✅ Step-by-Step: Create & Install Self-Signed Certificate in PowerShell

✅ Step-by-Step: Create & Install Self-Signed Certificate in PowerShell

🟦 Step 1: Open PowerShell as Administrator

1. Click Start

2. Search PowerShell

3. Right-click → Run as Administrator

🟦 Step 2: Create a Self-Signed Certificate

Use this command:

New-SelfSignedCertificate -DnsName "test.local" -CertStoreLocation "Cert:\LocalMachine\My"

🔍 What this does:

Generates a certificate for domain test.local

Saves it under Local Machine → Personal → Certificates

🟦 Step 3: Export Certificate With Private Key (Optional)

If you want a .pfx (for IIS / apps), run:

3.1 Set a password

$mypwd = ConvertTo-SecureString -String "P@ssw0rd123" -Force -AsPlainText

3.2 Export to PFX

Export-PfxCertificate -Cert "Cert:\LocalMachine\My\<Thumbprint>" `

-FilePath "C:\certs\mycert.pfx" -Password $mypwd

👉 Replace <Thumbprint> with your certificate’s real thumbprint:

Get-ChildItem Cert:\LocalMachine\My

🟦 Step 4: Export .CER (For Trusted Root Installation)

Export-Certificate -Cert "Cert:\LocalMachine\My\<Thumbprint>" `

-FilePath "C:\certs\mycert.cer"

🟦 Step 5: Install Certificate to Trusted Root (Fix Browser Errors)

Method 1: PowerShell (Automatic)

Import-Certificate -FilePath "C:\certs\mycert.cer" -CertStoreLocation "Cert:\LocalMachine\Root"

Method 2: Manual

1. Press Win + R → type certmgr.msc

2. Go to:

Trusted Root Certification Authorities → Certificates

3. Right-click → All Tasks → Import

4. Select your .cer file → Finish

🟦 Step 6: Verify Installation

Run:

Get-ChildItem Cert:\LocalMachine\Root | Where-Object {$_.Subject -like "*test.local*"}

If it shows up → certificate installed successfully ✔️

🎯 OPTIONAL: Create SSL Certificate for IIS

New-SelfSignedCertificate -DnsName "myapp.local" -CertStoreLocation Cert:\LocalMachine\My -FriendlyName "MyApp SSL"

Bind in IIS:

1. Open IIS Manager

2. Site → Bindings

3. Add https

4. Select your certificate

👍 Done!

If you want, I can also provide: ✅ Script to automate entire process

✅ Wildcard cert creation (*.domain.local)

✅ Adding certificate to IIS automatically

Would you like the full automation PowerShell script?