How To Install Free SSL Certificate For Your WordPress Site

Step 1 – Generate Let’s Encrypt Key and CSR

In order to generate the SSL certificates for your domain, you’re required to generate a Let’s Encrypt Key and CSR (Certificate Signing Request). This is a one-time action if you’re requesting a new SSL certificate. The key and CSR can be used for renewal when your SSL certificate expired.

1. Go to the ZeroSSL Free SSL Certificate Wizard page.

2. Enter your email address (optional) and the domain name that you want to install SSL certificate. To simplify things, I would suggest generating a wildcard certificate that can be installed for your domain as well as its sub-domains. In my example, I entered reginafoo.blog, *.reginafoo.blog in the Domains field.

3. Select the Accept ZeroSSL TOS and Accept Let’s Encrypt SA (pdf) checkboxes.

4. Click NEXT button to generate CSR.

5. Once the CSR is generated, click the download button to save the CSR file (domain-csr.txt) to your computer. Click NEXT button again to generate the Let’s Encrypt key.

6. Your Let’s Encrypt key is now generated. Download the file (account-key.txt) and save it to your computer. Click NEXT to proceed to Step 2.

Important Note: Please keep the CSR (domain-csr.txt) and Let’s Encrypt key file (account-key.txt) in a safe place for renewal. If you renew your SSL certificate within 60 days (at the time of writing), you don’t need to perform the domain verification process again.