cPanel File Manager: upload, edit, and organize

cPanel File Manager lets you manage hosting files directly from your browser. It is best for quick tasks such as uploading a small site, editing .htaccess, checking public_html, creating folders, changing permissions, and restoring items from Trash. For large s or thousands of files, SFTP is usually faster and more reliable.

Open File Manager

1. Log in to cPanel from the UnderHost CustomerPanel or your cPanel service details.
2. Open Files and click File Manager.
3. If prompted, open your home directory or web root.
4. Use the left folder tree, the breadcrumb path, or the search box to navigate.

Find the right folder

Most website problems after an upload come from placing files in the wrong directory. Use this table before moving or deleting anything.

Upload files

1. Navigate to the destination folder, usually public_html or the addon-domain document root.
2. Click Upload in the top toolbar.
3. Drag files into the upload window or click Select File.
4. Wait until each upload reaches 100%.
5. Return to File Manager and click Reload if the file list has not refreshed.

If you need to upload many files, compress them into a ZIP archive first, upload the single archive, then extract it with File Manager. See file compression and extraction in cPanel.

Create files and folders

Folders keep site files organized. Common examples include images, css, js, downloads, or a staging folder.

1. Navigate to the parent folder where the new item should live.
2. Click + Folder or + File.
3. Enter the name, including the extension for files, such as index.html, robots.txt, or .htaccess.
4. Confirm the path and click Create New Folder or Create New File.

• Use lowercase names without spaces when possible.
• Use hyphens instead of spaces, for example privacy-policy.html.
• Create a small index.html file in public folders if you need to prevent directory listings.

Edit files safely

File Manager can edit text-based files such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, .htaccess, robots.txt, and configuration files.

1. Select the file.
2. Click Edit in the toolbar or right-click and choose Edit.
3. If cPanel asks about encoding, keep the default unless you know the file uses a different encoding.
4. Make the change and click Save Changes.
5. Test the website immediately after saving.

Rename, copy, move

Permissions

Permissions control who can read, write, or execute a file. Incorrect permissions can cause 403 errors, broken uploads, or security exposure.

1. Select the file or folder.
2. Click Permissions or right-click and choose Change Permissions.
3. Set the numeric value or checkbox combination.
4. Save and test the site.

Avoid 777. It allows broad write access and can expose the account to security issues. See Linux file permissions explained for web hosting for more detail.

Delete and restore files

File Manager can move deleted items to Trash, but Trash is not a backup system. If you skip Trash or empty Trash, recovery depends on available backups.

1. Select the file or folder.
2. Click Delete or right-click and choose Delete.
3. Leave Skip the trash and permanently delete the files unchecked if you may need to restore the item.
4. Confirm the deletion.

Restore from Trash

1. Click View Trash in File Manager.
2. Select the file or folder.
3. Click Restore.
4. Confirm the restored path, then test the site.

Empty Trash

Only empty Trash after confirming nothing inside is needed. Emptying Trash permanently removes those items from the account. For accidental deletion after Trash has been emptied, check your available backups or contact support quickly.

Troubleshooting checklist

Related: Upload your website | FTP and SFTP access | Compress and extract files

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