Written by Admin on 2025-05-06

Solving "WordPress Download Failed Error Setting Certificate Verify Locations" Issue

If you're a WordPress user and often encounter issues regarding downloads, you might have come across the "WordPress Download Failed Error Setting Certificate Verify Locations" error message at some point. This error is typically shown when your WordPress website attempts to download a file but is unable to verify the certificate.

In this article, we'll discuss what causes the WordPress 'download failed error setting certificate verify locations' error and how you can fix it.

What Causes the Error?

The 'download failed error setting certificate verify locations' message appears mainly when WordPress cannot verify SSL certificates due to missing or incorrect CA (Certificate Authority) bundle files. These files ensure that the certificate is trusted and valid. If the certificate verification process fails, WordPress displays the error message and does not download the file.

How to Fix the Error?

The good news is that resolving the 'download failed error setting certificate verify locations' issue is relatively simple. Follow the steps below to fix the problem:

Method 1: Updating the CA Bundle File

1. Download the updated CA bundle file from the cURL website (https://curl.se/ca/cacert.pem).
2. Save the file to your local system and rename it as 'cacert.pem'.
3. Create a new folder named 'certificates' in the WP-includes folder.
4. Move the 'cacert.pem' file to the newly created folder.

Method 2: Adding a PHP Code Snippet

1. Open the 'functions.php' file of your WordPress website.
2. Add the following PHP code snippet before the 'require_once' line:

php add_action( 'http_api_curl', 'add_curl_ssl_params' ); function add_curl_ssl_params( $handle ) { curl_setopt( $handle, CURLOPT_CAINFO, dirname(__FILE__) . '/wp-includes/certificates/cacert.pem' ); } 3. Save the changes and refresh your WordPress site. The error should be resolved now.

Conclusion

The 'WordPress Download Failed Error Setting Certificate Verify Locations' issue is not only annoying, but it can also cause security concerns if SSL certificates aren't validated correctly. The two methods mentioned above should fix the problem effortlessly. Remember to take the necessary precautions when handling sensitive data to avoid any security risks.