How to Install or Change an SSL Certificate on GoDaddy cPanel hosted Website

If you’re like me, you recently added a new domain to your GoDaddy account and just when you thought you were ready to launch, you realised you needed to secure your site because search engines give sites with https encryption a ranking boost.

When I called GoDaddy, they asked for $50 dollars to do the installation for me – No thanks, I got this. Follow the steps below to install your new cert in about 15 minutes.

Step 1 – Login to cPanel

First, go to your cPanel account and find the security section and click on the SSL/TLS link.

Step 2 – Generate Certificate Signing Request (CSR)

Click on the second link to generate your CSR – this will give you a piece of code which we will use later on.

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Step 3 – Complete Details and Generate CSR

Fill out the requested details and click on the generate button.

Step 4 – Copy the CSR Code

Step 5 – Navigate to the SSL homepage

Now that you have copied the CSR code, go to your products and scroll down to your list of SSL certs.

Step 6 – Select your SSL

Step 7 – Re-key your SSL

Click on Re-key and Manage.

Step 8 – Paste your CSR code into the input field.

Expand the Re-key certificate tab and paste your CSR into the field. Once you save changes, it will take about 10 – 20 mins for your new certificate to be issued.

You will also need to change the site that the certificate protects to your new one.

Step 9 – Download your new SSL Files

Click on the download tab and choose your server type as Apache. You will be prompted to download a zip file containing 2 files with the .crt extension.

Step 10 – Go back to the SSL/TLS section in cPanel

Step 11 – Upload your SSL

Open the file with a mix of letters and numbers with a text editor and copy the code beginning with ——BEGIN CERTIFICATE——

Paste this code in the input field provided on cPanel.

Click on Save Certificate and you’re done!