Ahrefs: what does the lock mean beside a URL?

When someone asks ahrefs what does the lock mean beside a url, they often wonder what the little lock icon next to a link signifies. In short: it’s a signal about the connection — not a guarantee about content. This article will explain what the lock really means, how it works in a browser address bar, and what to watch out for when doing SEO or site audits.

What does the lock icon mean

Seeing a lock icon (or padlock) next to a url means that the site uses HTTPS, not plain HTTP. The lock indicates the network connection between your browser and the site’s server is encrypted, via TLS certificates. 

Essentially, the lock tells you that the underlying connection is encrypted — any data sent or received (login credentials, payment info, personal data) is scrambled so it cannot be easily intercepted by third-parties on the network. 

For many tools — including Ahrefs — when you see the lock next to a URL in a backlink list or site crawl, it simply signals that Ahrefs fetched that address via HTTPS. So if you’ve ever searched “ahrefs what does the lock mean beside a url” the answer is the same: the lock means secure transport, nothing more. 

Why browsers and tools show a lock

Browsers historically used a padlock icon in the address bar to show a secure (encrypted) connection. That padlock originally helped users distinguish between plain text (http) and encrypted (https) sites.

Now encryption is more common — most websites use HTTPS — but the indicator remains useful to confirm that TLS certificates are properly set up. Indeed, many modern browsers are reducing emphasis on the padlock icon because users misunderstood it as a broad “this site is safe/trustworthy” badge. 

In the context of SEO audit or link-research tools like Ahrefs — when you check a site’s backlinks or crawl report — the presence of the lock icon or “https://” prefix in the address suggests the connection from your browser (or crawler) to the server was encrypted. That can be considered a hygiene factor or baseline signal for a well-configured site. 

What the lock does not mean — and common misconceptions

Crucially: the lock (or padlock icon) does not guarantee that the site is trustworthy, legit, or safe. A malicious website or phishing site can still run over HTTPS and display the lock — encryption only protects the data in transit, not what’s on the page itself. 

Putting it another way: encryption (i.e. secure connection) ≠ guarantee about content quality, privacy practices, or site legitimacy. Many people confuse “secure transport” with “safe/reliable site.” That’s a mistake. 

Even the organisation that developed the browser interface (for example Google Chrome) has recognized this misunderstanding — which among other reasons is why Chrome recently retired the traditional lock/padlock icon in favor of a more neutral symbol, to avoid giving a false sense of “trust”. 

Why making the switch to HTTPS matters — and what to pay attention to

In the modern web, switching a site from HTTP to HTTPS can make a big difference — not just for security, but for SEO, user perception, and long-term maintenance. When you enable HTTPS properly, you gain control over data transmission so that sensitive information can’t be tampered with or eavesdropped on. This gives users and site owners important information protection.

Because a secure https connection helps prevent common vulnerabilities, it reduces the chance of error or data leaks — and reduces risk when visitors land on a page (especially for landing pages that collect user data or payments). It’s no longer just about privacy: for many businesses the padlock becomes part of their marketing and trust-building strategy.

Technically, HTTPS works via a chain of certificate authorities (CA or cas) — a certificate issued by a trusted CA authenticates your domain and lets browsers accept that certificate as valid. That certificate establishes a secure chain of trust: only if all links are valid does the browser display the lock, confirming the connection is secured. 

For site managers and developers using modern software, applying HTTPS is usually straightforward. Many hosting providers offer free SSL/TLS certificates. Once installed, you should update internal links and redirect from old HTTP pages so that visitors aren’t left on insecure versions of your pages — otherwise some visitors may still be on http, which undermines the whole point. Skipping this fix can cause a mix of secure and insecure content, which may give errors or warnings in browsers. 

From an SEO / search-engine-visibility perspective, the fact that https is a lightweight ranking signal matters: secure sites are slightly favored by search engines compared to sites still on HTTP. While this lightweight ranking factor won’t override quality content or backlinks, when you have two otherwise similar pages — the one using HTTPS may rank a bit higher.

Still — using HTTPS doesn’t guarantee a site is trustworthy or that it’s free of malicious content — the padlock doesn’t automatically make the site is safe or site is legit. What it does is give you the best possible foundation: an encrypted connection, proper certificate chain, reduced vulnerability to network tampering, and the respect of modern browsers and search engines.

If you run a site — especially one collecting user data or doing online marketing — enabling HTTPS should be a no-brainer. It may require some work (SSL certificate from a CA, update links, ensure all resources load securely), but these steps pay off: secure data flow, better user trust, fewer browser warnings, and a modest SEO edge.

What to do instead of relying solely on the lock — especially when using Ahrefs or doing SEO

If you are using Ahrefs for link audits, content audits, or SEO — and you see a lock icon beside a url — treat it as a minimal quality check, not a stamp of approval. The lock indicates the connection was encrypted, but it doesn’t mean the page is high-quality, spam-free, or safe.

Instead:

• Inspect the content — Is the page well-written, relevant, valuable?
• Check for spam signals, poor outbound links, suspicious redirects, or phishing/red-flag behavior.
• Evaluate the backlink profile — Who links to this url, and are those backlinks legitimate or spammy?
• Look at canonicalization, SSL/TLS certificate validity (especially if it’s a valid certificate from a trusted certificate authority), and ensure the site is properly configured (redirects from HTTP→HTTPS, no mixed content, correct canonical tags, etc.).

That way you don’t treat the lock icon as a “trustworthy badge,” but rather as one small hygiene check among many.

Conclusion

When you ask Ahrefs what does the lock mean beside a url, the answer is simple but important: the lock (the padlock icon) indicates that the connection between browser (or crawler) and server is encrypted via HTTPS/TLS. It does not mean that the site is necessarily safe, trustworthy, or high-quality.

In short — the lock = encrypted connection. Trust in a site must be earned through deeper evaluation.

FAQ

What does a lock next to a URL mean?

A lock next to a URL — also shown as a padlock or “lock icon” in the address bar of your browser — means the connection between your browser and the site’s server is encrypted. It indicates the site is using a valid certificate issued by a trusted certificate authority (CA), so data you send or receive (passwords, payment info, etc.) travels over a secure channel rather than as plain text. 

What is the padlock symbol in the URL bar?

The padlock symbol (or lock icon) is a visual indicator provided by the browser to show that the current page is loaded over a secure protocol — typically an HTTPS connection. It reflects that the site has an SSL/TLS certificate and that the transmission is encrypted. Clicking the padlock often brings up certificate details so you can inspect who issued the certificate, what domain it’s for, and whether that certificate is valid.

Does the lock mean the website is safe?

Not necessarily. The lock only shows that the connection is encrypted — it does not guarantee that the site’s content is trustworthy, that the site is legit, or that the domain is free of malicious content. Because obtaining a certificate from a CA can be relatively straightforward, even phishing or scam websites can show the padlock. So while the padlock helps protect your data in transit, you should still evaluate the content, domain, and the broader context before assuming the site is safe. 

What is HTTPS, and how does it work?

HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure) is an extension of HTTP that adds encryption via the TLS (or previously SSL) protocol. When a website uses HTTPS, all data exchanged between browser and server — including headers, page content, form data — is encrypted. This prevents eavesdropping, tampering, or interception by third parties on the network. The server presents a certificate (issued by a trusted certificate authority), and the browser verifies that certificate before establishing the secure, encrypted connection. 

Because of this encryption, HTTPS helps protect privacy and integrity of your data. Many websites now use HTTPS by default. Still, because HTTPS only secures the connection itself and doesn’t vet the site’s content or legitimacy, the presence of HTTPS (or the padlock) should be considered just one security signal — not a guarantee of safety.