Certbot’s standalone mode obtains a free TLS certificate by starting a temporary web server on your machine and answering Let’s Encrypt’s HTTP-01 challenge on TCP port 80. It is the simplest choice when no web server is installed, or when you do not want Certbot to edit an existing server configuration.
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Point every requested DNS name at the server, make port 80 reachable from the public internet, stop any service already using that port, and run sudo certbot certonly --standalone. Certbot then places certificate files under /etc/letsencrypt/live/; you configure your web server to use those files yourself.
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What Certbot standalone mode does
When you request a certificate, the certificate authority must verify that you control each domain name. Standalone mode performs that verification with the HTTP-01 challenge:
- Certbot starts a short-lived web server on TCP port 80.
- Let’s Encrypt contacts an HTTP challenge URL on every name in your request.
- Certbot serves the required response from the temporary server.
- After validation, Certbot downloads the certificate and shuts down its temporary listener.
The domain must resolve to this machine while validation runs. A DNS record that points to another host, a firewall that blocks port 80, or a router that does not forward the request will cause issuance to fail. Standalone mode does not install a certificate into Apache, nginx, Caddy, or another server; the certonly command deliberately leaves that configuration to you.
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Its main trade-off is the port binding. Any web server currently listening on port 80 must be stopped for the validation window. That makes standalone convenient on a new or otherwise unused host, but disruptive on a busy production server unless you automate the stop and start actions.
Prerequisites and a preflight checklist
Complete these checks before running Certbot. They eliminate most failed validations.
- DNS: Create an A record for each IPv4 address and an AAAA record for each IPv6 address you intend to use. Every requested name, including names such as
www.example.com, must resolve to the target host. - Public port 80: Permit inbound TCP 80 in the operating-system firewall, cloud security group, hosting-provider firewall, router or NAT rule, and any upstream network policy. The provider must not filter the port.
- One listener: Stop Apache, nginx, Caddy, a container proxy, or any other process that already owns port 80.
- Administrative access: Certbot normally needs root or administrator privileges to bind a privileged port and write its configuration and key files.
- Correct machine: Run Certbot on the server to which the requested names resolve, or arrange equivalent routing so the challenge reaches this host.
Check DNS from outside the server’s local network when possible. Local resolver overrides can make a name appear correct on the server while public resolvers still return an old address.
Install Certbot for your operating system
Use Certbot’s current platform-specific installation instructions for your Linux distribution, macOS, BSD system, or Windows installation. The recommended package and service arrangement differs by platform, so do not copy an installation command intended for another operating system.
After installation, confirm that the executable is available and that you can run it with administrative privileges:
certbot --version
sudo certbot pluginsThe second command is useful for confirming that the standalone plugin is present. If your platform uses a separate administrator account, run the equivalent commands in an elevated shell.
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Request your first certificate with standalone mode
1. Stop the service using port 80
Stop the web server or reverse proxy that currently handles HTTP traffic. For a systemd-managed service, the command follows this pattern:
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sudo systemctl stop nginxReplace the service name with the one actually running on your host. If you are unsure which process owns the port, inspect the listener with the operating-system’s socket tools, for example:
sudo ss -ltnp | grep ':80'Do not start a second copy of Certbot while the first one is running. Only one process can bind the challenge port.
2. Issue the certificate without changing server configuration
Use one -d option for every DNS name that should appear on the certificate:
sudo certbot certonly --standalone -d example.com -d www.example.comcertonly means “obtain the certificate, but do not install it.” The first requested name normally becomes the certificate’s display name, while all supplied names are included as subject alternative names. Certbot may ask for an email address and acceptance of the subscriber agreement during the first run.
For a single host, the shorter form is sufficient:
sudo certbot certonly --standalone -d example.comCertbot starts its temporary listener, waits for the authority to connect over port 80, and reports success or the validation error. Leave the terminal available until the operation finishes so you can read the exact failure message if the challenge cannot be reached.
3. Locate the generated files
On a typical installation, Certbot maintains a stable directory for each certificate under:
/etc/letsencrypt/live/<certificate-name>/The important files include:
fullchain.pem— the server certificate followed by the issuing chain, normally supplied to a TLS server as its certificate bundle.privkey.pem— the private key. Treat it as secret and restrict access to the service account that must read it.cert.pem— the leaf certificate without the chain.chain.pem— the issuing chain without the leaf certificate.
The files in live are links to versioned files managed by Certbot. Point your server configuration at the stable live paths rather than at a numbered archive file, so renewal can replace the target without requiring a configuration edit.
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4. Configure your web server manually
Set the server’s certificate path to fullchain.pem and its private-key path to privkey.pem. The exact directives vary by server software, so follow that software’s TLS configuration documentation. Ensure the service account has read access to the key without making the key world-readable.
If you serve both the bare domain and a subdomain, configure the certificate whose name set includes both. A certificate for example.com alone does not automatically cover www.example.com.
5. Start the service and test from outside
Start the service you stopped before validation:
sudo systemctl start nginxThen connect to the HTTPS endpoint from a separate network, such as a mobile connection or another host. Confirm that the expected certificate names are presented, that the chain is complete, and that the application responds normally. Testing externally matters because a local firewall exception or split DNS can hide a public routing problem.
Renew a standalone certificate without an outage
Certbot records the renewal settings used for the certificate. The standard renewal command examines all managed certificates and renews only those that are due:
sudo certbot renewA successful exit does not necessarily mean a new certificate was issued; the command also exits successfully when no certificate is due. After a real renewal, your web server may need a reload to read the new files.
Use pre- and post-hooks to reclaim port 80
Because standalone validation needs port 80, a scheduled renewal must stop the normal HTTP service before Certbot starts and bring it back afterward. Hooks can perform those actions around the renewal attempt:
sudo certbot renew
--pre-hook "systemctl stop nginx"
--post-hook "systemctl start nginx"A post-hook runs after the renewal command, including cases where no certificate was renewed. Make the commands safe to run repeatedly and verify that the service is restored if validation fails. On systems using a scheduled Certbot timer, place equivalent hooks in the renewal configuration or in the scheduler’s command rather than relying on a manually run command.
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Reload only after an actual renewal
Use a deploy hook for actions that should happen only when Certbot has installed a newly issued certificate. A reload avoids dropping existing connections while making the new files available:
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--pre-hook "systemctl stop nginx"
--post-hook "systemctl start nginx"
--deploy-hook "systemctl reload nginx"Choose either a stop/start or an equivalent service arrangement that leaves port 80 free during validation. Test the complete sequence before relying on unattended renewal.
Run a dry run before enabling automation
Certbot provides a staging-environment test for renewal behavior:
sudo certbot renew --dry-runThis checks the renewal configuration and hooks without replacing the production certificate. Read the output for hook failures, permission errors, DNS mistakes, and port-binding conflicts. A dry run that succeeds demonstrates that the scheduled workflow can reclaim port 80; it does not test every application-specific TLS setting.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot common standalone failures
“Address already in use”
Another process is listening on port 80. Find it, stop it, and retry:
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemssudo ss -ltnp | grep ':80'Typical causes include a web server, reverse proxy, container published on port 80, or a second Certbot process. For unattended renewals, move the stop and start operations into pre- and post-hooks so the conflict does not recur.
Connection refused or timeout
These errors mean the authority cannot complete the HTTP request. Check the path from the public internet inward:
- Verify that the A and AAAA records return the intended addresses.
- Confirm the host firewall allows inbound TCP 80.
- Confirm the cloud security group and provider firewall allow it as well.
- Check router or NAT forwarding if the server is on a private network.
- Make sure the provider or ISP does not block inbound port 80.
- Ensure the service is bound to the public interface, not only to
127.0.0.1.
If DNS has both A and AAAA records, both paths need to work. Removing an incorrect AAAA record is safer than leaving IPv6 pointed at a different machine.
IPv6 bind messages
Certbot attempts an IPv6 bind before trying IPv4. Documentation notes that an expected IPv4 bind failure can appear when IPv4 traffic is routed through the IPv6 socket. Distinguish this informational condition from a genuine inability to listen on port 80. If the public AAAA record is wrong or IPv6 is only partially configured, fix the DNS and routing rather than relying on an IPv4-only assumption.
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Correct the records and wait for resolvers to observe the change before retrying. During the transition, some resolvers may still use cached data, so validation can reach the old address even after one resolver shows the new one.
A firewall rule works locally but not publicly
A local curl request does not prove that Let’s Encrypt can connect. Test the address from an external network and inspect cloud, router, and provider controls separately. If the server is behind NAT, forward TCP 80 to the machine running Certbot.
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The challenge port belongs to the host’s public network path. Publish host TCP 80 into the container running Certbot, ensure no host process already owns that port, and persist both /etc/letsencrypt and /var/lib/letsencrypt as durable volumes. Without persistent storage, renewal metadata and issued keys can disappear when the container is recreated. Coordinate the web server container so it stops or releases the host port for the validation window.
Can standalone mode issue wildcard certificates?
No. Standalone mode uses HTTP-01, and HTTP-01 validation cannot issue wildcard names such as *.example.com. Wildcards require DNS-01 validation, in which a DNS TXT record proves control of the domain.
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Choose a DNS validation plugin for your DNS provider when you need a wildcard, when several subdomains must be covered without listing each one, or when the server cannot accept inbound port 80. DNS-01 can work without a publicly reachable web server, but automation depends on API access or another reliable way to create and remove TXT records. Protect any DNS API credential with the narrowest permissions available.
Standalone, webroot, or DNS validation?
The right method depends on whether port 80 can be interrupted, whether the server is publicly reachable, and whether you need wildcard names.
| Validation method | Existing web server required? | Inbound port 80 required? | Wildcard names? | Renewal automation | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standalone (HTTP-01) | No | Yes; Certbot must bind it temporarily | No | Requires a port-stop arrangement when another service normally uses port 80 | A new host or a host where a short HTTP outage is acceptable |
| Webroot (HTTP-01) | Yes | Yes; the running server serves a challenge file | No | Usually smoother because the server remains running | An established site with a stable document root |
| DNS (DNS-01) | No | No | Yes | High when the DNS provider has a supported API; otherwise manual TXT changes are required | Wildcards, private hosts, or networks that cannot expose port 80 |
Standalone is not inherently more secure or more durable than the other methods; it is a validation choice. Select it when its temporary port ownership is acceptable and its lack of server integration is useful.
Quick Recap
Operational and security practices after issuance
- Protect the private key: Keep
privkey.pemreadable only by root and the service account that must load it. Do not paste it into tickets, repositories, or public configuration examples. - Use stable paths: Configure the server with the files under
/etc/letsencrypt/live/<certificate-name>/, not a dated archive path. - Reload deliberately: A renewed file is not necessarily active until the TLS service reloads or restarts. Use a deploy hook when that reload should occur only after a successful renewal.
- Keep renewal storage: Back up or otherwise preserve the Certbot renewal configuration and its managed directories if the host is rebuilt. Treat copied private keys as sensitive credentials.
- Monitor the scheduled job: Record failures from the timer or scheduler and periodically inspect certificate dates from an external client. A working first issuance does not guarantee that a later firewall, DNS, or service change will leave renewal working.
- Plan the interruption: If stopping the HTTP service is unacceptable, switch to webroot or DNS validation instead of forcing standalone into a high-availability setup.
A concise repeatable workflow
- Point every certificate name’s DNS records at the target machine.
- Open TCP port 80 through the host, cloud, router, and provider firewalls.
- Install Certbot using the instructions for the operating system.
- Stop the service that owns port 80.
- Run
sudo certbot certonly --standalone -d example.com -d www.example.com. - Configure the server with the generated
fullchain.pemandprivkey.pempaths. - Start the server and test HTTPS from an external network.
- Automate renewal with port-management hooks and verify it with
sudo certbot renew --dry-run.
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