What Qualys SSL Test measures
The test connects to your server the way dozens of different browsers and devices would, then grades the certificate chain, the protocol versions you accept, the cipher suites you offer and your exposure to known TLS weaknesses.
How to read your result
A or A+ is what a correctly configured server looks like today. A B usually means you still accept an older protocol or a weak cipher for compatibility with very old devices. A T grade means the certificate is not trusted, which visitors will see as a full page warning. The handshake simulation list at the bottom shows which real devices can and cannot connect.
What to change first
If the grade is capped because of TLS 1.0 or 1.1, turn those off. Every browser still in use supports TLS 1.2, and leaving the old versions on is the most common reason a site cannot reach an A.
Common questions
- What is a good SSL Labs grade?
- A or A+. Anything at B or below means an old protocol or weak cipher is still enabled.
- How long does the SSL test take?
- Usually one to three minutes, because it runs a large number of separate handshake simulations.
- Does my SSL grade affect SEO?
- Having HTTPS at all is a ranking signal. The grade above that is about security rather than search.
Related tests
Run this alongside every other test in Website Security Checks, or start from the full list of website testing tools.