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How to use cPanel File Manager

Log in to cPanel and open File Manager under Files. Your main domain’s files are in public_html. From the toolbar you can upload, create, edit, extract, move, rename and delete files, and set permissions. Turn on Show Hidden Files in Settings to see .htaccess. Deleted files go to Trash until you empty it.

Updated · HostUpIndia team

How to open cPanel File Manager

File Manager runs in your browser, so you need no FTP app. It opens in your home folder, one level above your website’s files.

  • Log in to cPanel and click File Manager in the Files section.
  • Click Settings, top right.
  • Tick Show Hidden Files (dotfiles) to see files such as .htaccess.
  • Optional: choose Web Root as the folder File Manager opens in, so it starts in public_html.
  • Click Save.
  • Double-click public_html. It holds your main domain’s website.
  • For an addon domain or subdomain, find its folder in cPanel › Domains, under Document Root.
  • To jump to a folder, type its path, such as public_html/images, in the box above the folder tree and click Go.
  • To find a file by name, type it in Search, top right, choose where to look and click Go.

Upload, extract and compress files

Upload many files as one .zip and extract it on the server. It is faster, and your folders stay in order. File Manager can extract .zip and .tar.gz files.

The largest file you can upload depends on your host’s settings and your free disk space. Big uploads in a browser can also stop part way. For those, use SFTP.

Uploading a whole site with its database? See how to upload a website in cPanel.

  • Open the folder you want to upload to, such as public_html.
  • Click Upload in the toolbar.
  • Tick Overwrite existing files only if you mean to replace files with the same names.
  • Drag your files in, or click Select File.
  • Wait until each upload reaches 100%, then click Go Back.
  • Extracting can replace files with the same names, so extract into an empty folder or back up the folder first.
  • To extract a .zip, right-click it, choose Extract, check the folder path and click Extract File(s).
  • Delete the .zip once its files are in place.
  • To compress, select the files or folders, click Compress, choose Zip Archive, name the file and click Compress File(s).

Create and edit files

The editor highlights code and saves straight to the server. One wrong change can take your site down, so keep a copy before you edit.

  • To add a file or folder, open the folder it belongs in and click + File or + Folder.
  • Enter the name, such as index.html, and click Create New File or Create New Folder.
  • Before you edit a file, right-click it and choose Download, so you have a copy to put back.
  • Right-click the file and choose Edit. If a character encoding window appears, click Edit again.
  • Make your change and click Save Changes, top right.
  • Reload your site. If it breaks, upload the copy you downloaded with Overwrite existing files ticked.
  • Keep backup copies on your computer, not in public_html. Anyone who guesses the address of a file such as wp-config.php.bak can download it.

Move, copy, rename and change permissions

Select an item and use the toolbar, or right-click it. Destination paths start from your home folder, as in /public_html/old.

  • Move: select the items, click Move, enter the destination folder and click Move File(s).
  • Copy: select the items, click Copy, enter the destination folder and click Copy File(s).
  • Rename: right-click the item, choose Rename, enter the new name and click Rename File.
  • Moving or renaming a file changes its web address. Update any links to it.
  • Permissions: select the item, click Permissions, set folders to 755 and files to 644, then click Change Permissions.
  • Never use 777. What the numbers mean: file permissions and chmod explained.

Delete files and restore them from Trash

Delete moves files to the Trash, a folder named .trash in your home folder, where they still use disk space. Skip the trash, or empty it, and the files are gone for good.

  • Select the items and click Delete.
  • Leave Skip the trash and permanently delete the files unticked, then click Confirm.
  • To get a file back, click View Trash, select it and click Restore. It returns to its old folder.
  • Click Empty Trash only when you are sure. File Manager cannot bring back files emptied from the Trash.
  • Deleted something for good? Restore that file from a backup: your host’s backup tool or a copy on your computer.

Common cPanel File Manager problems

  • No .htaccess in the list: click Settings, tick Show Hidden Files (dotfiles) and click Save.
  • A big upload stalls or fails: compress the files into one .zip, or upload them with an SFTP app such as FileZilla. Which to pick: SFTP vs FTP.
  • “Disk quota exceeded”: delete files you no longer need and empty the Trash. cPanel › Disk Usage shows what takes space.
  • Extracted files landed in a subfolder: select them all, click Move and enter /public_html.
  • A file list or 403 Forbidden after an upload: your index.html or index.php must sit at the top of public_html.
  • A file will not save or open: check its permissions. If it still fails, open a support ticket.
  • Changes do not show: clear your browser cache and any caching plugin, then reload.

HostUpIndia Web & cPanel Hosting

HostUpIndia Web & cPanel plans include cPanel with File Manager for the steps above, and terminal (SSH) access for SFTP and large uploads. Every plan also has LiteSpeed, NVMe storage, free SSL, the AI Website Builder and daily backups kept 30 days, so there is a restore point if a file is lost.

  • From ₹49 a month on 3-year billing. Prices exclude 18% GST. See Web & cPanel plans.
  • Support tickets and email are received 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; WhatsApp is open for questions from 10 am to 7 pm IST, Monday to Saturday.
  • Free website migration by the HostUpIndia in-house team.
  • More help guides.