The Minecraft SSL Handshake Exception appears when the game cannot establish a verified secure connection to a Minecraft server or a third-party authentication endpoint. Outdated Java, an incorrect system clock, or an overly aggressive firewall/antivirus are the most common causes.
Network-relatedLast verified: 2026-08-19
Update Java
Older Java versions lack support for newer TLS certificates. Updating Java to the latest version for your Minecraft version (Java 17 for 1.17+, Java 8 for older) typically resolves SSL handshake failures.
Correct your system clock
SSL certificates have validity windows. If your system clock is significantly wrong, certificates appear expired or not-yet-valid, causing handshake failures. Go to Windows Settings > Time & Language > Date & Time and enable Set time automatically.
How to fix step by step
- 1Update Java: Java 17 for Minecraft 1.17+, Java 8 for 1.16 and below
- 2Verify your system clock is correct: Windows Settings > Date & Time > Set time automatically
- 3Temporarily disable antivirus HTTPS scanning and retry (some antivirus products intercept SSL connections and introduce incompatibilities)
- 4If connecting to a specific server, verify the server's SSL certificate has not expired (contact the server owner)
How SSL-EXCEPTION differs from related codes
- Error AUTHENTICATION-SERVER-DOWN: Minecraft could not reach Microsoft authentication services to sign in. (server or client)
- Error LOGIN-FAILED: Minecraft could not sign in to Microsoft account. (server or client)
- Error FAILED-TO-CONNECT: Minecraft Java or Bedrock could not reach the multiplayer server. (server or client)