After enabling Cloudflare SSL from my account, why is my site's formatting and CSS either missing or broken?
Answer (1)
When you enable SSL through Cloudflare and your site's CSS appears broken, it can often be due to mixed content issues or caching problems. Here's a detailed breakdown of what might be happening and how you can address it:
Mixed Content Issues : When SSL is enabled, all resources on your page (like CSS, JavaScript, images) should be served over HTTPS to ensure security. If your CSS files are still being requested over HTTP, modern browsers block them, causing your site to lose its formatting.
Solution : Check your source code for HTTP links and switch them to HTTPS. Cloudflare offers an 'Automatic HTTPS Rewrites' feature in their dashboard that can help with this.
Caching : Cloudflare caches content on its servers to improve site performance. If your site was cached before you made changes to include HTTPS, it might still be serving the older, non-secure versions.
Solution : Use the 'Purge Cache' option in the Cloudflare dashboard to clear the cache. This forces Cloudflare to retrieve the latest version of your site.
SSL Configuration : Ensure that your SSL settings in Cloudflare are correctly configured. Options like Flexible SSL, Full SSL, or Full SSL (Strict) can affect how your site connects to your server.
Solution : For most users, 'Full SSL' is the preferred option, which secures the connection between Cloudflare and your server, provided your server supports SSL.
By addressing these issues, you can resolve the formatting problem on your site. Always backup your site before making significant changes and, if needed, consult with a web developer to ensure your configurations are secure and optimal.
