How to Rekey a Windows Certificate in GoDaddy

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Securing your website with an SSL certificate is crucial for establishing trust and encrypting sensitive data. If you have a Windows server and your SSL certificate is issued by GoDaddy, this tutorial will guide you through the process of rekeying your certificate to ensure its validity. Follow the step-by-step instructions below to rekey your Windows certificate in GoDaddy:

Step 1: Generate a new Certificate Signing Request (CSR)

  1. Launch the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager on your Windows server.
  2. In the Connections pane, select your server’s name.
  3. In the main window, double-click on “Server Certificates”.
  4. Click on “Create Certificate Request” in the Actions pane on the right.
  5. Fill in the required details for your certificate, such as the Common Name (e.g., your domain name) and Organization.
  6. Choose a Cryptographic Service Provider (CSP) and Bit Length. It’s recommended to use the default values.
  7. Specify a file name and location to save the CSR. Make sure to remember the location as you’ll need it later.
  8. Click on “Finish” to generate the CSR.

Step 2: Rekey the certificate in GoDaddy

  1. Open a web browser and go to the GoDaddy website (http://www.godaddy.com).
  2. Log in to your GoDaddy account using your credentials.
  3. Once logged in, click on your account name in the top right corner and select “Manage My Products”.
  4. Locate the SSL certificate you want to rekey and click on the three dots (ellipsis) next to it.
  5. From the dropdown menu, select “Manage Certificate”.
  6. In the certificate management interface, click on “Rekey & Manage”.
  7. Select “Rekey Certificate” from the available options.
  8. In the next window, you’ll be prompted to provide the CSR.
  9. Open the file containing the CSR generated in Step 1, and copy its contents.
  10. Paste the CSR into the provided text box and click “Save”.

Step 3: Install the new certificate in Windows

  1. After completing the rekey process in GoDaddy, download the new certificate from the GoDaddy interface.
  2. Locate the downloaded certificate file on your Windows server.
  3. Go back to the IIS Manager and select your server’s name in the Connections pane.
  4. Double-click on “Server Certificates” in the main window.
  5. In the Actions pane on the right, click on “Complete Certificate Request”.
  6. Browse and select the downloaded certificate file.
  7. Provide a friendly name to identify the certificate.
  8. Click on “OK” to complete the installation process.

Step 4: Bind the certificate to your website

  1. In the IIS Manager, select your server’s name in the Connections pane.
  2. Expand the sites folder and locate the website to which you want to bind the certificate.
  3. Right-click on the website and choose “Edit Bindings”.
  4. In the Site Bindings window, click on “Add”.
  5. Select HTTPS as the Type.
  6. Choose the newly installed certificate from the SSL certificate dropdown.
  7. Configure other binding settings such as IP address and port as per your requirements.
  8. Click on “OK” to save the bindings.

Congratulations! You have successfully rekeyed your Windows certificate in GoDaddy and bound it to your website in IIS. Remember to test your website to ensure that the new certificate is working correctly. You can do this by accessing your website using HTTPS in a web browser and verifying that the certificate is valid and the connection is secure.

If you encounter any issues during the process or if the steps described above differ from your interface, it’s recommended to consult the official documentation provided by GoDaddy or reach out to their customer support for assistance.