How to Add a Domain to cPanel

Open cPanel

Log in to cPanel.

The easiest method is through your Hostmate Client Area. Open the hosting service and click Login to cPanel.

How to Log in to cPanel

Domains

Open Domains and click Create a New Domain.

In cPanel, go to Domains → Domains, then click Create a New Domain.

Choose Registered Domain if cPanel asks which type of domain you want to create.

Domain Name

Enter the domain you want to host.

Enter the full domain name, such as example.com.au. Do not include https://, www or a page path.

cPanel does not register the domain.

The domain must already exist with a domain registrar. Adding it here only configures the Hostmate hosting account to serve the domain.

Document Root

Choose whether this is a separate website.

For a normal additional website, turn off Share document root with your main domain. cPanel will create a separate document root for the new domain.

Share document root OFF	The new domain has its own website files and acts as a separate hosted website.
Share document root ON	The new domain shows the same website as the main domain.

Usually leave the generated document root alone.

cPanel automatically suggests a folder for the new domain. Unless you have a specific reason to change it, use the suggested path.

Create Domain

Click Submit.

Review the domain name and document root, then click Submit. cPanel creates the domain configuration and website folder.

After creation, the domain appears in cPanel → Domains where you can see its document root and manage options such as HTTPS redirects.

DNS

Point the domain to Hostmate.

Adding the domain to cPanel does not automatically change DNS at another registrar. The domain must point to Hostmate before visitors, email and SSL can work normally.

If you are using Hostmate nameservers, use:

Nameserver 1	ns1.hostmate-cloud.com
Nameserver 2	ns2.hostmate-cloud.com
Nameserver 3	ns3.hostmate-cloud.com

Using external DNS instead?

If you keep DNS with another provider, the required web and email records must be pointed to the Hostmate hosting service instead of changing nameservers.

Website Files

Upload or install the website in the correct document root.

Open cPanel → Domains to confirm the new domain's document root, then place its website files in that folder.

Use File Manager Upload or manage website files directly in cPanel.

Install WordPress Install WordPress on the new domain with Softaculous.

SSL

Allow AutoSSL to secure the domain.

Once the domain and its www record point correctly to Hostmate, cPanel AutoSSL can issue the free SSL certificate for the hosted domain.

If the domain was added before DNS finished pointing to Hostmate, the first certificate attempt may fail. You can run AutoSSL again after DNS is correct.

SSL Certificate Help

Create email accounts after the domain is added.

Once the domain exists in cPanel, you can create mailboxes for it under Email → Email Accounts.

Make sure the domain's email DNS records also point to Hostmate before expecting new mailboxes to send and receive normally.

Create an Email Account

Need Help?

Domain added but the website is not loading?

Check that the domain is registered, its DNS is pointing to Hostmate, and the website files are in the document root shown under cPanel Domains. If you are unsure, open a Hostmate support ticket.

Open a Support Ticket

cPanel's Domains interface lets you add registered domains, choose whether they share the main domain's document root, and configure a separate document root for additional hosted websites. View the official cPanel Create a New Domain documentation.