What Is AutoSSL in cPanel?

What is an SSL certificate?

An SSL certificate is like an ID card for your website. It turns on the padlock and the https address. It keeps the data between your visitors and your site private.

What is AutoSSL?

AutoSSL is a cPanel feature. cPanel is the control panel, the dashboard where you manage your hosting. AutoSSL looks at the domains in your account. It asks a certificate provider for a free certificate and installs it. Before the certificate runs out, it gets a new one. You do not have to do the work by hand.

Whether AutoSSL is turned on for your plan depends on how the server is set up. Ask Hostvento support if you are not sure.

How does it work?

• It runs checks on a schedule, usually once a day.
• It checks that each domain points to your server. This is called domain control validation. It proves you really own the domain.
• It installs a certificate where one is missing or about to expire.

Steps to check AutoSSL in cPanel

1. Log in to your client area at https://secure.hostvento.com/clientarea.php and open your hosting service.
2. Log in to cPanel.
3. Search for SSL/TLS Status and open it.
4. Find your domain in the list. A green padlock means it has a valid certificate.
5. If a domain shows a red or broken padlock, select it.
6. Click Run AutoSSL.
7. Wait a few minutes and refresh the page.

Why might AutoSSL fail?

• The domain does not point to your hosting yet. DNS may still be updating. DNS is the internet's phone book that links names to servers.
• A rule in your .htaccess file blocks the check.
• A redirect sends the validation file somewhere else.
• The domain was only just added.

Quick recap

• AutoSSL gets and renews free SSL certificates for you.
• It lives in cPanel under SSL/TLS Status.
• Click Run AutoSSL to try again.
• Check that your domain points to your hosting if it fails.
• Ask support if the problem stays.