How to use the cPanel File Manager

How to use the cPanel File Manager

File Manager lets you manage your website files from your browser, with no FTP software needed.

  1. Log in to cPanel and click File Manager in the Files section. It opens in a new tab.
  2. The left-hand panel shows your folders; the right shows the contents of the selected folder.

Key folders

  • public_html – your main website. Files here are visible at https://yourdomain.co.uk
  • Addon domain folders – shown when you add extra domains
  • mail, etc, tmp – used by the system; don't edit unless asked to

Common tasks

Use the toolbar at the top to:

  • Upload files from your computer (up to a few hundred MB at a time; use FTP for larger)
  • Edit a file in the code editor
  • Compress and Extract zip/tar archives
  • Permissions – change file permissions (usually 644 for files and 755 for folders)
  • Restore/Empty Trash for deleted files

Show hidden files

Files beginning with a dot, such as .htaccess, are hidden by default. Click Settings at the top right and tick Show Hidden Files (dotfiles).

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