Open File Manager
Log in to cPanel and open File Manager.
From cPanel, go to Files → File Manager.
File Manager shows the folders and files inside your hosting account. The folder list is on the left and the contents of the selected folder appear in the main area.
How to Log in to cPanelWebsite Folder
Find the correct document root.
For the primary domain, the website files are commonly inside public_html.
If your cPanel account contains addon domains or other websites, they may use different document roots. Check cPanel → Domains if you are unsure which folder belongs to a particular domain.
Always confirm the document root before uploading, deleting or editing files for an addon domain.
Upload Files
Upload files from your computer.
Open the folder where the files belong, then click Upload in the File Manager toolbar.
Select the files from your computer or drag them into the upload screen. When the upload finishes, return to File Manager.
File Manager uploads files rather than folders directly. A common method is to compress the folder into a ZIP file, upload the ZIP, then select it in File Manager and click Extract.
Edit Files
Edit a text, HTML or configuration file.
Select the file and click Edit, or right-click it and choose Edit.
Make the change, then save the file. For important configuration files, download a copy before editing so you can restore the original if needed.
A small syntax mistake can break a website. If you are unsure about a PHP or configuration change, make a backup first.
Organise Files
Rename, move, copy, download or compress files.
Select a file or folder and use the File Manager toolbar or right-click menu.
- Rename — change a file or folder name.
- Move — move files into another folder.
- Copy — create a copy in another location.
- Download — save a file to your computer.
- Compress — create an archive such as a ZIP file.
- Extract — unpack a compressed archive on the server.
Hidden Files
Show files such as .htaccess.
Files beginning with a dot, such as .htaccess, may be hidden by default.
In File Manager, click Settings, enable Show Hidden Files (dotfiles), then save the setting.
Delete + Restore
Be careful when deleting website files.
Select a file or folder and click Delete. File Manager normally moves deleted items to the Trash rather than immediately removing them permanently.
You can open View Trash, select an item and click Restore if you deleted something by mistake.
Emptying the Trash permanently removes its contents.
Permissions
Avoid changing file permissions unless you need to.
File Manager allows you to change file and folder permissions, but incorrect permissions can stop a website from working or create a security problem.
For most normal website files, leave the existing permissions alone unless you have a specific reason to change them.
Important
Be careful with files managed by Git.
If a folder contains a Git repository or is deployed automatically from GitHub, editing files directly in File Manager can cause your manual change to be overwritten by the next deployment.
For Git-managed websites, make the change in the repository and deploy it through the normal workflow instead.
Need Help?
Not sure which file or folder to change?
If you are unsure which document root belongs to your website or you are worried about changing an important file, open a support ticket before deleting or replacing anything.
Open a Support TicketThis guide follows the current cPanel File Manager workflow. View the official cPanel File Manager documentation.