Use HTTPS on Localhost (XAMPP, Windows)

https-on-localhost.md

Sometimes some websites require https to work. This can be useful in those cases.

This has been tested with XAMPP (PHP 7.0.8) on Windows 7. Please see the Reference links at the end if in confusion about some step.

STEP 1: Editing Configs

Open:

C:\xampp\php\php.ini

In this ini file semi colon (;) is used to comment a line. We want to use openssl library, so we have to make sure the line for openssl is not commented.

Remove semi colon (;) in front of the line, if there is any:

extension=php_openssl.dll

Search for "date.timezone". Make this your timezone. I have chosen Europe/London as a standard. Check this page for your timezone (http://php.net/manual/en/timezones.php)

date.timezone=Europe/London

(Optional) Now uncomment this to to be able to debug:

zend_extension="C:\xampp\php\ext\php_xdebug.dll" 

Save.

Now, open: C:\xampp\apache\conf\httpd.conf

Make sure that this is uncommented (no semi colon - ;)

LoadModule rewrite_module modules/mod_rewrite.so

Make sure that you enter your username on this line

User user

For example:

User john

Save.

STEP 2: Create the Certificate

Open Command Prompt, then enter:

cd /D C:\xampp\apache

(Assuming you have installed xampp in C:\xampp\apache)

Now enter:

makecert

Now you should see this:

C:\xampp\apache>makecert
Loading 'screen' into random state - done
Generating a 1024 bit RSA private key
............................++++++
.....................................++++++
writing new private key to 'privkey.pem'
Enter PEM pass phrase:

Enter in a pass phrase for decrypting your private server key, and press Enter.

It will say:

Verifying - Enter PEM pass phrase:

Enter the passphrase again, press enter. Now you will see this:

-----
You are about to be asked to enter information that will be incorporated into your certificate request.
What you are about to enter is what is called a Distinguished Name or a DN.
There are quite a few fields but you can leave some blank
For some fields there will be a default value,
If you enter '.', the field will be left blank.
-----
Country Name (2 letter code) [AU]:

We have entered London in our timezone so I am choosing the 2 letter code GB (for United Kingdom). You can find yours here: http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/ctycodes.htm

For some fields you can just press enter to skip fields. They are not necessary for the certificate to work.

State or Province Name (full name) [Some-State]:
Locality Name (eg, city) []:
Organization Name (eg, company) [Internet Widgits Pty Ltd]:
Organizational Unit Name (eg, section) []:

For Common Name enter localhost. It is important that this common name match the address that goes into a browser, otherwise you will get extra warnings when navigating to your secure web pages. In our case this would be localhost.

Common Name (e.g. server FQDN or YOUR name) []:

Then it will say this:

Email Address []:

You can press enter. Then:

Please enter the following 'extra' attributes
to be sent with your certificate request
A challenge password []:
An optional company name []:

You can safely skip these inputs by pressing enter.

Then it will say:

Enter pass phrase for privkey.pem:

Now enter the passphrase that you chose earlier.

Now this should succeed with a message:

writing RSA key
Signature ok
subject=/C=GB/ST=Some-State/O=Internet Widgits Pty Ltd/CN=localhost
Getting Private key
        1 file(s) moved.
        1 file(s) moved.

-----
Das Zertifikat wurde erstellt.
The certificate was provided.

Press any key to continue . . .

You are now finished creating your SSL certificate and private key. When we ran makecert, it actually ran a makecert.bat script. The makecert.bat script will move your server private key and certificates in the appropriate directories for you.

STEP 3:

Now go to start menu, type the following and enter:

certmgr.msc

Double click "Trusted Root Certification Authorities". Right click "Certificates", choose All Tasks -> Import...

Click Next. It will ask to choose the certificate file. Click Browse and choose C:\xampp\apache\conf\ssl.crt\server.crt Click Next. Next again, then Finish.

This will bring you a message. Click Yes. Then it should say Import was successful. Click OK.

STEP 4: Restart XAMPP services

I just stopped the Apache and MySQL service from XAMPP Control Panel, and when they stopped, I just started them again.

This should now enable https on localhost.

STEP 4: Now test!

Now access https://localhost in your browser.

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKVjpA1Gq6o https://jaswanttak.wordpress.com/2010/04/15/configure-ssl-on-xampp-and-windows/