HSTS (Strict-Transport-Security)
type: TechArticle
description: HSTS tells browsers to only ever use HTTPS for your domain. Send max-age with includeSubDomains — but skip the preload list, which its own operator now discourages.
language: en
is part of: Web Specification Studio
author: Web Specification Studio
publisher: Web Specification Studio
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
date modified: 2026-07-01T00:00:00.000Z
citation: RFC 6797 — HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS)
  type: CreativeWork
  publisher: IETF
citation: MDN — Strict-Transport-Security
  type: CreativeWork
  publisher: MDN
citation: HSTS Preload List Submission
  type: CreativeWork
  publisher: Google Chrome
citation: OWASP — HTTP Strict Transport Security Cheat Sheet
  type: CreativeWork
  publisher: OWASP

Web Specification Studio
type: WebSite

Web Specification Studio
type: Organization

breadcrumb
type: BreadcrumbList
item list element: Home
  type: ListItem
  position: 1
  item: https://webspecification.com/
item list element: Spec
  type: ListItem
  position: 2
  item: https://webspecification.com/spec/
item list element: Security
  type: ListItem
  position: 3
  item: https://webspecification.com/spec/security/
item list element: HSTS (Strict-Transport-Security)
  type: ListItem
  position: 4
  item: https://webspecification.com/spec/security/hsts/