How to Activate a Free SSL Certificate in IONOS Hosting

Overview

This tutorial provides a step-by-step walkthrough on how to activate an included free SSL Starter Wildcard certificate for a custom domain hosted on IONOS. The instructor demonstrates identifying an unactivated domain where the padlock icon appears crossed out and the SSL certificate counter displays zero of one used. Learners are guided through accessing the Domains & SSL dashboard via the IONOS main menu, navigating to SSL certificate management, selecting the free Starter Wildcard option, assigning it to the intended domain, and choosing the appropriate usage setting (e.g., with an IONOS website or a personal server). After accepting the terms and submitting the setup, refreshing the management dashboard confirms that the domain padlock status changes to green and active.

Checking Domain SSL Status in IONOS

00:00

When navigating the Domains & SSL dashboard within an IONOS account, a newly purchased or unconfigured domain may display an SSL lock icon with a red strike-through, indicating that encryption is not currently active. Additionally, under the portfolio summary on the right side of the interface, the SSL Certificates section will reflect that 0 out of 1 available certificates have been used.

• A strike-through padlock icon indicates that SSL protection is not yet active for the domain.
• The portfolio panel on the dashboard tracks used versus available SSL certificates.

Navigating to SSL Management and Selecting Certificate

00:21

To initiate configuration from any IONOS page, click the top Menu dropdown and select 'Domains & SSL'. Under the SSL Certificates overview on the right-hand panel, click the 'Manage' link. On the SSL management page, select the blue 'Set up SSL Certificate' button. IONOS provides several certificate tiers; locate the 'SSL Starter Wildcard' tier powered by DigiCert, which is included free of charge, and click 'Activate Now'.

• Access certificate settings via Menu > Domains & SSL > Manage.
• Choose the free 'SSL Starter Wildcard' option instead of paid business certificates.

Assigning Domain, Usage Type, and Finalizing Setup

00:58

In the SSL setup interface, click into the Domain search box and select your specific domain from the list. Next, define the change usage setting according to your infrastructure—either 'Use with my IONOS website' or 'Use with my own server'. Select the checkbox confirming that you have read and agreed to the Terms of Use, then click 'Set Up SSL Certificate'. Once the confirmation dialog states 'Operation Successfully Completed', return to the Home menu and reload the Domains & SSL section. The domain status will update with an active green padlock and 1 of 1 certificates used.

• Select the target domain to apply the wildcard certificate.
• Specify whether the certificate will route to an IONOS website or an external/custom server.
• Agree to terms and submit; refresh the dashboard to verify the green active SSL status.