How to Use File Manager in cPanel

File Manager is a web-based file browser that lets you manage your website files directly from cPanel without needing FTP software.

Accessing File Manager

1. Log into cPanel
2. Go to Files section
3. Click File Manager

Understanding the Directory Structure

Directory	Purpose
public_html	Your main website root (files here are publicly accessible)
public_html/subdomain	Subdomain document roots
mail	Email storage (do not modify)
logs	Access and error logs
ssl	SSL certificate files
tmp	Temporary files

Uploading Files

1. Navigate to the destination folder (usually public_html)
2. Click Upload in the toolbar
3. Drag and drop files or click Select File
4. Wait for upload to complete
5. Click Go Back to return to File Manager

Tip: For large files or many files, use FTP instead for faster uploads.

Creating Files and Folders

New Folder

1. Click + Folder in the toolbar
2. Enter folder name
3. Click Create New Folder

New File

1. Click + File in the toolbar
2. Enter filename (including extension, e.g., config.php)
3. Click Create New File

Editing Files

1. Right-click the file (or select and use toolbar)
2. Choose Edit or Code Editor
3. Make your changes
4. Click Save Changes

Code Editor provides syntax highlighting for PHP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Extracting ZIP Files

1. Upload your .zip file
2. Right-click the ZIP file
3. Select Extract
4. Choose destination folder
5. Click Extract Files

Compressing Files

1. Select files/folders to compress
2. Click Compress in the toolbar
3. Choose compression type (Zip recommended)
4. Enter archive name
5. Click Compress Files

Changing Permissions

1. Right-click the file or folder
2. Select Change Permissions
3. Set permissions using checkboxes or enter numeric value
4. Click Change Permissions

Common permissions: Files: 644, Folders: 755, wp-config.php: 600

Showing Hidden Files

Files starting with a dot (like .htaccess) are hidden by default.

1. Click Settings in the top right
2. Check Show Hidden Files (dotfiles)
3. Click Save