How to Upload a Website via File Manager or FTP in cPanel

Estimated reading: 3 minutes

Overview

Once your hosting account is active, the next step is getting your website files online. cPanel gives you two easy ways to do this: the built-in File Manager (no software needed) or FTP using a client like FileZilla. This guide covers both methods.

Method 1: Upload via cPanel File Manager

File Manager is the quickest option for small uploads and is available directly inside cPanel with no extra software.

  1. Log in to your cPanel account.
  2. In the Files section, click File Manager.
  3. Navigate to the public_html folder (this is the root of your website).
  4. Click Upload in the top toolbar.
  5. Drag and drop your files, or click Select File to browse your computer.
  6. Wait for the upload to complete, then close the upload window.
  7. Your files are now live — visit your domain to confirm.

💡 Tip: If you are uploading a ZIP archive, you can right-click it inside File Manager and choose Extract to unzip it directly on the server.

Method 2: Upload via FTP (FileZilla)

FTP is better for large uploads, bulk file transfers, or syncing files regularly. FileZilla is a free FTP client that works on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Step 1 — Find your FTP credentials

  • Host: your domain name (e.g., yourdomain.com) or your server IP address
  • Username: your cPanel username
  • Password: your cPanel password
  • Port: 21 (standard FTP) or 22 (SFTP — more secure)

Step 2 — Connect in FileZilla

  1. Open FileZilla and click File → Site Manager.
  2. Click New Site, enter a name, and fill in your credentials.
  3. Set Protocol to SFTP (recommended) and click Connect.
  4. Accept the host key if prompted.

Step 3 — Upload your files

  1. On the right panel (remote site), navigate to /public_html/.
  2. On the left panel (local site), navigate to your website files on your computer.
  3. Select the files you want to upload and drag them to the right panel.
  4. Wait for the transfer to finish — FileZilla shows progress at the bottom.

Where to Upload Your Files

ScenarioUpload to
Main website (primary domain)/public_html/
Addon domain/public_html/addondomain.com/
Subdomain/public_html/subdomain/

Common Issues

  • Site shows old files: Clear your browser cache or wait a few minutes.
  • FTP connection refused: Double-check your credentials. Try port 22 (SFTP) instead of 21.
  • Files uploaded but site is blank: Make sure your index.html or index.php file is directly inside public_html, not in a subfolder.
  • Permission errors: Most files should be set to 644 and folders to 755. You can change permissions via File Manager by right-clicking a file and selecting Change Permissions.

Still having trouble? Open a support ticket and our team will help you out.

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