How to Set Up a New SSL Certificate on Your Shopify Store

How to Set Up a New SSL Certificate on Your Shopify Store

Setting up an SSL certificate on your Shopify store is crucial for securing data and building customer trust. Shopify automatically provides and maintains SSL certificates for all its stores, but here's a detailed guide on how to ensure your SSL certificate is properly set up and functioning:

How to Set Up a New SSL Certificate on Your Shopify Store

Step 1: Access Your Shopify Admin

  1. Log in to your Shopify account.
  2. Once logged in, you’ll be directed to your Shopify admin dashboard.

Step 2: Navigate to Online Store

  1. From the Shopify admin dashboard, click on "Online Store" in the left-hand menu.
  2. Select "Domains" from the submenu.

Step 3: Verify Domain Connection

  1. Ensure that your primary domain is properly connected to your Shopify store. If you’ve added a custom domain, it should be listed here.
  2. Shopify will automatically issue an SSL certificate for any domain connected to your store.

Step 4: Enable SSL Certificate

  1. Shopify automatically provisions SSL certificates for all Shopify stores. However, if your SSL certificate is not yet active, you may see a "SSL pending" message next to your domain.
  2. This process usually completes within a few hours but can take up to 48 hours. You don't need to take any additional steps, as Shopify handles this process automatically.

Step 5: Check SSL Status

  1. To check the status of your SSL certificate, go to "Online Store" > "Domains."
  2. Ensure that there is a "Secure" label next to your primary domain. This indicates that the SSL certificate is active.

Step 6: Ensure HTTPS Redirection

  1. Shopify automatically redirects HTTP traffic to HTTPS to ensure all data transmitted between your customers and your store is encrypted.
  2. To verify this, try accessing your store using "http://yourdomain.com" and see if it automatically redirects to "https://yourdomain.com."

Step 7: Verify Secure Connection

  1. Visit your store using "https://yourdomain.com" and check for the padlock icon in the browser’s address bar. This indicates that your site is secured with an SSL certificate.
  2. Click on the padlock icon to view the certificate details and confirm that it’s valid.

Troubleshooting SSL Issues

  1. Pending Status: If your SSL certificate remains in "pending" status for more than 48 hours, ensure that your domain settings are correct and contact Shopify support for assistance.
  2. Mixed Content Warnings: Ensure that all assets (images, scripts, stylesheets) on your site are loaded over HTTPS. You can use tools like Why No Padlock to identify mixed content issues.

Additional Tips

  1. Custom Domains: If you’re using a custom domain, make sure your DNS settings are correctly configured. Point your domain’s A record to Shopify’s IP address and CNAME record to shops.myshopify.com.
  2. Third-Party Services: If you’re using third-party services (like external scripts or widgets), ensure they are also served over HTTPS to avoid mixed content warnings.
  3. Update Links: Review your site’s content to update any hard-coded HTTP links to HTTPS.

Conclusion

Setting up an SSL certificate on your Shopify store is straightforward, as Shopify automates most of the process. Ensuring your store is secured with SSL not only protects sensitive customer data but also helps in building trust and improving your site’s search engine ranking. By following these steps and verifying the SSL status, you can confidently assure your customers that their information is secure. If you need further assistance, Shopify’s support team and community forums are valuable resources.

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