Magento 2 HTTPS Setup and Secure Configuration Guide

Securing your Magento 2 store with HTTPS is essential for protecting customer data, boosting SEO, and ensuring compliance with standards like PCI DSS. Whether you’re managing the setup yourself or working with a trusted Magento development agency, this guide walks you through setting up HTTPS and configuring Magento 2 for optimal security, with clear, actionable steps.

Why HTTPS is Critical for Magento 2

HTTPS uses SSL/TLS encryption to protect sensitive data such as payment information and login credentials. 

The key benefits include:

• Customer Trust: Displays a padlock and “https://” in browsers. 
• SEO Advantage: Google prioritizes HTTPS-enabled sites. 
• Compliance: Meets e-commerce security standards.
• Protection: Prevents data breaches and attacks.

As part of any professional Magento eCommerce Development strategy, implementing HTTPS is one of the most vital early steps. Security is not just about protecting customer data but also about brand reputation, business continuity, and trustworthiness in the competitive online marketplace. Most leading Magento development services begin their security audit with HTTPS configuration checks.

Follow these steps to enable HTTPS and secure your Magento 2 store.

Step 1: Obtain and Install an SSL/TLS Certificate 

Choose a Certificate: 

• Use free options like Let’s Encrypt or paid certificates from DigiCert, Sectigo, or your hosting provider. 
• Ensure the certificate supports SHA-2 and 2048-bit encryption.

Whether you’re managing a single online storefront or operating a large-scale store powered by a Magento development agency, choosing the right certificate is foundational. Let’s Encrypt is an excellent option for small stores, while e-commerce brands operating at the enterprise level may prefer the enhanced validation and warranty coverage provided by premium certificates.

Install the Certificate: 

• Upload the certificate, private key, and intermediate certificates via the hosting control panel (e.g., cPanel). 

• For Let’s Encrypt, use Certbot: certbot –apache (Apache) or certbot –nginx (Nginx). 

• Consult your hosting provider’s documentation for specific instructions. 

Some managed hosting environments used for eCommerce development, like Nexcess, Cloudways, or SiteGround, offer built-in SSL installation through their admin portals. In many cases, SSL can be activated with a single click.

Verify Installation: 

• Test with SSL Labs (https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/) to confirm correct setup and no vulnerabilities. 

SSL Labs checks all major vulnerabilities and ensures your setup includes strong cipher suites and modern TLS protocols, which is standard in professional Magento development services.

Step 2: Configure Magento 2 for HTTPS 

Update Base URLs: 

• In the Magento Admin Panel, go to Stores > Configuration > General > Web. 

• Set Base URL and Secure Base URL to https://yourdomain.com/. 

• Enable Use Secure URLs on Storefront and Use Secure URLs in Admin (select Yes). 

• Save and clear cache via System > Cache Management. 

For stores using custom themes or extensions, it’s important to ensure that the theme also supports HTTPS. If you’re unsure, your development agency can audit the theme files and JavaScript for any potential HTTP references.

Enable HSTS: 

• Force browsers to use HTTPS only. 

• For Apache, add to .htaccess: 

Header always set Strict-Transport-Security “max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains” 

• For Nginx, add to server block: 

add_header Strict-Transport-Security “max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains” always; 

• Restart your web server. 

Implementing HSTS is an industry best practice and reinforces your site’s commitment to secure connections. It also prevents downgrade attacks, ensuring that HTTPS is used exclusively for all future connections.

Redirect HTTP to HTTPS: 

• Ensure all traffic uses HTTPS. 

• For Apache, add to .htaccess: 

RewriteEngine On 

RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off 

RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301] 

• For Nginx, add to server block: 

server { 

listen 80; 

server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com; 

return 301 https://$server_name$request_uri; 

}

A 301 redirect informs search engines that a page has been permanently moved to a new location. This not only maintains your SEO rankings but can improve them. Google favours HTTPS-enabled websites in its search algorithm, which is another reason Magento eCommerce Solutions always includes full HTTPS configuration.

Step 3: Test and Monitor 

Test HTTPS: 

• Visit https://yourdomain.com and check for the padlock. 

• Use browser developer tools to detect mixed content issues. 

Tools like Lighthouse and Chrome DevTools are great for identifying insecure elements. These tools are commonly used by professionals offering development services.

Fix Mixed Content: 

• Update database URLs if needed: 

UPDATE core_config_data 

SET value = REPLACE(value, ‘http://yourdomain.com’, ‘https://yourdomain.com’) 

WHERE value LIKE ‘http://yourdomain.com%’; 

In addition to updating core database entries, check CMS blocks, email templates, product descriptions, and any third-party integrations. Many legacy themes or extensions may still link to assets over HTTP.

Monitor Security: 

• Scan with MageReport (https://www.magereport.com/). 

• Use monitoring tools like Sucuri for ongoing protection. 

Security doesn’t end at HTTPS. Top Magento eCommerce Development projects involve continual monitoring. MageReport provides checks for outdated patches, security holes, and malware. Sucuri adds an extra layer of defense against web-based threats.

Backup Regularly: 

• Enable automated backups in System > Tools > Backups. 

If you partner with a Magento development agency, confirm that automated, off-site backups are part of your SLA (Service Level Agreement). Backups should include databases, media, and application files and be tested regularly for restoration.

Step 4: Optimize Performance 

• Enable HTTP/2 on your server. 

• Use a CDN (e.g., Cloudflare) to reduce latency. 

• Minify CSS/JS and enable Magento caching. 

Magento’s full potential is unlocked when performance and security go hand-in-hand. Using HTTP/2 dramatically improves page load speeds, especially when your site includes multiple resources like images, scripts, and stylesheets.

A content delivery network (CDN) ensures your Magento store loads quickly, no matter where your users are located. Many Magento eCommerce sites integrate Cloudflare or StackPath as part of their infrastructure stack.

Magento’s built-in caching system, when used correctly, can handle thousands of requests efficiently. Full-page caching with Varnish or Redis is often configured by an agency to reduce server load.

Troubleshooting Common Issues 

• Mixed Content: Ensure all resources use HTTPS. Check the database or theme files. 

• Certificate Errors: Verify certificate chain with SSL Labs. 

• Redirect Loops: Review .htaccess or Nginx rules for conflicts. 

If you’re experiencing persistent issues, consult your hosting provider or your Magento development services partner. Improperly configured redirects or caching settings can cause issues that may appear unrelated to HTTPS at first glance.