A wildcard certificate (issued for *.yourdomain.com) secures every subdomain at once. To install a purchased wildcard:
- In cPanel, open SSL/TLS > Manage SSL sites.
- Select your domain, then paste the certificate, the matching private key, and the CA bundle.
- Click Install Certificate, then repeat the install for each subdomain that should use it.
If you only need free coverage, AutoSSL automatically issues certificates for your existing subdomains individually — no wildcard purchase required. Run AutoSSL from SSL/TLS Status after creating each subdomain. Use a paid wildcard mainly when you create many subdomains dynamically. If installation gives a key-mismatch error, make sure you're using the private key generated with that certificate's CSR.
