How to Install a Free SSL on SiteGround via Let's Encrypt

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I recently posted about my decision to move away from WP Engine and switch to SiteGround for hosting my client sites. Just like WP Engine, SiteGround also offers free SSL certificates for all sites. But you do have to set them up again on SiteGround’s platform.

Have no fear because the process of installing a free SSL on SiteGround is super-easy. Let’s take a look at how it’s done.

NOTE: As soon as you install your SSL, you will be logged out of your WordPress Admin area. This is normal. You should be redirected to the https version of your login page. Just log in again using the same credentials, and you’re all set.

If you’re curious about my thoughts on WP Engine, check out my extensive WP Engine review.

If you’d rather just watch the video…

SiteGround SSL Video Tutorial

Login to SiteGround

You can login to your SiteGround user portal here: https://ua.siteground.com

Navigate to cPanel

Click on the “My Accounts” tab.

Then, click the “Go to cPanel” button.

Let’s Encrypt SSL Installation

Look for the Security section in the cPanel, and click on “Let’s Encrypt.”

Let's Encrypt SSL in cPanel — Let’s Encrypt icon in cPanel

Look near the bottom for the section titled “Install new Let’s Encrypt Certificate.”

Install SiteGround SSL in cPanel — New SSL install section in SiteGround cPanel

There is a dropdown list of all the domains you have setup in cPanel. If you only have one website hosted with SiteGround, you should just see one domain. If you are hosting multiple domains and have added “addon domains,” you’ll see them all listed in the dropdown.

Choose the domain on which you’d like to install the SSL
Enter an email address where you can be contacted. This will likely never be used, but is required for the SSL setup.
Click the “Install” button

The process takes about 30 seconds to complete.

You should now see your SSL certificate listed under “Installed Certificates.”

SiteGround SSL options in cPanel — List of installed SSLs on SiteGround

There are 2 additional options for your new SSL certificate, and in most cases, I recommend turning them both on.

HTTPS Enforce: Any time someone tries to access your site via http://yoursite.com, they will automatically be redirected to https://yoursite.com. I highly recommend you enable this.
External Links Rewrite: Turning this on will find all links to images & other resources on your site that are still pointing to http, and convert them to https. If you’ve ever seen browser warnings that some elements of a page are not secure, turning this setting on will help remove those warnings.

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That’s all there is to installing a free SSL on SiteGround with Let’s Encrypt. Super simple, and it only takes a few clicks.

All SiteGround SSLs are automatically set to auto-renew, so you should never have to worry about them expiring.

If you have any trouble installing your SSL, please let me know in the comments.

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Dave Warfel

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Dave has been working with WordPress since 2011. He's built 100s of client sites and almost a dozen of his own. He's tested almost every plugin you can think of, hosted with at least 10 different companies, and gone down every SEO rabbit hole you can imagine. When's he's not tinkering with new software, you'll find him in the mountains of Colorado, trail running, summiting peaks, and rippin' downhills on his mountain bike. 🏔️🏃🚴🤸

2 responses to “How to Install a Free SSL on SiteGround via Let’s Encrypt”

J

Jul 4, 2019

Hi, This was useful, however frustrating as it just didn’t work for me! I was not prompted for any email, nor did i have an email auto-populate in the drop-down menu.
I still managed to navigate around your instructions (without the email info) and completed this now (twice).
It’s possible i might just need to wait a while for it to become active? But it definitely still showing my site as “not secure”.
I will simply put in a ticket with SiteGround to see if they can help me further. Still very useful advice, thank you.

1. Dave Warfel
  
  Jul 5, 2019
  
  Definitely reach out to SiteGround’s support. They are usually really helpful.
  
  I would also recommend changing your site URLs in the WordPress admin area to https. Those are found in Settings > General.

How to Install a Free SSL on SiteGround via Let’s Encrypt