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CertificatesIntermediate
Root Stores & Trust Anchors
Explore how browsers and OSes decide which CAs to trust. Compare Chrome, Mozilla, Apple, and Microsoft policies.
Interactive Demo
Root Stores & Trust Anchors
Why browsers trust certificates - where trust really comes from
When your browser shows 🔒 for https://example.com...
HOW does it know to trust that certificate?
Your device has a list of ~100-150 "trusted" root CAs pre-installed by the OS or browser vendor.
If a certificate chains to one of these roots → Trusted. If not → WARNING!
Root Store Comparison
Microsoft Trusted Root Certificate Program
~150 root CAs
Managed by: Microsoft
Updated via: Windows Update
Policy: Strict audit requirements
Used by:
Edge (Chromium)Internet ExplorerWindows applications.NET applications
View: certmgr.msc → Trusted Root CAs
Chain Validation Flow
Root stores: The foundation of certificate trust on the internet
Want to learn more?
Read our comprehensive guide on Root Stores and Trust