How do I install a custom SSL certificate in cPanel?
If you have purchased an SSL certificate from a provider other than Elitehost, you can easily install it using cPanel. This guide will walk you through the process of installing your custom SSL certificate. You may need to generate a CSR (Certificate Signing Request) before requesting your certificate, so refer to the CSR generation steps below if needed.
Log into cPanel:
Access cPanel using your credentials. (Refer to our article: How do I log into cPanel?)
Navigate to SSL/TLS:
In the cPanel dashboard, scroll down to the Security section and click on SSL/TLS.
Manage SSL Sites:
Under the Install and Manage SSL for your site (HTTPS) section, click on Manage SSL sites.
Upload Your SSL Certificate:
Under the Install an SSL Website section, paste the SSL certificate you received from the Certificate Authority into the Certificate (CRT) field. Ensure that you include the -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE----- and -----END CERTIFICATE----- lines.
Click on the Autofill by Certificate button next to the certificate field. The system will attempt to fetch the domain name and private key. You may also select the domain from the dropdown list and manually enter the certificate and private key into the corresponding boxes. If the system fails to fetch the private key, locate it in the Private Keys (KEY) section of the SSL/TLS Manager. Remember to include the begin/end headers of the certificate and the key. If the private key is missing, generate a new CSR code along with the private key and reissue your SSL certificate.
Copy and paste the chain of the intermediate certificates (CA Bundle) into the box under Certificate Authority Bundle (CABUNDLE) if it is not filled in already.
Install the Certificate:
Click the Install Certificate button to complete the installation process.
Check SSL Installation:
After installation, verify that the SSL certificate is correctly installed by visiting your website using HTTPS (e.g., https://exampledomain.co.za).
Log into cPanel:
Access cPanel using your credentials.
Navigate to SSL/TLS:
Scroll down to the Security section and click on SSL/TLS.
Generate a CSR:
Click the Generate, view, or delete SSL certificate signing requests link.
Fill in the required information at the top of the form (remember that the domain name must match the SSL, such as www.example.com, example.com, or subdomain.example.com).
Click Generate once the details have been filled in.
You will be presented with the Certificate Signing Request (CSR). Copy the CSR, as you will need it when purchasing the SSL to generate the final certificate.
Submit the CSR:
Submit the CSR to the SSL provider when you purchase the SSL order. The SSL provider will then issue a certificate that works with your server.
By default, your website will load over HTTP unless specified otherwise. To force your site to load over HTTPS you can refer to this article: How can I redirect my website to HTTPS/SSL?
If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to contact our support team or email helpdesk@elitehost.co.za.
Steps to Install a Custom SSL Certificate
Log into cPanel:
Access cPanel using your credentials. (Refer to our article: How do I log into cPanel?)
Navigate to SSL/TLS:
In the cPanel dashboard, scroll down to the Security section and click on SSL/TLS.
Manage SSL Sites:
Under the Install and Manage SSL for your site (HTTPS) section, click on Manage SSL sites.
Upload Your SSL Certificate:
Under the Install an SSL Website section, paste the SSL certificate you received from the Certificate Authority into the Certificate (CRT) field. Ensure that you include the -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE----- and -----END CERTIFICATE----- lines.
Click on the Autofill by Certificate button next to the certificate field. The system will attempt to fetch the domain name and private key. You may also select the domain from the dropdown list and manually enter the certificate and private key into the corresponding boxes. If the system fails to fetch the private key, locate it in the Private Keys (KEY) section of the SSL/TLS Manager. Remember to include the begin/end headers of the certificate and the key. If the private key is missing, generate a new CSR code along with the private key and reissue your SSL certificate.
Copy and paste the chain of the intermediate certificates (CA Bundle) into the box under Certificate Authority Bundle (CABUNDLE) if it is not filled in already.
Install the Certificate:
Click the Install Certificate button to complete the installation process.
Check SSL Installation:
After installation, verify that the SSL certificate is correctly installed by visiting your website using HTTPS (e.g., https://exampledomain.co.za).
Generating a CSR (Certificate Signing Request)
Log into cPanel:
Access cPanel using your credentials.
Navigate to SSL/TLS:
Scroll down to the Security section and click on SSL/TLS.
Generate a CSR:
Click the Generate, view, or delete SSL certificate signing requests link.
Fill in the required information at the top of the form (remember that the domain name must match the SSL, such as www.example.com, example.com, or subdomain.example.com).
Click Generate once the details have been filled in.
You will be presented with the Certificate Signing Request (CSR). Copy the CSR, as you will need it when purchasing the SSL to generate the final certificate.
Submit the CSR:
Submit the CSR to the SSL provider when you purchase the SSL order. The SSL provider will then issue a certificate that works with your server.
Redirecting to HTTPS (SSL Redirects)
By default, your website will load over HTTP unless specified otherwise. To force your site to load over HTTPS you can refer to this article: How can I redirect my website to HTTPS/SSL?
If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to contact our support team or email helpdesk@elitehost.co.za.
Updated on: 27/10/2024
Thank you!