How to Force AutoSSL to Renew a Free SSL Certificate

Your free SSL certificate is meant to renew itself automatically through a feature called AutoSSL, which checks your domains and reissues certificates before they expire. Usually it just works. But if a certificate is close to expiry or showing as invalid, you can force AutoSSL to run right now rather than waiting for its schedule.

Why AutoSSL sometimes needs a nudge

AutoSSL only issues a certificate for a domain it can verify. If a domain's DNS was recently changed, or a redirect is interfering, the automatic run may skip it. Forcing a run — after fixing the underlying cause — gets the certificate reissued.

Step 1: Run AutoSSL from cPanel

Log in to cPanel.
Under the Security section, click SSL/TLS Status.
Select the affected domains (or tick all).
Click Run AutoSSL.

Watch the status — it should move to a valid, dated certificate within a few minutes.

Step 2: If it still fails, check the usual blockers

DNS not pointing here — the domain must resolve to this server. See pointing your domain with A records.
A redirect getting in the way — an over-eager HTTP→HTTPS or www redirect can block the verification file. Temporarily relax it, run AutoSSL, then restore it.
Cloudflare proxy — if traffic is proxied, validation can be affected; use DNS-only mode briefly, or issue via Cloudflare instead.

Step 3: Confirm the padlock

Once reissued, load your site over https:// and check the padlock. If you see mixed-content warnings, that is separate — see fixing SSL mixed content issues. For broader certificate problems, our guide on fixing common SSL errors helps.

Frequently asked questions

How long before expiry does AutoSSL renew?

It typically reissues well before the certificate expires, so you rarely notice. If you are seeing expiry warnings, something is blocking the automatic run — work through the blockers above.

The "Run AutoSSL" button is missing.

Some accounts manage SSL slightly differently, or the option sits under a reseller's control. If you cannot find or run it, open a support ticket and we will reissue it for you.

Can I use a paid certificate instead?

Yes. Paid certificates suit some businesses — see SSL certificate types to decide which you need.