Quick Summary
Error code 0x80072AF9 indicates that your system is unable to establish a secure connection with the server, typically due to issues with Transport Layer Security (TLS) or Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocols. This error often occurs when Windows cannot verify the server's certificate or when the TLS/SSL protocols are not configured correctly.
Common Causes
- Incorrect Date and Time Settings: If your system's date and time are significantly incorrect, the SSL/TLS certificate validation process can fail, leading to connection errors.
- TLS/SSL Protocol Issues: Outdated or disabled TLS/SSL protocols can prevent your system from establishing a secure connection with servers using newer security standards.
- Firewall or Proxy Interference: Firewall or proxy server settings might be blocking or interfering with the secure connection attempt.
- Corrupted Windows Sockets (Winsock) Configuration: Corrupted Winsock configuration can prevent network connections, including secure connections using TLS/SSL.
- Certificate Revocation Issues: The server's certificate may have been revoked or your system is unable to access the Certificate Revocation List (CRL).
Step-by-Step Fixes
Method 1: Verify Date and Time Settings
Step 1: Right-click on the clock in the system tray.
Step 2: Select 'Adjust date/time'.
Step 3: Ensure that 'Set time automatically' is enabled. If it's already enabled, toggle it off and then on again.
Step 4: Manually set the correct date and time if automatic setting does not work.
Step 5: Restart your computer.
Method 2: Enable TLS 1.2 in Internet Options
Step 1: Open Internet Options (search for 'Internet Options' in the Start Menu).
Step 2: Go to the 'Advanced' tab.
Step 3: Scroll down to the 'Security' section.
Step 4: Make sure that 'Use TLS 1.2' is checked. You may also want to check TLS 1.1 and TLS 1.0 if compatibility issues exist.
Step 5: Click 'Apply' and then 'OK'.
Step 6: Restart your computer.
Method 3: Disable Proxy Server (If Applicable)
Step 1: Open Internet Options (search for 'Internet Options' in the Start Menu).
Step 2: Go to the 'Connections' tab.
Step 3: Click 'LAN settings'.
Step 4: If 'Use a proxy server for your LAN' is checked, uncheck it (unless you require a proxy to connect to the internet).
Step 5: Click 'OK' in all windows to save the changes.
Step 6: Restart your computer.
Method 4: Reset Winsock
Step 1: Open Command Prompt as administrator (search for 'cmd', right-click, and select 'Run as administrator').
Step 2: Type the following command and press Enter: netsh winsock reset
Step 3: Restart your computer.
Method 5: Check Firewall Settings
Step 1: Open 'Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security'.
Step 2: Check both Inbound and Outbound Rules for potential blocks related to the application or service experiencing the error.
Step 3: If you find any blocking rules, either modify them to allow the connection or temporarily disable the firewall to test if it resolves the issue. Important: re-enable the firewall once testing is complete.