With the File manager In cPanel, you can manage your web hosting files and folders directly in the browser. For example, you can use it to view, upload, edit, move, copy, or delete website files without having to install a separate FTP program.
The file manager is a powerful tool. At the same time, you are using it to work directly on your website's files. Ill-considered changes to important files can therefore cause a website to stop functioning correctly.
In this guide, we will show you step by step how to use the file manager in CURIAWEB, how to navigate the directory structure, and which areas you should only modify with caution.
Important: Make a backup before making major changes to website files, if possible. Especially changes to configuration files, PHP files, or
.htaccesscan have an immediate impact on the accessibility of your website.
What can you do with the cPanel File Manager? #
The file manager offers many typical file management functions directly via the browser.
Among other things, you can use it to:
- Show files and folders
- create new files and directories
- Upload and download files
- Rename files
- Copy or move files and folders
- Edit text and configuration files
- Delete files
- Control file permissions
- Create or extract archives
For many smaller tasks, the file manager is therefore faster than a separate FTP connection.
When should you use the file manager? #
The file manager is particularly suitable for individual or manageable changes.
Typical examples are:
upload a single file, check a configuration file, rename a file, or extract a ZIP archive.
If, on the other hand, you regularly want to transfer a large number of files between your computer and the server, an FTP program can be more convenient.
We will show you how to set up an FTP account for this later at Create an FTP account in cPanel.
1. Open File Manager in cPanel #
Log in to your CURIAWEB cPanel.
Scroll to the section on the homepage Files and click on File manager.
The file manager will then open the directory structure of your hosting account.
2. Understanding the structure of the file manager #
The file manager basically consists of directory navigation and a view of the files or folders in the currently opened directory.
You can switch between the folders using the left or corresponding directory navigation.
In the main area you can see the contents of the currently selected directory.
Depending on the cPanel interface, various additional actions are available via the top toolbar or context menus.
The home directory #
Your cPanel account has its own home directory.
Within this area, there are not only publicly accessible website files, but also other directories that can be used, for example, for email, configurations, logs, or other hosting functions.
Attention: Not every directory in the home area belongs to your publicly visible website. Never delete unknown folders just because you do not know their names.
What is public_html? #
For the main domain of a classic cPanel account, the publicly accessible web content is often located in the directory:
public_html
Depending on the domain assignment and server configuration, files within the document root may be accessible via the web.
A file like:
public_html/test.html
can be accessible, for example, under a corresponding URL of the website.
Important: Do not store unencrypted confidential backup files, password lists, or other sensitive data in the publicly accessible web directory.
Multiple domains can use different document roots #
If multiple domains are set up in a cPanel account, not every domain has to use the same document root.
An additional domain can point to its own subdirectory, for example.
Therefore, before modifying files on a specific website, you should check which document root is assigned to that domain.
We will cover how domains are managed in cPanel later under Add and manage a domain in cPanel.
3. Navigate through folders #
Click on a folder to view its contents or open it.
For example, if you are looking for the files of your main website, you typically navigate to:
public_html
In WordPress, you will typically find directories there, or in the respective document root, such as:
wp-admin
wp-content
wp-includes
and files like:
wp-config.php
index.php
These files belong to the WordPress installation and should not be modified or deleted arbitrarily.
4. Create new folder #
First, open the directory where the new folder is to be created.
Then select the function to create a new folder.
Provide a unique name, for example:
Downloads
and confirm the creation.
The new folder should then appear in the current directory.
Choose meaningful file and folder names #
For files used via a website, simple and unambiguous names make sense.
Avoid unnecessary special characters or hard-to-follow designations.
A filename like:
produkt-handbuch.pdf
is, for example, clearer than:
New Document FINAL Version 3!!.pdf
5. Create new file #
Open the desired folder and select the function to create a new file.
Provide the complete file name including file extension, for example:
test.txt
or:
hinweis.html
Confirm the creation afterwards.
Attention: Do not create PHP, configuration, or system files according to some random guide from the internet if you do not know their function.
6. Select file #
Click on the desired file in the main area of the file manager.
Depending on the surface, you can then select available actions via the toolbar or a context menu.
Make sure that the correct file is actually selected before you perform any action such as deleting, moving, or editing.
7. View file #
For certain file types, you can view a file directly in the file manager.
This is useful if you just want to check the content and do not want to make any changes.
If you are only looking for a specific setting, simply viewing it is often safer than immediately opening the edit function.
8. Edit text file #
Select the desired file and then the editing function.
The cPanel editor opens the content in the browser.
For example, you can make changes there to a text, HTML, or specific configuration file.
Save the file only after you have checked the change once more.
Practical Tip: For important configuration files, copy the original file or download it before making any changes. This makes it easier to revert to the previous state if an error occurs.
Be especially careful with PHP files #
Even a small syntax error in a PHP file can cause a website or a specific section to stop working.
For example, if you have a file like:
wp-config.php
change, you should know exactly which line needs to be changed.
Do not introduce multiple changes at the same time if you cannot subsequently trace which one caused an error.
9. Rename file #
Select the desired file and choose Rename or the corresponding function.
Enter the new name and confirm the change.
For example:
config.php
to:
config-alt.php
Renaming can be useful for troubleshooting because it disables a file or prevents it from being used under its original name.
Attention: Renaming a file can immediately disrupt its function. Only use this method if you know what dependencies exist.
Do not accidentally change the file extension #
When renaming, you should pay attention to the file extension.
From:
index.php
shouldn't accidentally:
index
, if the file is still needed as a PHP file.
The same applies to extensions such as:
.html
.css
.js
.jpg
.webp
10. Copy file #
With the copy function, you can place a file in a second location without removing the original.
Select the file, click the copy function, and specify the desired target directory.
This is practical, for example, if you want to create a quick backup of a single file before making a change.
From:
config.php
can you, for example, a copy like:
config-backup.php
create.
Important: A copy within the web directory is not a complete backup of your hosting account. It only helps with minor changes to individual files.
Do not leave backup files publicly accessible indefinitely #
When you create copies of configuration files, you should not leave them permanently unprotected in the publicly accessible directory.
Depending on the file type and server behavior, backup or text copies may contain sensitive information.
Remove temporary copies after completion of work or save them in a suitable, non-publicly accessible location.
Move file #
With the move function, you can move a file or folder to another location within your hosting account.
Highlight the desired entry and then specify the destination directory.
Check the path carefully before confirming the move.
If you remove a file from the document root of the website, it may no longer be available at its previous URL.
Understanding relative and absolute paths #
When working with files, you will often encounter path specifications.
A relative path could be, for example:
images/logo.webp
A server-side full path, on the other hand, can be significantly longer and start from the home directory of your hosting account.
Therefore, when cPanel displays a destination directory while copying or moving, you should make sure whether you are in the expected directory.
12. Upload file #
First, open the folder where the file should be saved.
Then select the function Upload.
Select the desired file on your computer and wait until the upload is completely finished.
Then switch back to the file manager and check if the file is in the correct directory.
We will cover uploading and editing files in even more detail in the next article at Upload, download, and edit files in cPanel.
Do not accidentally overwrite existing file #
If a file with the same name already exists in the destination directory, you should check whether it may be replaced before uploading.
Overwriting a production file can cause immediate changes to your website.
Attention: Do not simply upload a file with an identical name if you still need the existing version. Back it up first or rename it clearly.
13. Download file #
Select the desired file and use the download function.
The file will then be transferred to your computer.
This is suitable, for example, for backing up a local copy of a configuration file before editing it.
Download multiple files better as an archive #
If you want to download numerous files simultaneously, it can be useful to combine them into a ZIP archive first.
This saves you from having to download each file individually.
We show you how to create and extract archives directly in the file manager at Compress and extract ZIP files in cPanel.
14. Delete file #
Highlight the file or folder you want to remove and select Delete.
Check name and path once more before confirming.
Especially with similarly named files, an incorrect selection can quickly lead to an outage.
Important: Do not delete any file if you do not know its function. Names like
index.php,.htaccess,wp-config.phpor directories likewp-contentare among the important components of the WordPress website.
15. Understanding the Recycle Bin #
Depending on the cPanel configuration and the selected deletion option, deleted files may initially end up in a trash folder.
This can make recovery easier as long as the recycle bin hasn't been emptied yet.
cPanel can also offer an option to bypass the trash when deleting.
If you use this option, the file will be deleted immediately and cannot be easily recovered via the file manager's trash bin.
Recommendation: Do not bypass the recycle bin during normal work without a specific reason. The extra level of safety can be very helpful in case of accidental deletion.
Recycle bin needs storage space #
Files in the trash can continue to take up storage space within the hosting account.
If you have deleted large files, but the disk space usage hardly decreases, you should therefore check whether they are still in the Recycle Bin.
Empty the recycle bin only when you are sure that the files it contains are no longer needed.
16. Restore deleted file #
If the file is still in the file manager's trash bin, you can use the corresponding restore function.
Then check whether the file is back in its original location.
If the recycle bin has already been emptied or bypassed during deletion, recovery via this method is no longer possible.
17. Show hidden files #
Certain important files start with a dot and may be hidden by default.
A well-known example is:
.htaccess
If you do not see such a file even though it should be there, you may need to enable the display of hidden files in your file manager.
We will cover the exact procedure under Show hidden files like .htaccess in cPanel.
Why files with a dot are hidden #
On Unix and Linux systems, names starting with a dot are traditionally treated as hidden files or directories.
This does not mean that these files are unimportant.
On the contrary: files like .htaccess can contain central settings of a website.
18. Check file permissions #
In the file manager, you can view or change the permissions of files and folders.
These permissions determine which accesses are allowed for owner, group, and other users.
Typical values for web hosting files are, for example:
644
for many normal files and:
755
for many directories.
However, these values are not a universal rule for every situation.
We cover file permissions in detail under How to correctly set file permissions 644 and 755 in cPanel.
Attention: Do not set permissions globally to
777, just to bypass an access issue. Excessively broad permissions can pose a security risk and often do not fix the root cause.
19. Use modification date and file size #
In addition to the name, the file view often contains further information such as size and modification time.
This information can be very helpful for troubleshooting.
If, for example, a website has stopped working since a change made in the morning, you can check which files were modified around that time.
The modification time does not automatically prove that a file caused the error, but it provides a useful clue.
20. Sort files #
Depending on the file manager, you can sort the view by name, size, or date modified, for example.
This is especially practical if you:
- looking for large files
- want to find recently modified files
- you are searching for a specific file alphabetically
Use these functions before manually working your way through large directories.
What shouldn't you delete indiscriminately in the WordPress directory? #
When doing a WordPress installation, you should particularly avoid changing or deleting core files and directories without a specific reason.
This includes, for example:
wp-admin
wp-includes
wp-content
wp-config.php
index.php
.htaccess
Even individual plugin and theme files can be relevant for the functionality of the website.
Understand wp-content #
In the directory:
wp-content
include, among other things, plugins, themes, and uploads in WordPress.
Typical subdirectories are:
wp-content/plugins
wp-content/themes
wp-content/uploads
The upload directory in particular can become very large over the years.
Do not simply delete images or other media there in the file manager if they are still being used by WordPress content.
Disable plugins via the file manager #
The file manager can be useful for troubleshooting if the WordPress backend is no longer accessible.
For example, a problematic plugin can be temporarily deactivated by specifically renaming its plugin directory.
However, such WordPress-specific repair measures belong in the corresponding WordPress guides and should not be carried out indiscriminately.
.Do not edit .htaccess without a backup #
The file:
.htaccess
may contain redirects, access settings, or WordPress permalink rules, among other things.
A syntax error can lead to a server error, for example.
Therefore, create a copy before making any changes.
We will handle the file separately under .htaccess explained and safely edited.
Do not blindly paste third-party code snippets #
On the internet, you can find numerous guides that recommend putting code into:
.htaccess
wp-config.php
functions.php
or to insert other files.
Only accept such code if you understand what it does and whether it is suitable for your specific server or website configuration.
Safety: Do not execute PHP, shell, or configuration code from an unknown source just because it supposedly „fixes“ a problem immediately.
Do not store sensitive files in public_html #
The web directory is not a general private file storage.
Do not place files there such as:
passwords.txt
customer_list.csv
backup.sql
or retrieve unprotected complete website backups.
Depending on the file type and server configuration, such files could become accessible via the web.
Special protection for SQL backups #
A database export can contain sensitive content of a website.
This may include user information, configurations, orders, or other data.
If you temporarily upload an SQL file to the server, remove it from publicly accessible areas again after completing the necessary work.
Do not store old website versions unprotected in the web directory #
Also directories like:
old website
backup
wordpress-alt
within public_html can be problematic.
Such copies may contain outdated software, configurations, or sensitive data, and may under certain circumstances still be accessible via the web.
Important: An old website copy is not automatically secure just because no menu links to it. If it is located in the publicly accessible document root, it can still be accessed directly.
File manager or FTP – which is better? #
Both methods have their merits.
The cPanel File Manager is particularly convenient for:
- individual changes
- fast uploads
- Configuration files
- ZIP archive
- Working without an additional program
FTP or SFTP can be more convenient if you regularly transfer many files between your local computer and server.
What options are available for your hosting account depends on the respective server configuration.
File manager does not show file #
If you cannot find an expected file, first check whether you are actually in the correct directory.
Also check:
- whether the file is hidden
- whether the correct domain or the correct document root is open
- whether the file name is spelled differently
- whether the file might have been moved
For files like .htaccess you should check in particular the display of hidden files.
Website is no longer working after a change #
If an error occurs immediately after a file modification, you should first check the most recently made change.
If you made a copy before the change, you can restore the previous version.
Do not immediately change several other files, otherwise the actual cause will be harder to trace.
Practical Tip: Make a change, test the website, and only make the next change after that. This makes it much easier to trace errors.
Website shows a 500 error after editing #
A 500 Internal Server Error can occur, among other things, after incorrect changes to configuration files.
If the error occurs immediately after a change to .htaccess or a PHP file has occurred, first restore the previous state.
We will cover a 500 error in detail later under Fixing a 500 Internal Server Error.
Website shows a 403 error #
A 403 Forbidden can be related to access rules or file permissions, among other things.
In this case, do not simply set all files and folders to maximum permissions.
We cover systematic troubleshooting under Fix 403 Forbidden.
Download files before making changes #
For minor changes, a simple approach is often sufficient:
- Select affected file.
- Download the file to your computer.
- Make changes in the cPanel editor.
- Test the website or function.
- Restore the backed-up original file in case of an error.
With that, you have a quick way back, at least for this single file.
A file copy is not a substitute for a full backup #
A website often consists of more than just files.
Content management systems like WordPress also use a database.
A copy of public_html alone is therefore not automatically a complete backup of a dynamic website.
Important: File backup and full website backup are not the same. For a complete restoration, additional databases and further configuration data may be necessary.
Check storage space usage by large files #
If your hosting account is using a lot of storage, the file manager can help you find unusually large files.
Sort the view by file size or check particularly large archives, backups, log files, or media.
Delete large files only after checking their purpose.
Remove large ZIP backups after use #
Temporarily created archives can require significant storage space.
For example, if you compress a large website directory and then download the archive, the ZIP file will remain on the server until you remove it.
Therefore, check after completion of the work whether temporary archives are still needed.
Do not clean up system directories #
If you want to free up storage space, do not indiscriminately delete directories outside of your known website files.
The cPanel account contains technical folders used by hosting, mail, or other system functions.
If you do not know a folder, check its purpose before modifying it.
Recommended procedure for changes in the file manager #
- Check if you are working in the correct directory.
- Uniquely identify the correct file.
- Back up important files before making a change.
- Change only what is strictly necessary.
- Save the change.
- Test the website or function immediately.
- In case of an error, restore the previous state.
- Remove temporary copies and archives after completion of the work.
Basic rule: The file manager gives you direct access to important website files. Therefore, work in a targeted and traceable manner rather than following the „trial and error“ approach.
When should you contact support? #
If you are not sure which file or directory needs to be changed, you should not indiscriminately delete system or website files.
For a targeted analysis, the following information is particularly helpful:
- affected domain
- affected file path
- which change was made
- approximate time of the change
- which error occurs afterwards
- if applicable, the exact error message
Do not share passwords or access credentials within a standard error description.
Summary #
You can find the file manager in your CURIAWEB cPanel under Files → File Manager.
With this, you can create, view, edit, upload, download, copy, move, and delete files and folders directly in the browser.
In traditional cPanel configurations, the publicly accessible files of the main website are often located under public_html. However, different document roots can be used for multiple domains.
Create a backup before making changes to important files and work especially carefully with files like .htaccess, wp-config.php as well as PHP files. Do not set file permissions globally to 777 and do not delete any unknown system directories.
Use the recycle bin as an additional security layer and remove temporary backups, archives, or sensitive files from publicly accessible directories after completing the work.
For individual changes, the cPanel File Manager is a very practical tool. For extensive file transfers, on the other hand, an FTP connection can be more convenient.
