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PEM CRT
File conversion

Convert PEM to CRT

Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Sep 6, 2026
QUICK ANSWER
Is it possible to convert PEM to CRT?
Yes - PEM converts to CRT.

If the .pem contains a Base64 certificate (-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----), renaming it to .crt is usually sufficient. If the target system requires binary DER format, run openssl x509 -in cert.pem -outform der -out cert.crt.

Also to CRT: PFX · P12 · CER

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Oct 2026

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Why convert PEM to CRT?

Some software, installers, and server control panels (cPanel, Plesk, older IIS wizards) ask for a .crt file. In most cases this is a naming convention - they want a file containing only the end-entity certificate. Occasionally the target requires binary DER rather than Base64 text, and then a real encoding conversion is needed.

How to convert PEM to CRT

OpenSSL FREE

Run openssl x509 -in cert.pem -outform der -out cert.crt to produce a binary DER .crt; verify with openssl x509 -in cert.crt -inform der -text -noout. OpenSSL is FREE and runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

About these formats

.PEM PEM - Base64-encoded certificate / key container (X.509, PKCS)

A PEM file is a text container for cryptographic data - most often an SSL/TLS certificate, a private key, or both. Open it in any text editor to see what the BEGIN line says, then use…

Open .PEM details →
.CRT Security certificate (X.509 .crt)

A CRT file is an X.509 digital certificate that ties an identity (a website, server, or publisher) to a public key, signed by a Certificate Authority. On Windows, double-click it to view…

Open .CRT details →

Quality & what to watch

  • If the .pem already holds a Base64 certificate (-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----), renaming it to .crt often works without any conversion - many tools treat the two extensions as interchangeable.
  • Before renaming, confirm the .pem contains only the end-entity certificate block; extract just the certificate if it also includes a private key or chain.
  • A .crt file is also commonly saved as .cer - the content is identical; only the extension differs.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to rename a `.pem` file to `.crt`?
Yes, if the file contains a Base64 certificate starting with -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE----- - many tools treat the two extensions as equivalent.
When do I actually need OpenSSL instead of just renaming?
When the target system explicitly requires binary DER format rather than Base64 text; try renaming first if you are unsure.
What if my `.pem` contains a private key too?
Extract only the -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE----- ... -----END CERTIFICATE----- block into a new file before renaming - never distribute a file containing your private key.
How do I verify the converted `.crt` is valid?
Run openssl x509 -in cert.crt -inform der -text -noout; if it prints certificate details, the conversion worked.