File Manager

cPanel's File Manager lets you work with your account's files from the browser. Before editing or moving content, confirm the domain and the folder: the primary domain usually serves from public_html, while other domains may use different paths.

Find a file

Open cPanel > File Manager. The side tree and the current path let you change folder. In Settings, you can choose the starting folder and turn on Show Hidden Files (dotfiles) to see .htaccess, .env and other names that start with a dot.

Search lets you limit the scope to the whole account, public_html or the current folder. Search for part of the name and open the result to go to its location. It doesn't search inside the file's content.

Create, edit and rename

Use File or Folder to create content in the selected path. To rename it, select its name or the corresponding action in the context menu.

Before editing an existing file, download a copy to somewhere outside the hosting. Use Edit for code or text and keep the original encoding. If the content shows incorrect characters, cancel without saving and check the encoding. The browser editor has size limits: for large files, download a copy and work with a local editor.

If the website is deployed from Git or with an automated tool, make the changes in its deployment source. A direct edit on the server may be overwritten on the next release.

Upload, download and extract

Upload sends files to the directory you were in. Check the overwrite option before replacing content. For a folder or many files, use the ZIP upload procedure.

To download several items, compress them and download the resulting archive. Check the local copy and then remove the archive from the public directory, especially if it includes configuration or private data.

Copy and move

Select the items and click Copy or Move. Check the full destination path and any matching names before confirming.

Copying keeps the original and needs extra space. Moving changes its location: an application may stop finding files if it depends on that path. Check the website after the operation and keep the source until you have validated a copy.

Change permissions

Select the item and open Permissions. For a website's public files, 755 is usually used for folders and 644 for files; other content needs specific permissions. See correct permissions before applying changes to many paths.

Delete and recover

A normal delete sends content to the trash. View Trash > Restore lets you recover it; check the location and whether there is a new file with the same name before confirming.

The trash still uses disk space. Empty Trash deletes its content permanently; review what it contains first. If you chose to skip the trash or have already emptied it, you'll need to check for an available backup.

Don't delete service folders just because you don't recognise their name. See essential directories to tell email, configuration, logs and your websites' files apart.