# Installing The SSL Certificate

## Getting started

This article assumes that you already have an SSL certificate generated and ready to be installed. If not, please read below for instructions on how to generate one.

{% content-ref url="creating-an-ssl-certificate" %}
[creating-an-ssl-certificate](https://support.gilect.com/ssl/creating-an-ssl-certificate)
{% endcontent-ref %}

This article also assumes that you are using Gilect as your website host. If not, instructions may vary depending on the host and control panel you are using. If you are interested in hosting a website for free, please check the link below:

{% embed url="<https://gilect.com>" %}
Gilect free hosting
{% endembed %}

## Installing the certificate

After your SSL's status is "Active", it is ready to be installed. It can take up to 24 hours to for the status to update.

### Navigating to SSL page

Assuming that you already have a hosting service with us, please open the CPanel and select the "SSL/TLS" option, in the "Security" panel.

![Select SSL/TLD](https://1828264429-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F4tuGRRNECKWyIODrHBVU%2Fuploads%2FJaGkt4oFiDgTiO7i0QQu%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=b7df3705-fadd-46a2-873b-6b9ebd1f748f)

{% hint style="info" %}
If you do not have a hosting service with us active yet, or do not know how to access the CPanel, you can learn how to do so here:
{% endhint %}

{% content-ref url="../hosting/create-a-hosting-service" %}
[create-a-hosting-service](https://support.gilect.com/hosting/create-a-hosting-service)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="../hosting/manage-your-hosting-service" %}
[manage-your-hosting-service](https://support.gilect.com/hosting/manage-your-hosting-service)
{% endcontent-ref %}

Afterward, select the domain or subdomain you wish to configure SSL for.

![Select the domain you wish to configure](https://1828264429-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F4tuGRRNECKWyIODrHBVU%2Fuploads%2FBMPjRcwx8EEcISq8nJ9Q%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=901a712e-9e06-474b-a51b-a801160a99c0)

### Pasting the certificate

To install the SSL certificate, simply copy the Certificate code from the client area into the CPanel, and press "upload certificate" when done.

![Copy this](https://1828264429-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F4tuGRRNECKWyIODrHBVU%2Fuploads%2Fel2GwGyMKtTRLWWwiQiF%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=9fb7c4f5-6ff3-4367-80fe-b8fe6a718c53)

![Paste it into here. Make sure to press "Upload Certificate" or else it will not save](https://1828264429-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F4tuGRRNECKWyIODrHBVU%2Fuploads%2FFpka01fUTO12bx2eFRMZ%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=33f6f826-0655-46c6-9c94-0521f38fa5f8)

Make sure that there is no extra spacing and that you include

> —–BEGIN CERTIFICATE REQUEST—–

and…

> —–END CERTIFICATE REQUEST—–

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Make sure you press "Upload Certificate", or else the certificate will not save!**
{% endhint %}

## Finished!

Try accessing your site via *https\://* now! Congratulations! Your website now uses an SSL certificate! Please make sure to renew every three months, as this keeps your certificates up to date and ensures that they don't expire. (And, renewals are free!)

{% hint style="info" %}
If you are not seeing these changes and your website still doesn't load on https\://, please wait 24 to 72 hours for DNS propagation and then try again.
{% endhint %}