How to Generate an SSL Certificate on a VPS (Step-by-Step Guide)

How to Generate an SSL Certificate on a VPS (Step-by-Step Guide)

In this guide, you’ll learn how to generate and install a free SSL certificate on a VPS using Let’s Encrypt.

What Is SSL?

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a security technology that:

• Encrypts data between browser and server
• Shows the 🔒 lock icon in the browser
• Changes your site from http:// to https://
• Improves Google ranking and user trustRequirements

Before starting, make sure you have:

• A VPS with root or sudo access
• A domain name pointing to your VPS IP
• A web server (Apache or Nginx)
• Port 80 and 443 open

Step 1: Connect to Your VPS

Use SSH to connect:

ssh root@your_server_ip

Step 2: Install Certbot (Let’s Encrypt Tool)

sudo apt update
sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-apache -y

Step 3: Generate SSL Certificate

For Nginx:

sudo certbot --nginx

You will be asked:

• Your email address
• Domain name (example: example.com)
• To agree to terms

Certbot will automatically install and configure SSL for you.

Step 4: Verify SSL Installation

Open your browser and visit:

https://yourdomain.com

You should see the 🔒 lock icon.

Step 5: Auto-Renew SSL Certificate

Let’s Encrypt certificates expire every 90 days. Enable auto-renew:

sudo certbot renew --dry-run

If successful, renewal is already scheduled automatically.

Common Errors & Fixes

❌ Domain not pointing to server

✔ Make sure your domain’s A record points to your VPS IP

❌ Port 80 blocked

✔ Open firewall:

❌ Web server not detected

✔ Ensure Apache or Nginx is running