How to upload files to your website using cPanel File Manager

How to upload files to your website using cPanel File Manager

Why do you need to upload files?

For your website to be visible on the internet, all its files (HTML, CSS, PHP, images, etc.) must be hosted on the web server. cPanel includes a tool called File Manager that allows you to upload, organize, and modify those files directly from your browser, without needing external programs like FTP.

What will you learn in this guide?

• ✔️ What the public_html folder is and why it matters
• ✔️ How to access cPanel File Manager
• ✔️ How to upload files and entire folders
• ✔️ How to properly organize your site files
• ✔️ Common errors and how to avoid them

Requirements

Before you start, make sure you have:

• ✅ Access to cPanel (if you don't know how, check our guide "How to access cPanel for the first time")
• ✅ Your website files ready on your computer (e.g., index.html, image folder, CSS files, etc.)
• ✅ A start file named index.html, index.php or similar (without it, the browser won't show anything)

Step 1: Access File Manager

Inside cPanel, look for the Files section and click on File Manager.

Step 2: Understand the folder structure

When you open File Manager, you'll see several folders. The most important one for your website is:

• public_html → This is the root folder of your main domain. Everything you put here will be visible at https://yourdomain.com

Other useful folders (don't touch them if you don't know what they're for):

• logs → Server log files
• mail → Email-related files
• .trash → cPanel recycle bin

Important: If you have additional domains (addon domains), their folders are usually inside public_html or in a separate folder depending on the configuration.

Step 3: Navigate to public_html

Double click on the public_html folder to enter it. Inside, on a new hosting account, you'll likely see default files like default.html, cgi-bin, or a welcome index.html. Don't worry, you can replace them later.

Step 4: Upload files from your computer

Once inside public_html, you have two ways to upload files:

Option 1: "Upload" button (recommended for individual files)

• Click the Upload button on the top bar
• A new window will open. Click Select File or drag files from your computer
• Wait for the upload to finish (it will show "Complete" or "Done")
• Click Go Back to return to File Manager

Option 2: Drag and drop (faster)

• Click Upload and then simply drag your files from your local folder to the upload box
• The system will upload them automatically

Individual files or entire folders?

• To upload an entire folder (e.g., an image folder), first create the empty folder in File Manager (+ Folder button) and then upload files inside it. Or use an FTP program (recommended for large projects).
• If your website is a system like WordPress, Joomla, or Laravel, it usually involves thousands of files → in that case, it's better to use FTP or the automatic installer (Softaculous) that cPanel includes.

Step 5: Organize your files correctly

Once uploaded, your public_html should look something like this (example of a simple site):

• index.html → Main page
• css/ → Styles folder
• js/ → Scripts folder
• images/ → Images folder
• contact.php → Contact page

Golden rule: The file you want to appear when visiting yourdomain.com MUST be named index.html, index.php, index.htm, or default.html (in that order of priority).

If your main page is named myweb.html, people would have to go to yourdomain.com/myweb.html to see it. To fix this, rename the file to index.html.

How to rename a file: Right click on the file → Rename → type the new name → confirm.

Step 6: Verify your website is working

After uploading your files:

• Open a new tab in your browser
• Type https://yourdomain.com
• You should see your published website

If you see a blank page or an error, check:

• That you uploaded the files INSIDE public_html (not in another folder)
• That a file named index.html or index.php exists
• That file names don't have spaces or strange characters (e.g., my file.html → better my-file.html)

Common errors and how to fix them

Error 403 - Forbidden

• This happens when there's no index.html or index.php file inside public_html
• Solution: Upload or create an index file (even a test one) and the error will disappear

Error 404 - Not Found

• The browser is looking for a file that doesn't exist
• Check the URL you typed and compare it with your actual file names

I uploaded the files but still see the "Welcome to cPanel" page

• There's probably a default index.html file left by cPanel. Delete it or replace it with your file
• Also verify that your files are inside public_html and not in a subfolder

The page shows no styles (only text, no colors or design)

• The paths to your CSS, JS, or image files are incorrect
• In your code, use relative paths like css/styles.css instead of C:\MyWebsite\css\styles.css
• If you're coming from working locally, check that all paths still exist on the server

I can't upload large files (over 10MB)

• File Manager has a default limit. For large files (videos, backups, etc.) use FTP or the file manager from cPanel → FTP Accounts
• If it's a heavy image, optimize it before uploading

Important tips

• ✅ Never delete system folders like cgi-bin or hidden files starting with a dot (.htaccess, .htpasswd) if you're not 100% sure
• ✅ Make backups before modifying important files (from cPanel → Backup or download a copy to your PC)
• ✅ Use lowercase file names without spaces to avoid issues (e.g., background-image.jpg instead of Background Image.JPG)
• ✅ If your site uses databases, remember that uploading files is only half the work. You'll also need to import the database from phpMyAdmin (we have another guide for that)

File Manager vs FTP: which one to use?

Both work. File Manager is ideal for:

• Uploading individual files or making quick changes
• When you don't have an FTP client installed
• Editing files directly (right click → Edit)

FTP (FileZilla, etc.) is better for:

• Uploading complete projects with hundreds or thousands of files (e.g., WordPress)
• More stable transfers for large files

Need help?

At baires.host, we know that moving files on the server can be a bit intimidating at first. But you can do it! With this guide, you've already done 90% of the work.

If you've tried and still can't publish your website, open a ticket at billing.baires.host and our technical team will guide you step by step. But we recommend trying it yourself first — it's the best way to learn and gain independence.

Our services:

• ✓ Shared hosting with cPanel included
• ✓ Specialized technical support (but we always encourage you to learn as well)
• ✓ Daily automatic backups (if something goes wrong, we recover your files)
• ✓ Guides like this so you don't have to depend on anyone

Contact and social media:

• Instagram: @baires_host
• Discord (active support): https://discord.gg/dzjauatAFN
• Linktree: https://linktr.ee/baires.host
• Open a ticket: https://billing.baires.host/submitticket.php?step=2&deptid=1

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