How to fix SSL on Cloudways
If your Cloudways site is showing browser warnings, redirect loops, or a broken padlock, the problem is usually not the SSL certificate itself but the way it is installed, propagated, or referenced by the application.
This guide explains how to fix SSL on Cloudways with a structured troubleshooting process so you can restore HTTPS without guesswork.
Cloudways supports Let’s Encrypt, custom certificates, and Cloudflare-backed setups, but each option depends on correct DNS, domain mapping, and app-level configuration.
That makes SSL issues easy to trigger and usually straightforward to solve once you know where to look.
What SSL problems on Cloudways usually look like
Before changing settings, identify the exact symptom.
Different SSL errors point to different causes, and the fastest fix depends on whether the issue is at the certificate, domain, or content level.
- Browser “Not Secure” warnings: HTTPS is loading, but the certificate is invalid, expired, or mismatched.
- SSL certificate not installing: Cloudways cannot verify domain ownership or the DNS record is not resolving correctly.
- Mixed content errors: The page loads over HTTPS, but images, scripts, or stylesheets still load over HTTP.
- Redirect loops: HTTPS and redirect rules conflict between Cloudways, WordPress, a plugin, or Cloudflare.
- Certificate mismatch: The certificate was issued for one hostname, but the site is accessed through another.
Check your DNS records first
Most SSL failures on Cloudways start with DNS.
Let’s Encrypt must validate the domain, so your A record or CNAME must point to the correct Cloudways server before installation.
Confirm the domain points to Cloudways
Log in to your DNS provider and verify that the main domain and any required subdomains resolve to your Cloudways server IP.
If the domain recently changed servers, allow time for DNS propagation before retrying the SSL request.
- Check the A record for the root domain.
- Check the CNAME for www if you use it.
- Remove conflicting records that point elsewhere.
- Use a DNS checker if you are unsure whether propagation is complete.
Make sure the application domain matches
In Cloudways, the domain attached to the application must match the hostname you want secured.
If the certificate was requested for example.com but the site is visited at www.example.com, users may still see warnings unless both names are included and configured correctly.
How to install or reissue SSL on Cloudways
Cloudways provides built-in SSL management for most common cases.
If the certificate was not installed correctly, reissuing it often resolves the issue immediately.
Use Let’s Encrypt correctly
From the Cloudways platform, open your application and go to the SSL Certificate section.
Choose Let’s Encrypt, enter the domain name, and include any preferred hostname variants that the certificate should cover.
- Enter the primary domain exactly as it resolves publicly.
- Include www if visitors use it.
- Use a valid email address for renewal notices.
- Confirm DNS is already pointing to Cloudways before submitting.
If validation fails, the issue is usually one of three things: the domain is not pointing to the server, a previous DNS change has not propagated, or another service such as Cloudflare is masking the origin server during validation.
Install a custom SSL certificate
If you purchased a certificate from DigiCert, GlobalSign, Sectigo, or another certificate authority, use the Custom SSL option in Cloudways.
Upload the certificate, private key, and any intermediate chain files exactly as provided by the issuer.
Common mistakes include pasting the wrong private key, omitting the CA bundle, or uploading files in the wrong order.
If the certificate is valid elsewhere but fails on Cloudways, compare the file contents line by line and ensure there are no formatting changes from copy and paste.
Fix mixed content after SSL is installed
A certificate can be perfectly installed while the site still shows browser warnings because parts of the page load over HTTP.
This is one of the most common reasons people search for how to fix SSL on Cloudways after installation appears successful.
Update WordPress URLs
If the site runs WordPress, update both the WordPress Address and Site Address to use https://.
You can do this from the admin dashboard or directly in the database if needed.
- Change internal links to HTTPS.
- Regenerate cached pages after the update.
- Check menus, widgets, and theme settings for hardcoded HTTP links.
Replace insecure asset URLs
Images, CSS files, JavaScript, fonts, and embedded media often cause mixed content problems.
Use a search-and-replace tool or a trusted plugin to replace http://yourdomain.com with https://yourdomain.com throughout the database.
Also check theme files, page builders such as Elementor, and custom code snippets.
Hardcoded asset URLs in templates can keep recreating the issue even after the database is fixed.
Resolve redirect loops and HTTPS conflicts
Redirect loops usually happen when more than one layer is forcing HTTPS.
On Cloudways, that can mean Cloudways, a WordPress plugin, the web server, or Cloudflare all trying to apply redirects at once.
Check one redirect source at a time
Enable HTTPS enforcement in only one place initially.
If you use Cloudways’ HTTPS redirection or an application-level redirect plugin, avoid duplicating that logic in your .htaccess rules or server config unless you know exactly how they interact.
- Disable duplicate redirect plugins temporarily.
- Review .htaccess for conflicting rewrite rules.
- Check whether Cloudflare is set to “Flexible” instead of “Full” or “Full (Strict).”
Cloudflare’s Flexible SSL is a frequent cause of looped redirects because it speaks HTTPS to visitors but HTTP to the origin server.
Use Full or Full (Strict) when your Cloudways origin already has a valid certificate.
What to do if Let’s Encrypt fails on Cloudways?
If Let’s Encrypt issuance fails repeatedly, move through a short diagnostic checklist before retrying.
Most failures are environmental rather than certificate-related.
- Verify the domain resolves to the Cloudways server IP.
- Confirm port 80 and port 443 are not blocked by upstream security tools.
- Wait for DNS propagation if changes were made recently.
- Make sure you are not requesting the certificate for a parked, temporary, or internal hostname.
- Pause Cloudflare proxying during validation if needed, then re-enable it after installation.
Use Cloudways Cache and application cache carefully
After SSL changes, stale cached content can make the site appear broken even when the certificate is correct.
Cloudways cache, WordPress cache plugins, CDN caches, and browser cache can all preserve old HTTP links or outdated redirect behavior.
- Clear Cloudways Varnish cache if enabled.
- Clear any WordPress caching plugin.
- Purge CDN cache, including Cloudflare cache if used.
- Test in an incognito window or a different browser.
If the site looks correct in one browser and broken in another, cache is usually part of the problem.
If it remains broken after clearing cache, revisit redirects and mixed content.
How to verify the SSL fix
Once changes are made, verify the result instead of assuming the issue is resolved.
A quick validation step can prevent a second round of user-facing errors.
- Open the site at both https://example.com and https://www.example.com if both should work.
- Check for the padlock in the browser address bar.
- Run the site through SSL Labs for certificate chain and protocol checks.
- Inspect browser developer tools for remaining mixed content errors.
- Confirm the certificate expiration date and issuer details.
If the site passes these checks, your SSL configuration is healthy.
If not, use the error details to identify whether the failure is DNS-related, certificate-related, or caused by content still loading insecurely.
Best practices to prevent future SSL issues
Once you fix SSL on Cloudways, a few operational habits can reduce the chance of the problem returning.
These practices are especially useful for WordPress, WooCommerce, and multi-domain setups.
- Keep DNS records documented before making hosting changes.
- Use HTTPS in internal links, images, and canonical URLs from the start.
- Renew custom certificates before expiration.
- Avoid stacking multiple HTTPS redirect systems.
- Test staging deployments before pushing domain or SSL changes to production.
Cloudways makes SSL management easier than manual server administration, but the platform still depends on correct DNS, clean redirects, and consistent HTTPS references across your application.
When those pieces align, SSL is usually stable and low-maintenance.