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How to install an SSL certificate on Apache

This applies to Apache 2.4.8 or newer, which is almost every Apache running today.

What you will have

Your certificate, which names your domain (a file such as example_com.crt).
The CA bundle, also called the chain or the intermediate certificates (a file such as example_com_CA.crt). It normally holds two certificates, one after the other.
Your private key, made when you created the CSR. It stays on your server.

The file names on your download may differ. Your certificate is the one that names your domain. The bundle holds the authority's certificates. Always put your certificate first, then the bundle. If you are not sure which file is which, paste them into our chain builder.

1. Join your certificate and the bundle

Put your certificate first, then the bundle, in one file:

cat example_com.crt example_com_CA.crt > example.com-fullchain.crt

2. Point Apache at it

In the VirtualHost for port 443 (often in /etc/apache2/sites-available/ or /etc/httpd/conf.d/):

SSLEngine on
SSLCertificateFile    /path/example.com-fullchain.crt
SSLCertificateKeyFile /path/example.com.key

3. Test and reload

apachectl configtest
systemctl reload apache2     # or: systemctl reload httpd

If the test says Syntax OK, reload. A reload is enough: you do not need a full restart.

Apache older than 2.4.8

These versions need the bundle named on its own line:

SSLCertificateFile      /path/example_com.crt
SSLCertificateKeyFile   /path/example.com.key
SSLCertificateChainFile /path/example_com_CA.crt

Check it worked

Use our free certificate checker on your website address. It shows the certificate, when it expires, whether the name matches and whether the whole chain is being sent. If it says the chain is incomplete, see how to fix an incomplete chain. If the old certificate is still showing, see why the old certificate still appears.

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