A CSR is a Certificate Signing Request containing a public key and information to be certified. It is encoded as text; it is neither an installed certificate nor an encrypted private key.
Prepare the name to protect
Check the exact domain name and requested certificate type. The required fields depend on the product and certificate authority.
Generate the CSR in cPanel
- Open SSL/TLS.
- Choose the management of Certificate Signing Requests, if available.
- Generate or select the appropriate private key.
- Enter the required names and information, then generate the CSR.
- Copy the complete block, including its beginning and ending lines, to send to the certificate authority.
Keep the private key secure
The private key must match the request and remain secret. Do not publish it in a ticket, screenshot or web directory. The CSR can be shared for certificate issuance.
Install the issued certificate
After validation and issuance, install the certificate with its private key and any intermediate certificates. Generating the CSR alone does not enable HTTPS.
If you use another hosting service
You can generate the request with that hosting service's tool or OpenSSL. SSH is not a universal requirement: cPanel provides a dedicated interface when the provider permits it.
Interface illustrations
These screenshots show the versions used when the original article was written. Labels may differ in your current version; follow the written procedure and your account settings.
Related guides
Reference documentation:
Sources accessed on October 11, 2026. Available features depend on your hosting version and options.
