If needed, wait for DNS changes to propagate.