cPanel SSL/TLS Guide

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and TLS (Transport Layer Security) provide encrypted communication between your server and website visitors. This guide walks you through all key tasks related to managing SSL certificates via cPanel.

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1. Generate a Private Key

Private keys are used to decrypt encrypted data. They’re automatically generated when you create a CSR, but you can also create them manually.

Steps:
  1. Log in to cPanel.

  2. Go to the Security section and click on SSL/TLS.

  3. Under Private Keys (KEY), click Generate, view, upload, or delete your private keys.

  4. Choose a key size (2048 or 4096 bits is recommended).

  5. Optionally, add a description.

  6. Click Generate.

2. Upload a Private Key

If you already have a private key:


  1. Still in SSL/TLS, under Private Keys, scroll to the Upload a New Private Key section.

  2. Either:

    • Paste your .key content in the textbox, or

    • Use the file upload option to browse and upload the .key file.

  3. Click Save or Upload.

3. Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)

A CSR is required when requesting an SSL certificate from a trusted Certificate Authority (CA).

Steps:
  1. In SSL/TLS, under Certificate Signing Requests (CSR), click Generate, view, or delete SSL certificate signing requests.

  2. In the Generate a New Certificate Signing Request (CSR) section:

    • Select an existing private key or generate a new one.

    • Enter the domain (e.g., yourdomain.com or *.yourdomain.com for wildcard).

    • Fill in required fields: City, State, Country, Company, etc.

  3. Click Generate.

4. Upload an SSL Certificate

Once you’ve received the .crt file from your SSL provider:


  1. Under Certificates (CRT), click Generate, view, upload, or delete SSL certificates.

  2. Scroll to Upload a New Certificate:

    • Either paste the certificate content, or

    • Upload the .crt file directly.

  3. Click Save Certificate or Upload Certificate.

5. Generate a Self-Signed Certificate (Optional)

You may use a self-signed certificate for testing, though browsers will show a warning.

Steps:
  1. Go to Certificates (CRT) section and click Generate, view, upload, or delete SSL certificates.

  2. Scroll to Generate a New Certificate.

  3. Select a private key, enter the domain, and provide contact details.

  4. Click Generate.

 6. Install an SSL Certificate on Your Domain

Once you’ve uploaded or generated a certificate:


  1. From the SSL/TLS manager, click Install and Manage SSL for your site (HTTPS) under the Install an SSL Website section.

  2. Choose your domain from the dropdown list.

  3. Click Autofill by Domain to automatically populate certificate fields.

  4. Review and click Install Certificate.

Notes
  • AutoSSL is available on most cPanel servers. If active, it will try to install free SSL certificates from cPanel (via Sectigo).

  • For custom certificates (e.g., paid SSL), always generate a CSR and ensure the matching private key is on the server.

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