SiteGround SSL not working: fix it with SiteGround's own steps

Start by naming the symptom

SSL problems look alike in the browser but have different causes. Before changing anything, note which of these you see: the certificate never appeared in SSL Manager; Site Tools showed an error while issuing it; the site loads over https but the browser says not secure; the www version shows a certificate warning; or the padlock is missing on some pages only. Each maps to a different step below.

Every step comes from SiteGround's own tutorials and knowledge base articles, checked on 30 October 2026. Some of those articles are a few years old, so if a menu label differs in your Site Tools, follow the current label.

Step 1: confirm DNS points to SiteGround

SiteGround's SSL tutorial says it tries to issue a free Let's Encrypt certificate for each site automatically, and that this may take up to 72 hours after the domain is registered or pointed to SiteGround's name servers. Its SSL errors article says the errors 429 Too Many Requests, No Domains Authorized and Certificate is not for the chosen domain appear because the domain is not pointed properly or has been registered or pointed recently, and that DNS changes may take up to 72 hours.

If you just migrated a course site, this is the most common cause. Wait for propagation rather than retrying repeatedly; the 429 error itself signals too many requests.

• Check that the domain uses SiteGround name servers, or that its A record points to your SiteGround server IP.
• Note the time of your last DNS change and allow up to 72 hours before treating it as a fault.

Step 2: make sure www is covered

SiteGround's knowledge base says a Let's Encrypt certificate is issued for domain.com and www.domain.com only if both resolve properly to your hosting server, and that if the www subdomain does not resolve, the certificate cannot be issued for it. Its SSL errors article adds that a certificate for yourdomain.com may not cover the www version.

Fix the www record first (an A record or CNAME that reaches SiteGround), wait for it to resolve, then reinstall the certificate in step 3 so the new certificate includes www.

Step 3: check SSL Manager and reinstall

• Open Site Tools > Security > SSL Manager and look for an entry marked Active in the Manage SSL table.
• If there is none after 72 hours, choose Install New SSL, select the domain, choose Let's Encrypt and click Get.
• If a certificate exists but errors persist, reinstall it; SiteGround's SSL errors article says that in most cases the problem is resolved by reinstalling the SSL.
• For a name-mismatch error on shared hosting, SiteGround's SSL errors article suggests a dedicated IP address, and notes that a wildcard certificate covers the root domain and its subdomains. Let's Encrypt is free; the Premium Wildcard from GlobalSign is paid.
• Use a web SSL checker to confirm the chain, expiry date and names covered.

Step 4: enforce HTTPS the way SiteGround recommends

For WordPress, SiteGround recommends enforcing HTTPS in the application: open the Speed Optimizer plugin, go to Environment Options and press HTTPS Enforce. The plugin is preinstalled on sites created at SiteGround; transferred sites can install it from WordPress.org. Expect to log in again over https, and check the site in detail afterward.

Site Tools also has Security > HTTPS Enforce with a toggle per domain and subdomain. SiteGround's tutorial says this server-level switch should be used if you are not running a popular application, or if problems persist after configuring the application. Do not turn both on as a first fix.

Step 5: fix mixed content, then test course pages

If the site loads over https but the padlock is broken, some resources are still requested over http. SiteGround says these are usually hardcoded in themes or plugins. Speed Optimizer has a Fix Insecure Content option that rewrites them dynamically; SiteGround notes it adds minimal overhead and advises enabling it only if your site needs it. The longer-term fix, per SiteGround's SSL errors article, is changing all of those URLs to https.

• Load the login page, a lesson, the checkout and the account page in a private window and confirm each shows the padlock.
• Re-register any payment webhook or callback URLs you entered with http so they use https.
• Clear Speed Optimizer and browser caches after each change.
• If none of the steps work, open a SiteGround support request and include the exact error text and the time of your last DNS change.

Sources & verification

Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.

1. SiteGround tutorial: How to add an SSL to your site Accessed 30 Oct 2026
2. SiteGround KB: What is an SSL certificate and how to fix SSL errors Accessed 30 Oct 2026
3. SiteGround KB: Is Let's Encrypt only for non-www domain names? Accessed 30 Oct 2026
4. SiteGround KB: How to install Let's Encrypt on my domain Accessed 30 Oct 2026
5. SiteGround KB: How to enforce HTTPS in Site Tools Accessed 30 Oct 2026
6. SiteGround KB: WordPress SSL certificate install and configure Accessed 30 Oct 2026