Plesk is a popular hosting control panel — especially on Windows servers and European hosts. It includes a built-in Let’s Encrypt extension for automatic SSL, plus a manual installation option for certificates from GetHTTPS or other sources.
Option 1: Plesk Let’s Encrypt extension (automatic)
Plesk Obsidian includes a free Let’s Encrypt integration:
- Log in to Plesk
- Go to Websites & Domains → select your domain
- Click SSL/TLS Certificates
- Click Install next to “Let’s Encrypt”
- Enter your email, check the boxes for your domain and
wwwsubdomain - Check “Assign the certificate to the mail domain” if you want mail encryption
- Click Get it free
Plesk handles issuance and auto-renewal. No manual steps after this.
Note: Some hosting providers disable the Let’s Encrypt extension. If you don’t see it, ask your host or use Option 2.
Option 2: Manual installation (from GetHTTPS)
Use this when the Let’s Encrypt extension is unavailable, or when you want a certificate with specific SANs or a wildcard.
Step 1: Get your certificate
Generate a certificate with GetHTTPS. You’ll get cert.pem, privkey.pem, and chain.pem.
Step 2: Upload in Plesk
- Go to Websites & Domains → your domain → SSL/TLS Certificates
- Click Add SSL/TLS Certificate (or Manage if one exists)
- Scroll to Upload the certificate as text
- Paste the contents of each file:
- Certificate → contents of
cert.pem - Private key → contents of
privkey.pem - CA certificate → contents of
chain.pem
- Certificate → contents of
- Click Upload Certificate
Step 3: Assign to your domain
- Go back to Websites & Domains → your domain
- Click Hosting & DNS → Hosting Settings
- Check SSL/TLS support
- Select your certificate from the dropdown
- Click OK / Apply
Step 4: Force HTTPS
- In Hosting Settings, check Permanent SEO-safe 301 redirect from HTTP to HTTPS
- Click OK
Or add to your .htaccess (Apache) or site config (Nginx behind Plesk):
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]Plesk vs cPanel: SSL installation differences
| Plesk | cPanel | |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in Let’s Encrypt | Extension (may need activation) | AutoSSL (usually pre-enabled) |
| Manual install location | SSL/TLS Certificates → Upload | SSL/TLS → Manage SSL Sites |
| File format | PEM (paste text) | PEM (paste text) |
| HTTPS redirect | Checkbox in Hosting Settings | .htaccess or Redirects tool |
| Wildcard support | Yes (extension or manual) | Yes (manual) |
Troubleshooting
”SSL certificate does not match the private key”
The certificate and key files don’t correspond. Make sure both came from the same GetHTTPS session. If you ran GetHTTPS twice, use the files from the same run.
Let’s Encrypt extension shows error
Common causes: DNS not pointing to the server, port 80 blocked by firewall, or the hosting provider disabled the extension. Check DNS resolution first:
dig +short yourdomain.comThe IP should match your server’s IP.
Certificate installed but site shows “Not Secure”
Check that the certificate is assigned to the domain in Hosting Settings. Also check for mixed content — HTTP resources on an HTTPS page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Plesk’s Let’s Encrypt extension free?
The extension itself is free and included in Plesk Obsidian. The Let’s Encrypt certificates it issues are also free. Some hosting providers may charge for Plesk itself, but the SSL extension within it costs nothing extra.
Can I install a wildcard certificate in Plesk?
Yes. The Let’s Encrypt extension supports wildcards (via DNS-01). For manual installation, generate a wildcard certificate with GetHTTPS and upload it.
How do I renew a manually installed certificate?
Generate a new certificate with GetHTTPS before the current one expires, then repeat the upload and assignment steps. Plesk’s built-in Let’s Encrypt extension handles renewal automatically — manual certificates do not auto-renew.
Does Plesk support ECDSA certificates?
Yes. Plesk Obsidian supports ECDSA certificates. GetHTTPS generates ECDSA P-256 by default, which works in Plesk.
How do I check which certificate is currently active in Plesk?
Go to Websites & Domains → your domain → SSL/TLS Certificates. The active certificate shows its issuer, expiry date, and domain coverage. You can also verify from the command line:
echo | openssl s_client -connect yourdomain.com:443 -servername yourdomain.com 2>/dev/null | openssl x509 -noout -issuer -enddatePlesk vs cPanel: which is better for SSL?
Both handle SSL certificates well. Plesk’s interface is more visual; cPanel’s is more text-based. Both support Let’s Encrypt extensions, manual certificate installation, and automatic renewal. Choose based on what your hosting provider offers — the SSL functionality is equivalent.