When your SSL certificate expires, users will encounter a warning message in their browsers indicating that your site may not be secure. This negatively impacts both user experience and your site’s search engine rankings.
Therefore, it is essential to maintain an up-to-date SSL certificate on your website.
Fortunately, renewing an SSL certificate is simpler than you might expect. We have successfully guided numerous WordPress users through the SSL renewal process and are here to share our expert insights.
In this article, we will provide detailed, step-by-step instructions on renewing your SSL certificate.
What Is an SSL Certificate and Why Is Renewal Important?
An SSL certificate functions as a digital passport for your website, confirming its identity and establishing a secure connection between your web server and the user’s browser.
This encrypted connection ensures that any data exchanged between the website and the user, including login credentials and credit card information, remains confidential and secure.
Most SSL certificates have a validity period of 1 to 2 years, depending on the type of certificate and the certificate authority (CA) you are using. Some certificates, like Let’s Encrypt, have a shorter lifespan, expiring after just 90 days.
Failing to renew your SSL certificates will result in security warnings for users accessing your website through their browsers.
This may deter users from visiting your site, leading them to perceive it as unsafe. Consequently, your website traffic may decline.
Moreover, not renewing your SSL certificate can adversely affect your WordPress SEO, as HTTPS sites typically rank higher in search engine results compared to HTTP sites.
Therefore, renewing your SSL certificate is essential to maintain your site’s security and ensure a positive experience for your visitors.
Now, let’s explore how to renew an SSL certificate for your WordPress site. We will outline two methods, and you can use the links below to navigate to your preferred method:
- Method 1: Automatic SSL Certificate Renewal through Your Hosting Provider (Recommended)
- Method 2: Manual SSL Certificate Renewal for Your WordPress Site
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Method 1: Automatically Renew Your SSL Certificate Through Your Hosting Provider
Many WordPress hosting providers include a free SSL certificate with your domain hosting purchase. These certificates are typically renewed automatically, and you’ll receive an email notification when it’s time.
Alternatively, you can manually renew your SSL certificate using your hosting service’s control panel.
For example, in Bluehost, navigate to the ‘Renewal Center’ from the left-hand menu.
Next, select the SSL certificate associated with your website.
Then, simply click the ‘Renew Now’ button to proceed.
After that, complete the checkout process to renew your SSL certificate. You also have the option to renew it for multiple years.
Depending on your hosting provider, you may have the option to renew the SSL for your domain or enable auto-renewal.
Method 2: Manually Renew the SSL Certificate for Your WordPress Site
You can also manually renew and replace your SSL certificates when they expire.
The specific steps may differ based on your SSL certificate provider, so it’s advisable to consult your provider’s documentation or reach out to their support team for assistance.
In this guide, we will outline the process for renewing your SSL certificate with Bluehost. However, the steps are generally applicable to any web hosting provider you may be using.
Step 1: Create a New Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
Begin by logging into your hosting account.
Next, locate and click on the ‘Settings’ option for your website.
Then, navigate to the ‘Advanced’ tab and scroll down to the ‘cPanel’ section.
The cPanel allows you to manage various aspects of your website and server settings, including domain management, email account creation, and manual SSL certificate renewal.
Click on the ‘Manage’ button located in the cPanel section.
Once you’re in cPanel, proceed to the Security section.
Look for the ‘SSL/TLS’ option and click on it.
On the following screen, click the link labeled ‘Certificate Signing Requests (CSR).’
A Certificate Signing Request (CSR) is a cryptographic file created by a server or device, which is necessary for applying for an SSL/TLS certificate.
To obtain an SSL/TLS certificate, you must submit a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) to a Certificate Authority (CA). The CA will verify the information you provided and issue the SSL certificate if your request is approved.
You will need to provide the following details:
- Domain Name(s)
- City
- State
- Country
- Company Name
It’s also beneficial to include an email address where you can be reached for domain ownership verification. Additionally, you may provide a passphrase to confirm the identity of the website owner.
After filling in the required information, click ‘Generate.’
You should receive a confirmation message indicating that your Certificate Signing Request has been successfully generated.
Below the message, you will find the CSR, which is an encrypted text block containing essential information about your site that the CA requires to issue your new SSL certificate.
Be sure to copy this code and store it safely, as you will need it to renew your certificate.
Additionally, you will see a decoded version of the CSR, which outlines details such as your domain name, organization name, and geographical location.
Step 2: Submit the Certificate Signing Request to the Certificate Authority.
After generating your Certificate Signing Request (CSR), the next step is to submit it to your chosen Certificate Authority (CA) to acquire your SSL certificate.
Make sure to send the ‘Encoded Certificate Signing Request’ to the Certificate Authority you have selected.
There are several well-known SSL certificate authorities available, including Let’s Encrypt, Google Trust Services, Sectigo, GeoTrust, and DigiCert, among others.
Now you can proceed by following the instructions and providing all the necessary information requested by the CA to renew your SSL certificate.
Step 3: Complete the SSL Certificate Validation Process
To ensure your SSL certificate is renewed and remains valid, the CA will require you to verify ownership of your domain.
The certificate authority can verify your domain ownership in several ways, with the most common method being through email, where you will enter the email address linked to your domain.
Alternative verification methods may include DNS validation, which necessitates CNAME records, or HTTP validation, where you will need to upload a specific file to the server where you intend to install the SSL certificate.
Once the validation process is complete and your certificate is renewed, you will receive a file with a .crt extension, commonly referred to as a CRT file.
Step 4: Upload and Install Your New SSL Certificate
Begin by uploading and installing the new SSL certificate on your website through cPanel.
For example, in Bluehost, navigate to cPanel and select the ‘SSL/TLS’ section.
In the right panel, find the Certificates (CRT) section.
Next, click on the ‘Generate, view, upload, or delete SSL certificates’ option.
You can either paste the certificate code into the text box or upload the CRT file provided by the certificate authority.
There is an option to add a description for your SSL certificate. After that, simply click the ‘Upload Certificate’ button.
After uploading, you should see your certificate listed under the Certificates section in the Server area.
From this point, click the ‘Install’ link for the SSL certificate you just uploaded.
Your new SSL certificate will be active on your site once the installation is complete.
To verify that it is functioning correctly, visit various pages on your site and check if they display HTTPS in the URL.
We hope this guide has helped you understand how to renew an SSL certificate for your WordPress site. You may also want to explore our comprehensive WordPress security guide and our list of the best WordPress security plugins to safeguard your site.
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