Help Center

Setting Up a User-Managed SSL Certificate (SSL Starter / SSL Starter Wildcard)

For customers with a IONOS Instant Domain, server, IONOS Cloud or IONOS SSL contract

By setting up a user-managed SSL certificate, you will receive your personal private key. The certificate is then applied for at DigiCert (GeoTrust) and issued to the desired domain after successful validation.

This applies to the following:

Your contract contains an SSL certificate of the types below that have not yet been set up:

  • SSL Starter Wildcard (included in the contract)
  • Quick SSL Premium ( SSL Starter)
  • Quick SSL Premium wildcard ( SSL Starter Wildcard)
Step 1

Log in to IONOS and select the relevant contract.

Step 2

Under Domains, click Manage SSL Certificates.

Step 3

You will be forwarded to the SSL tab. Click on the SSL certificate you want to set up.

Step 4

In the appropriate field, enter the domain to which the certificate is to be issued.

Step 5

Accept the terms of use by checking the box.

Step 6

Click Set up certificate.

The SSL certificate is now applied for and issued immediately.

Please note: The authentication of the applicant (you) required for certification is automated via DNS by default. A temporary subdomain is created for this purpose. If the domain to be secured is not in the same contract or is not configured with the IONOS name servers, email authentication is required. To do this, GeoTrust sends an email to the email address of the hostmaster of your domain (i.e. hostmaster@yourdomain.com). You must confirm the request for the certificate via the link contained in the email. Once you have confirmed your application, GeoTrust will generate a certificate and send it to you by email.

Step 7

Click Download Private Key and save the key on your computer.

Please note: You can only use the SSL certificate issued with the private key. For security reasons, neither IONOS nor GeoTrust stores the private key. Keep the private key safe!

Step 8

Once the setup is complete, you can install the SSL Certificate on your server. For more information, see Installing an SSL Certificate on the Server.