SSL/TLS Guides & How-tos

Getting started How to Activate Your SSL Certificate Activate the certificate you bought - enter your domain and CSR, complete domain validation, and get issued. A clear step-by-step guide. Read guide → · 4 min Setup How to Generate a CSR (Certificate Signing Request) What a CSR is, how to generate one with OpenSSL or your control panel, and why your private key never leaves your server - a clear step-by-step guide. Read guide → · 5 min Validation How Domain Validation (DCV) Works: DNS, File & Email The three ways to prove you control your domain - DNS, HTTP file and email - which to choose, wildcard and DNSSEC caveats, and why DNS is the default. Read guide → · 6 min Validation Business Validation for OV & EV Certificates What the CA checks for OV and EV certificates and which documents you may need to complete validation. Read guide → · 6 min Setup How to Install an SSL Certificate on Nginx, Apache & cPanel Step-by-step instructions to install your SSL/TLS certificate and CA chain on Nginx, Apache and cPanel, and how to verify HTTPS is working. Read guide → · 7 min Managed service Let Us Install Your SSL For You Prefer not to touch server config? Our managed installation service sets up your certificate and full CA chain on Nginx, Apache, IIS, cPanel or Plesk and verifies HTTPS. Read guide → · 3 min Trust signals What Is a Site Seal and How to Add One Static vs dynamic site seals, what they signal to visitors, and how to add a trust seal to your checkout, login and footer to lift conversions. Read guide → · 4 min Troubleshooting Common SSL Certificate Errors and How to Fix Them Name mismatch, incomplete chain, expired, mixed content and not-trusted errors explained - what causes each and the exact fix for each one. Read guide → · 7 min

Managing How to Renew Your SSL Certificate When and how to renew before expiry to avoid downtime, how renewal works in your account, and how renewing differs from reactivating a multi-year plan. Read guide → · 4 min Managing How and Why to Reissue an SSL Certificate Reissue is a free replacement certificate within your validity period - when to use it (key change, domain change, migration) and how to do it. Read guide → · 5 min Managing How Multi-Year SSL Reactivation Works Multi-year SSL is a plan, not one long certificate. How reactivation, the reactivation window, reminders and the paused state work - and how to reactivate. Read guide → · 5 min Billing How to Get a Refund on an SSL Certificate Our 30-day money-back guarantee explained - what qualifies, how to request a refund with your order number, and when a free reissue is the better fix. Read guide → · 3 min

Certificate lifetimes Why SSL Certificates Now Expire Faster: The 200-Day Rule Certificate lifetimes are shrinking - 200 days from March 2026, then 100 and 47. Why it is happening, what it means for a 1-year or multi-year purchase, and how your paid term stays covered. Read guide → · 5 min Choosing a certificate DV vs OV vs EV: Which SSL Certificate Do You Need? DV, OV and EV SSL certificates explained - the real differences in validation, browser trust, issuance time and cost, and how to pick the right one. Read guide → · 6 min Choosing a certificate Multi-Domain (SAN) Certificates Explained How a SAN certificate secures several domains on one certificate, how additional-domain pricing works, and when to choose SAN over a wildcard or single certificate. Read guide → · 6 min Choosing a certificate Wildcard SSL Certificates Explained A wildcard secures a domain and all its first-level subdomains with one certificate. What it covers, the DNS-validation caveat, and wildcard vs multi-domain. Read guide → · 5 min Basics SSL Certificates: A Plain-English FAQ Short answers to the most common SSL/TLS questions - what a certificate is, whether you need one, issuance time, validity, and wildcard vs SAN. Read guide → · 6 min