How to Install a Custom SSL Certificate
Overview
By default, WP Squared protects every website on your account with a Let’s Encrypt™ AutoSSL certificate. AutoSSL certificates renew on their own and do not require manual configuration.
If you need to use a certificate from a specific Certificate Authority (CA), you can install a custom SSL certificate and replace AutoSSL.
Install a custom SSL certificate
To install a custom SSL certificate, perform the following steps:
- From your WP Squared dashboard, click the Manage Website icon (
) to open the Expanded Website View. - Navigate to the Advanced tab.
- Click the SSL Certificate section to expand it.
- Click Add Certificate. The Certificate Signing Request (CSR) section will appear.
You can only install one custom SSL certificate per domain at a time.
Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
Review your CA’s CSR requirements before submitting the request.
Enter the following information to generate your CSR. Your CA will use this data to verify your identity and issue your certificate.
| Information | Description |
|---|---|
| Key | The encryption key type and size for your certificate. Use your CA’s recommended setting. |
| Country | The registration country of your company. Use a two-letter ISO-3166 country code for this value. |
| State or Province | The full name of your state or province. Do not abbreviate this value. |
| City | The registration city of your company. |
| Company | The legally registered name of your company. If the name contains symbols other than a period (.) or comma (,), check with your CA to confirm that they are valid. |
| Company Division | The division or department of your company. |
| A valid email address. The system will use this address to verify domain ownership. | |
| Passphrase | An optional passphrase for your CSR’s private key. The system stores this value unencrypted. Do not use a sensitive or reused password. |
Click Create Request to submit the information and save your CSR. You can exit this page and return later without losing your progress.
The system will display the status of your CSR in the SSL Certificate section of the Advanced tab.
Click the download icon (
) to download your CSR and send it to your CA. To delete the current CSR and start over, click the trash can icon (
).
Install your certificate
After your CA has issued your certificate, return to the SSL Certificate section in the Advanced tab and click Complete. Enter the following information to install your certificate:
| Information | Description |
|---|---|
| Certificate | The entire contents of the .crt file from your CA. |
| Certificate Authority Bundle | A series of intermediate certificates from your CA. Check your CA’s installation instructions to confirm whether your CA requires this. |
Click Install to complete the installation. Your custom SSL certificate will override AutoSSL immediately. You can check the status of your certificate in the SSL Certificate section.
To remove your custom SSL certificate and return to automatic SSL management, click Run AutoSSL.