How to install an SSL Certificate on cPanel?

This guide provides step by step instructions on how to install an SSL Certificate on cPanel. As one of the most popular web hosting panels, cPanel is easy to use and manage. The SSL installation is pretty straightforward, even if you don’t have advanced technical skills. First, you’ll learn how to generate a CSR code in cPanel; then we’ll focus on the installation itself; you will also discover a few interesting facts about cPanel’s history, and, finally, we’ll show you where to buy an SSL Certificate for cPanel.

How to generate a CSR code in cPanel?

Install an SSL Certificate on cPanel
Test your configuration
cPanel history and versions

How to generate a CSR code in cPanel?

CSR (Certificate Signing Request) is crucial to your SSL application. You can’t obtain the SSL Certificate without it.

Log into your cPanel account
Hover your mouse cursor over the Security section and click on SSL/TLS
In the SSL/TLS manager, under the Certificate Signing Requests (CSR) click on Generate, view, delete SSL certificate signing requests
Next, from the Key drop-down list, select ‘Generate a New 2048 bit key’. This will generate your private key together with the CSR. If you’ve already created a private key in a separate section, simply select it from the drop-down list
Now, you need to enter the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) you want to secure. For example, www.ssldragon.com

Note: If you bought a wildcard certificate, add an asterisk in front of the domain name. This action will secure your subdomains. For example: *.ssldragon.com.

6. Fill out the remaining boxes with relevant information as shown below:

City – enter the full name of the city where your organization is registered
State – enter the full name of the state where your organization is located
Country – from the drop-down list, select the country of origin for the certificate’s organization
Company – enter the official (legal) name of your business. For example, GPI Holding LLC. If you’re applying for a Domain Validation SSL Certificate, type your full Name or your domain name
Company unit – best options here are “IT” or “Web Administration”. For DV certificates us NA (not available)
E-mail – provide a valid email address
Passphrase – some CAs may require CSRs to have passphrases; however, they are stored unencrypted in the CSR. Most of the popular SSL providers don’t require a passphrase, so you can leave this field blank. If you decide to create a passphrase, use a one-time password here
Description – this field is optional. Leave it blank

7. Double-check the information you’ve submitted, and hit the Generate button

8. Copy the whole CSR content (use the ctrl+a hotkey to select the entire text), and paste it into a word editor such as Notepad. You will need it during the order process with SSL Dragon.

Note: Make sure you include the —–BEGIN CERTIFICATE REQUEST—– and —–END CERTIFICATE REQUEST—– lines.

Once you’ve received your SSL certificate from the CA, continue with the installation instructions.

Install an SSL Certificate on cPanel

Log into your cPanel account
Go to the Security section and select SSL/TLS
In the SSL/TLS page, under Certificates CRT, click on Generate, view, upload, or delete SSL certificates
Here, you have two options. Number one: copy the whole content of the .crt file (the one you received from the CA) and paste it in the text box. Number two: click on the Choose File button and find the .crt file where you save it
If you’ve chosen the first option, click Save Certificate. For the second option, click Upload Certificate
Now, return to the SSL/TLS page, and, under Install and Manage SSL for your Site (HTTPS), click on Manage SSL sites
Note: If you use a shared hosting plan, this option may not be available to you. If you don’t have the rights for SSL installation, contact your hosting provider for help.
From the Domain drop-down list, select the domain you want to secure
cPanel will try to fetch the corresponding SSL certificate and Private Key for your domain. If the autofill doesn’t work, you need to enter all the details manually in the boxes below:
In the Certificate (CRT) box paste the contents of your certificate file (including the header and the footer)
In the Private Key (Key) box paste your Private key
The Certificate Authority Bundle: (CABUNDLE) box is optional, but we don’t recommend to leave it blank. The absence of the CA bundle may result in SSL security warnings on mobile devices and older browsers. You can find your CA bundle files in your email inbox (search your Certificate Authority messages). Make sure you copy and paste both root and intermediate certificates in the CABUNDLE box
Hit the Install Certificate button. A message box will confirm the successful installation. Restart your server.
Test your configuration
Browse the HTTPS version of your site and make sure the SSL padlock is present. Click on it and inspect your certificate’s details. To perform a deeper test, use these highly recommended SSL tools. They will give you instant SSL reports on the state of your installation.

cPanel History and Versions

Since its initial release on March 21, 1996, cPanel has grown into the most popular and appreciated web hosting panel on the planet. Both domain owners, and hosting providers love cPanel’s versatility, intuitive interface and features. Built on Linux, cPanel supports the leading applications and email services such as Apache, PHP, Perl, MySQL, POP3, IMAP, SMTP and many more.