Manage files with File Manager in cPanel

What is File Manager?

File Manager is a tool integrated in cPanel that allows you to manage your website files directly from the browser, without needing to use FTP. You can create, edit, upload, download, copy, move and delete files and folders.

Access File Manager

1. Access cPanel

  • Go to your cPanel panel
  • Log in with your credentials

2. Open File Manager

On the cPanel main page, look for the "Files" section and click on "File Manager".

You can also search for it using the search box at the top of cPanel.

Initial configuration

The first time you open File Manager, you may see configuration options:

  • Show hidden files: To see files starting with a dot (like .htaccess)
  • Root directory: Choose if you want to start in public_html or in the home directory

Click "Go" to open File Manager.

Basic navigation

See folder structure:

  • In the left panel you'll see the folder structure
  • Click on a folder to expand or collapse it
  • Click on a folder to see its contents in the main panel

Main panel:

  • Shows files and folders of the current directory
  • You can see name, size, modification date and permissions
  • Double-click on a folder to enter
  • Double-click on a file to open or download it

Basic file operations

1. Upload files

  1. Navigate to the directory where you want to upload files
  2. Click the "Upload" button in the top bar
  3. Drag files to the window or click "Select File"
  4. Wait for upload to complete

2. Create new file

  1. Navigate to the directory where you want to create the file
  2. Click "+ File"
  3. Enter the file name (include extension, e.g., index.html)
  4. Click "Create New File"

3. Create new folder

  1. Navigate to the directory where you want to create the folder
  2. Click "+ Folder"
  3. Enter the folder name
  4. Click "Create New Folder"

4. Edit file

  1. Find the file you want to edit
  2. Right-click on the file and select "Edit"
  3. Or select the file and click the "Edit" button in the top bar
  4. A text editor will open where you can modify the content
  5. Save changes with CTRL+S or the "Save Changes" button

5. Download file

  1. Select the file you want to download
  2. Click "Download"
  3. Or right-click and select "Download"

6. Copy file or folder

  1. Select the file or folder
  2. Click "Copy"
  3. Navigate to the destination directory
  4. Click "Paste"

7. Move file or folder

  1. Select the file or folder
  2. Click "Move"
  3. Enter the destination path or navigate to it
  4. Click "Move File(s)"

8. Rename file or folder

  1. Select the file or folder
  2. Click "Rename"
  3. Enter the new name
  4. Click "Rename File"

9. Delete file or folder

  1. Select the file or folder
  2. Click "Delete"
  3. Confirm deletion

Warning: Deletion is permanent. Make sure you have a backup before deleting important files.

Manage permissions

Permissions control who can read, write or execute files:

  1. Select the file or folder
  2. Click "Permissions"
  3. Configure permissions using checkboxes or enter the numeric value:
    • 755: For directories (read, write and execute for owner; read and execute for others)
    • 644: For files (read and write for owner; read only for others)
    • 777: Full permissions (not recommended for security)
  4. Click "Change Permissions"

Compress and extract files

Compress files:

  1. Select the files or folders you want to compress (hold CTRL to select multiple)
  2. Click "Compress"
  3. Choose the format (ZIP, Tar, Tar Gzip)
  4. Enter the compressed file name
  5. Click "Compress File(s)"

Extract files:

  1. Select the compressed file
  2. Click "Extract"
  3. Choose where to extract the files
  4. Click "Extract File(s)"

Search files

To search files on your site:

  1. Click "Search" in the top bar
  2. Enter the file name or part of the name
  3. Select the directory to search (or leave "All" to search entire site)
  4. Click "Search"

Edit code files

File Manager includes a basic code editor:

  • Syntax highlighting: For PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript files, etc.
  • Line numbering: To easily navigate in large files
  • Search and replace: Use CTRL+F to search and CTRL+H to replace

Editable file types:

  • Text files (.txt, .html, .css, .js, .php, etc.)
  • Configuration files (.htaccess, .conf, etc.)
  • XML, JSON files, etc.

Non-editable files:

  • Images, videos, binary files
  • Very large files (there may be limits)

Manage .htaccess files

The .htaccess file is important for configuring Apache:

  1. In File Manager, enable "Show Hidden Files" if not enabled
  2. Find the .htaccess file in public_html
  3. If it doesn't exist, create it as a new file
  4. Edit the file to add rules (redirects, folder protection, etc.)
  5. Save changes

Example .htaccess to force HTTPS:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

Operations with multiple files

To select multiple files:

  • Hold CTRL and click on each file to select it
  • Or use CTRL+A to select all files in the directory
  • Then you can copy, move, delete or compress all at once

Common problems

Can't edit a file

  • Verify you have write permissions on the file
  • Verify the file is not locked by another process
  • Some system files may be protected

Can't upload large files

  • Check PHP limits (upload_max_filesize, post_max_size)
  • Use FTP for very large files
  • Or compress the file before uploading

Changes don't reflect on the site

  • Clear browser cache
  • Verify you saved changes correctly
  • Verify you're editing the correct file
  • If using cache, clear the site cache

Security tips

  • Make backups before editing: Always make a backup before modifying important files
  • Verify permissions: Don't use 777 permissions unless absolutely necessary
  • Protect sensitive files: Make sure configuration files are not publicly accessible
  • Don't edit system files: Don't modify cPanel or server system files
  • Review before deleting: Verify well before deleting files, especially in production

Useful keyboard shortcuts

  • CTRL+F: Search in editor
  • CTRL+H: Search and replace
  • CTRL+S: Save changes
  • CTRL+A: Select all
  • CTRL+C: Copy
  • CTRL+V: Paste

Need help?

If you're having trouble managing files in File Manager, open a ticket from the billing.baires.host panel or contact us for support.

You can also reach us through our social media:

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