{"id":361,"date":"2020-07-13T13:43:34","date_gmt":"2020-07-13T11:43:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/?p=361"},"modified":"2020-07-13T13:43:34","modified_gmt":"2020-07-13T11:43:34","slug":"how-to-use-cpanel-start-to-finish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/interwebdev.co.za\/index.php\/2020\/07\/13\/how-to-use-cpanel-start-to-finish\/","title":{"rendered":"How to use cPanel &#8211; Start to Finish"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019ve just signed up for a new web server with InterWeb SA, you&#8217;re going to run on cPanel. Saying that something like 90% of all web hosting companies uses cPanel wouldn\u2019t be an overstatement. So this is where the following cPanel tutorial comes into play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In it, you\u2019ll learn:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>How to use cPanel<\/li><li>How to configure your domain name in cPanel<\/li><li>How to set up your website with cPanel in mere minutes<\/li><li>and more<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Why should you read&nbsp;<em>this<\/em>&nbsp;cPanel tutorial?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Here at <a href=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\">InterWeb SA<\/a>, testing different hosting platforms is something we do for a living. We know this stuff.<\/li><li>Many other guides on the web tend to be super-technical, but not ours. You don\u2019t need any prior knowledge or server management skills to learn with us.<\/li><li>We wrote this cPanel tutorial with the newbie in mind.<\/li><li>You can use CTRL+F to find answers to common questions.<\/li><li>This guide is updated for modern versions of cPanel 2019.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Table of Contents<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1.\u00a0cPanel \u2013 The Basics<br>2.\u00a0A Quick Intro to the cPanel Interface<br>3.\u00a0Updating Your Preferences (Passwords, Contacts, etc.)<br>4.\u00a0Managing Domain Names (Adding, Removing, etc.)<br>5.\u00a0Email Accounts and Settings (Spam Filters, Additional Email Accounts)<br>6.\u00a0Managing Your Files (via FTP)<br>7.\u00a0Databases<br>8.\u00a0One-Click Installs (WordPress and Others)<br>9.\u00a0Backing Up Your Website<br>10.\u00a0Checking Your Stats<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Along the way, we\u2019ll also give you some helpful tips and tricks that will make managing your website much easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"basics\">1. cPanel Tutorial \u2013 The Basics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Pssst\u2026 If you already know what cPanel is and you\u2019ve logged in, skip to the next section&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/hostingfacts.com\/beginners-guide-to-cpanel\/#intro\">by clicking here<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 you won\u2019t miss a thing.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1.1. What is cPanel?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 In simple terms,\u00a0<strong>it\u2019s a control panel where you can manage every element of your web hosting account.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Web hosting companies like to make cPanel available to their customers for a few key reasons: it\u2019s a simple-to-use dashboard, it\u2019s well-maintained with regular updates, improvements, and security measures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1.2. What Can I Do in cPanel?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A lot\u2026 cPanel is where you\u2019ll come to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Connect domain names to your hosting<\/li><li>Set up emails for your site<\/li><li>Install WordPress (or another content management system)<\/li><li>Back up your website<\/li><li>Upload files to your server<\/li><li>Check your bandwidth and other usage stats<\/li><li>Change various security settings<\/li><li>Install add-on apps on your server<\/li><li>Create new databases \/ manage existing ones<\/li><li>Set up various optimizations<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And a whole lot more \u2013 we\u2019re really just scratching the surface here. Don\u2019t be intimidated, though. While cPanel does offer you a huge volume of features and customizations to take care of, you don\u2019t really have to understand them all in order to manage your website effectively. We\u2019re going to cover everything in this guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1.3. How Do I Log In to cPanel?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If this is your first time logging in, your hosting provider should have provided you with the necessary username and password.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 \u00a0<strong>InterWeb SA links to your cPanel once you\u2019ve signed into your hosting account.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, if you\u2019re hosting with <a href=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\">us<\/a>, you can access cPanel from your Client Area in the \u201cServices\u201d tab:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/dash-1024x598.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-280\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you can\u2019t find a direct link in your hosting provider\u2019s panel, you can either contact support and ask them how to access cPanel, or you can do some sniffing around and try to guess the correct cPanel address. This sounds far-fetched at first, but it\u2019s actually very doable. Here\u2019s how:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fire up your browser and enter your website address followed by&nbsp;<code>:2082<\/code>&nbsp;(for http) or&nbsp;<code>:2083<\/code>&nbsp;(for https). For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.YOURDOMAIN.com:2082\">http:\/\/www.YOURDOMAIN.com:2082<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Or:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.YOURDOMAIN.com:2083\">https:\/\/www.YOURDOMAIN.com:2083<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll then be asked to enter your cPanel username and password.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1.4. What if I Need More Help?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This guide explains all the basics and gives you step-by-step instructions for tackling some of the most common tasks like setting up websites, email accounts, and domain names. If you need a bit more help, cPanel has some video tutorials of its own&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cpanel.net\/products\/cpanelwhm\/cpanel11\/tutorials.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s also LOTS of documentation available on every page within cPanel itself, usually listed along the top. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/cpanel-docs-1024x173-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-365\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"intro\">2. A Quick Intro to the cPanel Interface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you\u2019ve logged in, you should see a screen similar to this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/cpanel-1024x491.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-364\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the newest version of cPanel for 2020. It uses a theme called \u201cPaper Lantern\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2.1. My cPanel Interface Looks Different! Now What?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, don\u2019t panic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To change the style of your cPanel, find the \u201cPREFERENCES\u201d section (it\u2019s usually near the bottom) and click on \u201cChange Style\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/change-style-1024x334-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-366\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll have a few choices there based on what your host makes available. In our case, the selection comprises of the Basic, Dark, Light, and Retro styles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To work on the same theme we\u2019re working on, choose \u201cBasic\u201d by clicking the \u201cApply\u201d button in the top right corner next to the style. cPanel will reload with the new style applied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2.2. Getting Around the cPanel Interface<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Navigation Bar<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can find the navigation bar in the top right corner of the screen. In it, there\u2019s a simple search field, a link to your user preferences, a notifications bell, and the logout link.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/navigation-bar-1024x102-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-367\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The search field allows you to find the key options within cPanel. Actually, using the search field is a much quicker way to navigate around cPanel than trying to browse around and get to a certain option manually. The search field starts presenting you with results immediately as you type.<\/li><li>By clicking on the user preferences link, you can change your password, language, edit your contact information, and you can also reset the page settings with one click.<\/li><li>The notifications bell is just what it sounds \u2013 a place where you can see essential updates about your hosting setup or cPanel itself. Usually, cPanel uses notifications to let you know about news, critical updates, security concerns or other must-know information.<\/li><li>The logout link is pretty self-explanatory \u2013 remember to use it every time you\u2019ve finished working with cPanel.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Search Bar<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One additional search field \u2013 apart from the one in the navigation bar \u2013 is visible at the very top of the page right below the navigation bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This one works pretty similarly, but this time, instead of showing you results inside a drop-down, it\u2019s going to filter out the center part of cPanel. Just punch in what you\u2019re after, and cPanel will dig it up for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/cpanel-search-1024x443-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-369\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sidebar<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the left side of your screen, you\u2019ll see a sidebar with a couple of icons \u2013 the exact number depends on what your host makes available for you. In our case, from the top down, these stand for Home, Statistics, Dashboard, and User Management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/word-image-26.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-370\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Home&nbsp;<\/strong>is the primary page of cPanel where you can access most of the functions.<\/li><li><strong>Statistics&nbsp;<\/strong>show you a range of important numbers \u2013 how many email accounts, file transfer protocol (FTP) accounts and domain names you have, as well as how much bandwidth and disk space you\u2019re using.<\/li><li><strong>The dashboard&nbsp;<\/strong>is a quick reference page where you\u2019ll find links to some of the most commonly used links, as well as at-a-glance look at your bandwidth and disk space usage, mail statistics and more.<\/li><li><strong>User Management&nbsp;<\/strong>is where you can add or remove users from your cPanel account. You can also see which email accounts you\u2019ve set up, as well as who has access to your FTP and web disk in case you\u2019re sharing an account with other users or admins.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2.3. Reorganizing cPanel\u2019s Homepage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can collapse sections by clicking on the \u201c-\u201d sign in the top right corner of each homepage section to minimize it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/cpanel-reorg-1024x564-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-371\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you like to, you can also drag and drop entire sections to reorganize them and put the most commonly used ones near the top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"preferences\">3. Updating Your Preferences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you first log in to cPanel, make sure you visit the \u201cPREFERENCES\u201d section to update your contact information and change your password.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/preferences-1024x335-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-372\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s how to do this step by step:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3.1. Changing Your Password<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We strongly recommend changing your password as soon as you log in to cPanel for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Click on \u201cPassword &amp; Security\u201d. You\u2019ll be taken to this screen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/pass-change-1024x653-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-373\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll have to enter your old password before choosing a new one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When it comes to setting up a new password, you can either take advantage of the Password Generator or come up with something on your own. Using the Password Generator is likely the right way to go, as it will give you a strong and secure password. Just click the button and let the generator take care of the rest:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/pass-gen.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-374\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The best way to save that password is to use a password manager (like&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lastpass.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LastPass<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 free). That way, you don\u2019t have to memorize the password. No matter what you do, DON\u2019T save your password in a Word file or something similar on your computer \u2013 where it could be easily discovered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3.2. Updating Your Contact Information<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the most important things you must do in cPanel is to provide an email where you can receive updates when needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Why this step is crucial:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Without a working email set in this section, cPanel won\u2019t be able to communicate with you should anything significant happen with your configuration.<\/li><li>You also must set the email address to one that\u2019s not attached to any domain name that you\u2019re hosting in&nbsp;<em>this<\/em>&nbsp;cPanel; otherwise, in case anything happens with your config, that domain might get compromised as well, hence making any attempt at communicating with you impossible.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To get to these settings, click on \u201cContact Information\u201d to reach the following screen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/contact-information-1024x887-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-375\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We recommend having all the boxes under \u201cContact Preferences\u201d checked, as they\u2019re all updates that could alert you to suspicious activities (e.g someone else changing your password) or a hosting problem (e.g disk space being used up).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3.3. Adding a New User<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s say you want to work with someone to help you manage your websites, or you have a trusted business partner who also needs access to the hosting setup. That person will require their own user profile in cPanel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To do that, click on the \u201cUser Manager\u201d icon that\u2019s in the same \u201cPREFERENCES\u201d section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/user-manager-1024x238-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-376\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You will be taken to the following screen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/cpanel-users-1024x418-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-377\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In that section, you can see all accounts that are currently set in your cPanel. There are three icons next to each account (you can see them in the screenshot above):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>\u2709\ufe0f the envelope icon indicates if the person has an email account set up in the system \u2013 if the icon is colored then there is an email account set up; if it\u2019s grayed out, then there\u2019s none<\/li><li>\ud83d\ude9a the truck icon indicates if the person has an FTP account \u2013 again, colored for yes, and grayed out for no<\/li><li>\ud83d\udcbe the disk icon indicates if the user can use the web disk services that are part of cPanel<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can easily edit any user there, change their password or delete them with the options listed below the account name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To add a new user, click on the \u201cAdd User\u201d button in the top right corner:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/add-user-1024x165-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-379\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll then be taken to the following screen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/add-user-2-1024x962-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-378\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll add the user\u2019s full name, the username, the domain that the new user should be associated with, and if you want, an alternative email that the user can be reached at. You\u2019ll also be asked to create a password for the user.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just below these fields, you\u2019ll find a section called \u201cServices\u201d where you can take care of a handful of key settings. Interestingly, they correspond to the three icons that we described just a couple of paragraphs above:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/add-user-3-1024x315-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-380\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Email<\/strong>&nbsp;allows you to enable\/disable email accounts for the new user and also set a limit for how much space each account can have.<\/li><li><strong>FTP<\/strong>&nbsp;allows you to enable\/disable accounts from being able to access your hosting setup via FTP. FTP can be used to upload files to your website. You can choose what directory the new user will have access to, and limit the space they can use.<\/li><li><strong>Web Disk<\/strong>&nbsp;permissions should be reserved for your top-level admin accounts only. \u201cRead-Write\u201d level access gives the user full permissions to do pretty much whatever they wish within the specified directory (including deleting files)! \u201cRead-Only\u201d only permits reading, downloading, and listing files.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you\u2019ve finished with these settings, click on \u201cCreate\u201d or \u201cCreate and Add Another User\u201d at the bottom of the settings page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"domains\">4. Managing Domain Names<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The \u201cDOMAINS\u201d section of cPanel is your go-to place when you want to add a new domain name (the one you\u2019ve just purchased) to your hosting account, manage your existing domains, as well as set up subdomains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/domains-1024x238-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-381\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4.1. Adding a New Domain Name<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To add a domain name to your cPanel (and thus, your hosting package), you\u2019ll need to click on \u201cAddon Domains\u201d in the \u201cDOMAINS\u201d section shown above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An addon domain is a fancy name for a standard domain name that you can use to create a fully-functional website \u2013 meaning you can host multiple domain names from the same control panel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the \u201cAddon Domains\u201d screen, you\u2019ll be asked to enter your new domain name plus a couple of other parameters:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/add-domain-1024x480-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-382\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>New Domain Name<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 the exact domain name that you\u2019ve registered \u2013 minus the&nbsp;<code>www.<\/code>&nbsp;part.<\/li><li><strong>Subdomain<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 this will be filled out automatically as soon as you enter your new domain name into the field above. It\u2019s best to leave that intact. cPanel uses this for some internal routing that doesn\u2019t have much relevance from a user point of view.<\/li><li><strong>Document Root<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 the location on the server where your new domain\u2019s files will be. This is also filled out automatically. It\u2019s best to stick with these recommended settings.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Click on \u201cAdd Domain\u201d to finish up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4.2. Editing\/Removing a Domain Name<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On that same \u201cAddon Domains\u201d screen, there\u2019s a section called \u201cModify Addon Domain\u201d where you can take care of any domains currently assigned to your account \u2013 this includes managing them, setting redirections, or removing domains completely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/addon-domains-1024x325-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-383\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The usage here is straightforward. There are links for removing and managing the redirections on the right. Clicking on any of them will show you another settings panel where you can confirm the deletion or enter the destination that you want to redirect the domain to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4.3. Managing Subdomains<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every time you add a new domain to your account (covered above), cPanel will also create a corresponding subdomain to go alongside. Here\u2019s how that usually works, based on an example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s say your cPanel account name is&nbsp;<code>john<\/code>&nbsp;and the host is called&nbsp;<code>greathost.com<\/code>. In that case, your primary server domain is going to be&nbsp;<code>john.greathost.com<\/code>. Once you add a new addon domain, say,&nbsp;<code>johnsworld.com<\/code>, cPanel will also create a subdomain called&nbsp;<code>johnsworld.john.greathost.com<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, what\u2019s unfortunate about such a setup is that this new subdomain often holds a carbon copy of your normal website that\u2019s available under&nbsp;<code>johnsworld.com<\/code>. In other words, you get the same website available twice, under two addresses:&nbsp;<code>johnsworld.com<\/code>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<code>johnsworld.john.greathost.com<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is not ideal from an SEO point of view. To fix that, what you should do is redirect that new subdomain to your standard domain. To say it another way, after doing that, whoever tries to go to&nbsp;<code>johnsworld.john.greathost.com<\/code>&nbsp;will be automatically redirected to&nbsp;<code>johnsworld.com<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s how to do that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, click on \u201cSubdomains\u201d from the \u201cDOMAINS\u201d section:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/subdomains-1024x220-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-384\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll be taken to a panel where you can see all of your current subdomains that have been set up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At this stage, the \u201cRedirection\u201d column is likely blank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/subdomains-blank-redirect-1024x198-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-385\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To edit that, click on the \u201cManage Redirection\u201d link next to the subdomain you want to edit. On the next screen, set up the redirection by entering the full domain name that you want to redirect to. In our example, that\u2019s&nbsp;<code>johnsworld.com<\/code>. Click on \u201cSave\u201d when done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/subdomain-set-redirection.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-386\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Creating Custom Subdomains<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Subdomains are not only about causing minor inconveniences but also about letting you expand certain areas of your site in a creative way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, if you want to launch a new blog as part of your website, a good approach is to do that under a subdomain. For instance, if your main website is, again, at&nbsp;<code>johnsworld.com<\/code>, then you could consider launching a blog under&nbsp;<code>blog.johnsworld.com<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this case,&nbsp;<code>blog<\/code>&nbsp;is just an example. You have full freedom to choose whatever subdomain you want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can create a custom subdomain on the same screen where you took care of managing the existing ones. Just fill out the form that\u2019s at the top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/subdomain-form-1024x534-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-387\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Subdomain<\/strong>. The name of the subdomain you want to set. Keep it short, and use only letters, dashes and numbers.<\/li><li><strong>Domain<\/strong>. The parent domain for the new subdomain.<\/li><li><strong>Document Root<\/strong>. The directory\/folder on the server where the new subdomain\u2019s files will be kept. It\u2019s a good practice to input your full subdomain there. Example:&nbsp;<code>blog.johnsworld.com<\/code>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Click on \u201cCreate\u201d to finalize the subdomain setup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"emails\">5. Email Accounts and Settings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the great things about keeping your domain name with a cPanel-enabled web host is that you also get the possibility to create custom email accounts for that domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This all happens in the \u201cEMAIL\u201d section of cPanel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/email-1024x460-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-388\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As you can see, there\u2019s plenty of tools there \u2013 from creating new emails, setting forwarders, autoresponders, taking care of spam, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5.1. Setting Up an Email Account<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Naturally, this is the first thing you will want to do. To add a new email account to your domain, click on \u201cEmail Accounts\u201d to be taken to the following screen (make sure you\u2019re on the first tab \u2013 \u201cAdd Email Account\u201d):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/add-email-1024x687-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-389\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From top to bottom, here\u2019s how to get your new account set up:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>In&nbsp;<strong>Email<\/strong>, enter the address you\u2019d like to be reached at \u2013 for example,&nbsp;<code>hello<\/code>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<code>yourname<\/code><\/li><li>In&nbsp;<strong>Domain<\/strong>, select the proper domain name from the drop-down field. If you haven\u2019t added your domain name to cPanel yet, you\u2019ll need to do that first.<\/li><li>In&nbsp;<strong>Password<\/strong>, create a password and make sure it\u2019s a secure one!<\/li><li>In&nbsp;<strong>Mailbox Quota<\/strong>, adjust to make sure your email can work properly. Remember: emails take up space on your server, so you may not want to give everyone unlimited access. However, 1GB (=1024MB) is a reasonable minimum.<\/li><li>Click on \u201cCreate Account\u201d<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you\u2019ve done all of the above, you\u2019ll notice that the email you just created has been added to the list of the existing email accounts in the \u201cEmail Accounts\u201d tab:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/existing-emails-1024x330-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-390\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can manage every element of that account later on \u2013 including the password, quota, and other details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5.2. Using Your Email<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now that you\u2019ve set up an email account \u2013 how do you use it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You have two main options here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Configure the email in an email client \u2013 like Gmail, Apple Mail, Outlook, etc.<\/li><li>Use webmail<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s start with the former:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Configure Your Email Locally<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This step starts a bit counterintuitive, but bear with us. So, to actually configure your email locally, you first need to click on the \u201cAccess Webmail\u201d link that\u2019s visible next to your address in the \u201cEmail Accounts\u201d tab:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/existing-emails-webmail-1024x330-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-391\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This will take you to a new panel. Once there, scroll down to the section labeled \u201cMail Client Automatic Configuration Scripts\u201d. You\u2019ll see something like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/email-configuration-scripts-1024x525-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-392\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s a range of useful links there, all of them with either instructions or ready-made configuration scripts for some of the most popular email clients. If yours is on the list, just click on the link next to it and finish the configuration according to the advice given.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you can\u2019t see your client, or you want to configure your email manually, then below this section is another one labeled \u201cMail Client Manual Settings\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/email-manual-config-1024x386-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-393\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll find all the info you need there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Accessing Your Webmail<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At this point, accessing your webmail is very easy. Click on the \u201cAccess Webmail\u201d link that\u2019s visible next to your address in the \u201cEmail Accounts\u201d tab:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/existing-emails-webmail-1024x330-1-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-394\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once there, click on one of the available webmail clients:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/webmail-1024x421-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-395\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll be taken to your email inbox immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alternatively, you can access your webmail straight from a web browser. Simply navigate to&nbsp;<code>http:\/\/YOURDOMAIN.com\/webmail<\/code>&nbsp;and you\u2019ll be greeted by this screen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/word-image-42.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-396\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Enter the email address and password, and you\u2019re in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5.3. Forwarding Your Email to Another Address<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s say you want to have your emails that arrive at&nbsp;<code>YOUREMAIL@YOURDOMAIN.com<\/code>&nbsp;to be forwarded to another address you already own \u2013 like&nbsp;<code>YOUREMAIL@gmail.com<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, click on \u201cForwarders\u201d to arrive on this screen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/forwarders-1024x366-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-398\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From here, you can either create a simple email forwarder or a more serious forwarder for your whole domain name. We\u2019ll stick with the former here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To forward your email, click on the \u201cAdd Forwarder\u201d button. You\u2019ll see this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/email-forwarders-1024x781-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-397\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s what these fields mean:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Address to Forward<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 here, enter just the user part of the email address that you want to forward. For example, if your email is&nbsp;<code>john@domain.com<\/code>&nbsp;then the user part of it is&nbsp;<code>john<\/code><\/li><li><strong>Domain<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 this is the domain part of the email address that you want to forward. For example, if your email is&nbsp;<code>john@domain.com<\/code>&nbsp;then the domain part of it is&nbsp;<code>domain.com<\/code><\/li><li><strong>Destination<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 you get two options here. However, to effectively redirect your email to an existing other address, select \u201cForward to Email Address\u201d. In the field below, enter the full email address where you want to redirect the messages.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Click on \u201cAdd Forwarder\u201d to set everything up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5.4. Setting Up a Default Address<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Default email addresses are an interesting perk that you get when hosting your email inboxes yourself \u2013 as you do with cPanel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Basically, you have the ability to catch any incoming email that is sent to an invalid email address under your domain name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What this means in practice is that you can use nonexistent email addresses when signing up for various online tools\/services\/profiles and still have those emails get to you no problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s an example; let\u2019s say you have just one email address set up for your domain name, and it\u2019s&nbsp;<code>john@johnsworld.com<\/code>. However, when signing up for Netflix, you don\u2019t want to use that address since you\u2019re worried that it might eventually leak onto the web and get picked up by spambots. In that case, you can just use something like&nbsp;<code>netflix@johnsworld.com<\/code>&nbsp;and still make it work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s how to set that up:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Click on \u201cDefault Address\u201d from the \u201cEMAIL\u201d section in cPanel:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/default-address-1024x279-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-399\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll see this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/default-address-form-1024x612-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-400\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Select your domain name from the drop-down.<\/li><li>Tick the box labeled \u201cForward to Email Address\u201d.<\/li><li>Enter your existing email address into the box below.<\/li><li>Click on the \u201cChange\u201d button.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019re all set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5.5. Setting Up Spam Filters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Everybody hates spam, luckily, with cPanel, you can keep it from ever hitting your inbox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Click on \u201cSpam Filters\u201d to see the available options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/spam-1024x526-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-401\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Depending on the settings that your web host allows, you may or may not be able to do much in this section. The spam filters themselves are often on by default and you cannot disable them (like it is in my case). However, you can still fine-tune how the filters work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first setting to consider is the one labeled \u201cAutomatically Delete New Spam\u201d. While it may seem like a good idea at first, you\u2019re actually better off leaving that one. The issue here is that you can encounter a lot of false positives with spam filters \u2013 emails that are falsely graded as spam. Therefore, you want to be able to take a look into your spam folder every once in a while and have a quick glance if anything there requires your attention. With the auto-deletion turned on, you won\u2019t have this possibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under \u201cAdditional Configurations\u201d, there\u2019s a link to show more options. Once you click on it, you\u2019ll see this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/spam-more-1024x894-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-402\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can experiment with these settings to manually whitelist or blacklist certain email addresses. It\u2019s probably a good idea to whitelist all emails from your company or any other crucial contacts from your network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"files\">6. Managing Your Files<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The \u201cFILES\u201d section of cPanel is your go-to spot for uploading files, backing up your website and managing your files via FTP *.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/files-1024x380-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-403\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>* FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. You can use FTP to manage the files associated with your website \u2013 whether that means uploading, reading or retrieving them. All you need to use FTP is a client application such as&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/filezilla-project.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">FileZilla<\/a>. Alternatively, cPanel also provides you with tools to manage your files without an FTP tool. We\u2019ll cover that next.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6.1. Using the File Manager<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first space you\u2019ll want to get acquainted with within the \u201cFILES\u201d section is the \u201cFile Manager\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The \u201cFile Manager\u201d allows you to manage all of your sites\u2019 files directly from within the cPanel interface rather than having to use a third-party FTP tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Click on the \u201cFile Manager\u201d icon (visible in the screenshot above) to begin. What you\u2019ll see is the central panel of the \u201cFile Manager\u201d. It\u2019ll look something like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/file-manager-1024x459-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-404\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is where you can take care of all the files on your server, therefore you\u2019ll want to proceed with EXTREME caution when making any changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are a couple of quick things to point out on this screen. First, on the left, you\u2019ll find your root (main) folder and some sub-folders (you can see this in the screenshot above).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then, in the middle of the screen, you\u2019ll see the contents of whatever folder you have selected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Knowing this, here are a few things you might want to do:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Create a New Folder<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To create a new folder, simply click on the \u201c+ Folder\u201d button along with the top menu, as shown below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/add-folder-1024x200-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-406\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll then be asked to name your new folder and enter the destination where the folder will be created.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/word-image-50.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-405\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you\u2019re done, click on \u201cCreate New Folder\u201d, and you\u2019re set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Uploading a File Using File Manager<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To add a file \u2013 for example, a large video file that you want people to be able to download, or a full-quality photo you want to use on your site \u2013 you\u2019ll first need to click on the folder where you want to upload the file to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then, just click on the \u201cUpload\u201d button that\u2019s in the top menu:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/upload-1024x198-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-408\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll be asked to drag and drop the file you want to upload, or simply select the file from your local drive:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/upload-2-1024x356-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-407\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udca1&nbsp;<strong>Note<\/strong>; If your website software allows you to upload files from its user interface, do that instead of going to the File Manager in cPanel. Since you\u2019re going to be using those files on your site anyway, it\u2019s just easier to manage things that way \u2013 your website software will \u201csee\u201d the file immediately. If you upload a file via the File Manager or FTP, that might not be the case. WordPress works really well with files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6.2. Access Your Main FTP Account<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Depending on how your web host has set up your cPanel account, you might be able to log in to your main FTP account using the same cPanel login and pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To check if that\u2019s the case, click on \u201cFTP Accounts\u201d from the \u201cFILES\u201d section. Once there, scroll down to \u201cSpecial FTP Accounts\u201d. Your main FTP account should be there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/main-ftp-1024x186-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-409\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By default, the main FTP account will have access to the root folder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6.3. Adding a New FTP Account<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Creating new FTP accounts is a good practice when working with cPanel and launching new projects\/websites on your hosting setup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Having one account per project is a good starting point. The idea is that you give those individual accounts only access to the specific folder they need access to \u2013 not to the whole web server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To create new FTP accounts, click on \u201cFTP Accounts\u201d form the \u201cFILES\u201d section. You\u2019ll see this screen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/ftp-accounts-1024x728-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-410\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s how to fill out that form and create a new account:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Log In<\/strong>. This is the username of the new account.<\/li><li><strong>Domain<\/strong>. The domain name that the new user account will be assigned to. Pick from the drop-down.<\/li><li><strong>Directory<\/strong>. This defines the new FTP account\u2019s highest level of directory access. If you leave this blank, the user will have access to the root. It\u2019s best to input the directory associated with the project that the account is for.<\/li><li><strong>Quota<\/strong>. The maximum space that the new user can take up. Best leave at \u201cUnlimited\u201d.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you click on \u201cCreate FTP Account\u201d, the new user will be added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can manage your existing FTP accounts on the same page, below the new user form:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/manage-ftp-users-1024x237-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-411\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"databases\">7. Databases<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most modern websites cannot exist without a database running quietly behind the curtains and handling the website\u2019s data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In other words, all of your website\u2019s content, all the pages, all the posts, and all the user data is kept in the database.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As you would expect by now, cPanel has a pretty extensive module allowing you to create and manage databases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7.1. Creating a Database<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you want to set up any modern website using a CMS, you\u2019ll need to create a database for it first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The \u201cDATABASES\u201d section of cPanel has a handful of options available:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/databases-1024x287-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-412\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most importantly, cPanel allows you to work with both MySQL and PostgreSQL databases. For the purpose of this guide, we\u2019ll stick to MySQL, but working with PostgreSQL is nearly the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To create a new database, click on \u201cMySQL Database Wizard\u201d in the \u201cDATABASES\u201d section (see above).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once there, you can start setting up your new database.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Step 1<\/strong>: set a name for your database:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/database-name-1024x361-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-415\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Step 2<\/strong>: create a database user that will be used to access the database (this is required in order to work with the database later on):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/database-user-1024x542-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-414\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Step 3<\/strong>: assign the required privileges to that new database user; it\u2019s best to select the option labeled \u201cALL PRIVILEGES\u201d, like so:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/database-privileges-1024x832-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-413\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Step 4<\/strong>: done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At this stage, your new database has been set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To see it, go back to the main page of cPanel and click on \u201cMySQL Databases\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7.2. Managing Databases<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To see all your databases, go to \u201cMySQL Databases\u201d from the \u201cDATABASES\u201d section of cPanel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/current-databases-1024x286-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-417\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each database can be renamed or deleted through the links to the right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Additionally, you can also manage your database users there, a bit further down the page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/current-database-users-1024x258-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-416\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"oneclickinstall\">8. One-Click Installs (WordPress and Others)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The next thing we\u2019re going to show you in this cPanel tutorial is how to install WordPress (and other useful server apps). This will SERIOUSLY speed up the process of getting your website up and running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, locate the \u201cSOFTWARE\u201d section in your cPanel, then click on \u201cSoftaculous Apps Installer\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/software-1024x217-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-418\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The name of this tool is a little deceiving as it\u2019s not just apps you can install but content management systems, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll see a screen like the following, FULL of apps you can install with a handy menu on the left:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/softaculous-1024x587-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-419\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As you can see, Softaculous has every web app imaginable there. As you take a look at the sidebar, there are installers for blogs, microblogs, forums, wikis, e-commerce, and a lot more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can take your time and look around, see what\u2019s available. However, for the purpose of this cPanel tutorial, we\u2019re going to cover how to install the most popular and widely used website platform of them all \u2013 WordPress. Did you know that WordPress runs more than 30% of all websites? Again, that\u2019s&nbsp;<strong>all<\/strong>&nbsp;the websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">8.1. Installing WordPress<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Installing WordPress through Softaculous is super simple. You\u2019ll see the WordPress logo as the first option in the center part of the screen. Put your mouse cursor over that icon and the \u201cInstall\u201d button will appear. Click on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll see a screen like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/softaculous-install-WordPress-1024x708-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-421\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Click the blue \u201cInstall Now\u201d button to begin. Softaculous will show you the following form:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/WordPress-install-form-596x1024-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-420\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s what Softaculous needs you to fill out before a WordPress installation can be performed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The \u201cSoftware Setup\u201d section:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Choose the version you want to install<\/strong>. It\u2019s recommended to always go for the latest available one (the highest number).<\/li><li><strong>Choose Protocol<\/strong>. Best to pick&nbsp;<code>https:\/\/<\/code>&nbsp;if it is available (this allows you to integrate your site with an&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.globalsign.com\/en\/ssl-information-center\/what-is-an-ssl-certificate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SSL certificate<\/a>). If not,&nbsp;<code>http:\/\/<\/code>&nbsp;will do as well.<\/li><li><strong>Choose Domain<\/strong>. This is the domain name that you want to add WordPress. Pick from the drop-down list.<\/li><li><strong>In Directory<\/strong>. Leave this empty if you\u2019re adding WordPress to your domain root \u2013 if you want it to be available under&nbsp;<code>YOURDOMAIN.com<\/code>. If you\u2019re adding WordPress as a blog to an already existing site, you\u2019ll want to set the directory to something like&nbsp;<code>blog<\/code>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<code>news<\/code>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The \u201cSite Settings\u201d section:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Site Name<\/strong>. Enter a name that reflects what your site is called. You can change this later on from within WordPress itself, so you don\u2019t need to spend too much time thinking on it now.<\/li><li><strong>Site Description<\/strong>. You can leave this blank for now. You can adjust this setting from within WordPress later on.<\/li><li><strong>Enable Multisite<\/strong>. Leave unchecked. This is a feature useful only if you\u2019re planning to run more than one WordPress installation on the same domain \u2013 in a multi-site configuration. Fairly advanced stuff.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The \u201cAdmin Account\u201d section:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Admin Username<\/strong>. This one is VERY important! It\u2019s perfectly fine to leave the admin name as&nbsp;<code>admin<\/code>, though you might want to change it to something more complex. You\u2019re going to be a lot more secure with a username like&nbsp;<code>my-dog-likes-cuddles<\/code>. Why? It\u2019s just exceptionally more difficult to guess, hence making it harder for a hacker to break into your site.<\/li><li><strong>Admin Password<\/strong>. Make SURE you use a very strong password consisting of letters, numbers, characters, and capitals. The installer will suggest a secure password for you. You might as well go with that, but remember to save it to a password manager like LastPass. That way you don\u2019t have to memorize it.<\/li><li><strong>Admin Email<\/strong>. Double-check if this is correct.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The \u201cChoose Language\u201d section:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is pretty self-explanatory. Go with the language that matches the target audience of your future website. For example, if you\u2019re in the US, and you want to target a Spanish-speaking audience, select WordPress language as Spanish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The \u201cSelect Plugins(s)\u201d section:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This one is optional. If you want to, you can install some handy plugins right from Softaculous. We\u2019re not going to get into that for now. You can install plugins later on very easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The \u201cAdvanced Options\u201d section:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No need to bother with any of the advanced options for now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The \u201cSelect Theme\u201d section:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Depending on your host\u2019s setup of Softaculous, you might also see the option to pick a WordPress theme to be installed on your site right out of the gate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You don\u2019t need to bother yourself with that now. Choosing a theme is an important step, and it\u2019s actually easier to do later on \u2013 once your WordPress has been fully installed. The theme selection that Softaculous shows you are limited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Feel free to ignore that section for now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you\u2019ve gone through all these options, click on \u201cInstall\u201d to get the installation finalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After a minute or so, Softaculous will let you know that your WordPress has been installed successfully. You\u2019ll also see direct links that you can use to log in to that fresh new installation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Usually, you can log in to your WordPress install by going to&nbsp;<code>YOURDOMAIN.com\/wp-admin\/<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"backup\">9. Backing Up Your Website<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019ve ever had a phone or computer die on you, you know how devastating it can be if you haven\u2019t backed up your data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now imagine the same happening to your website. This is perhaps even worse since it\u2019s very likely your website&nbsp;<em>is<\/em>&nbsp;your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Luckily, cPanel makes it incredibly easy to keep this tragedy from happening by giving you a chance to back up your site manually \u2013 any time you choose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udca1&nbsp;<strong>Note<\/strong>; Some web hosts will handle backups for you automatically. Check with your hosting provider to make sure. Still, learning how to back up manually can prove a valuable skill in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To start a backup, click the \u201cBackup Wizard\u201d icon that\u2019s in the \u201cFILES\u201d section of cPanel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/backup-wizard-1024x381-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-424\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll see this screen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/backup-wizard-2-1024x447-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-423\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Click on the \u201cBack Up\u201d button to start the backing up process. You\u2019ll be shown a screen where you have the option to choose whether you want a full backup (all the files and configurations on your websites) or partial backups (home directory, MySQL databases, email forwarders &amp; filters).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To make it easier, back up your entire account and save it to an external hard drive or another secure location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/backup-type-1024x380-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-422\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once the backup completes, you\u2019ll be able to download it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">9.1. Check Your Disk Space<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some hosting setups come with unlimited disk space, while others do put a cap somewhere. You can check how much of that space you\u2019re using up via cPanel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udca1&nbsp;<strong>Note<\/strong>; It\u2019s important to check your disk space periodically to see what parts of your website are taking up the most room, so you know where to compress or delete unnecessary files if you\u2019re running out of space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To get a general overview of your usage, just take a glance at the right sidebar of cPanel. You\u2019ll see various info on how much disk space you\u2019re consuming, how many databases you\u2019ve set up in total, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/usage-stats.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-427\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To get a more in-depth look, click on the \u201cDisk Usage\u201d icon from the \u201cFILES\u201d section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/disk-usage-1024x382-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-426\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What you\u2019ll see is a nice summary of how much space your different folders are taking up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/disk-usage-2-1024x945-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-425\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also see your quota or limit along the bottom of the first table \u2013 in this case, the quota in the image above is 10,240MB (or 10GB).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s important to note that just because a blue bar is full&nbsp;<strong><em>doesn\u2019t mean&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong>you\u2019ve used up all your space \u2013 all presented figures are relative to the largest directory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"stats\">10. Checking Your Stats<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The final thing that\u2019s worth a look as you\u2019re going through cPanel is the section labeled \u201cMETRICS\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/interwebsa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/metrics-1024x289-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-428\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can find a lot of interesting details there, all informing you about the current status of your server, the number of visits you\u2019re getting, and the overall health of the setup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each of these stats sections presents a slightly different take on your numbers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Visitors<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>Raw Access<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>Awstats<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>Webalizer<\/strong>&nbsp;all focus on the number of visitors your websites have been getting. The presentation varies between each of these sub-sections.<\/li><li><strong>Errors<\/strong>&nbsp;present the most recent entries in your website\u2019s error logs.<\/li><li><strong>Bandwidth<\/strong>&nbsp;allows you to see the bandwidth usage of your hosting setup.<\/li><li><strong>Webalizer FTP<\/strong>&nbsp;show you data on all visits through the FTP protocol.<\/li><li><strong>CPU and Concurrent Connection Usage<\/strong>&nbsp;shows you the volume of machine resources consumed by your hosting setup.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Done and Done<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83c\udfc1 This sums up our cPanel tutorial. We hope you\u2019ve found it helpful. You\u2019ve now gained a full perspective on what cPanel is and how to use it when setting up your hosting environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83c\udf7e Since\u00a0your website\u00a0is probably fully operational by now, all that\u2019s left is to customize it a bit \u2013 with themes and plugins \u2013 and then start creating content to captivate your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83e\udd14 Is there anything else that you\u2019d like to learn about\u00a0cPanel? Don\u2019t hesitate to comment below or reach out to us via the contact page.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019ve just signed up for a new web server with InterWeb SA, you&#8217;re going to run on cPanel. Saying that something like 90% of all web hosting companies uses cPanel wouldn\u2019t be an overstatement. So this is where the following cPanel tutorial comes into play. In it, you\u2019ll learn: How to use cPanel How [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":97,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[68,58,69],"tags":[52,53,54,55,56,8,57,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66],"class_list":["post-361","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beginner-guides","category-guides","category-shared-hosting","tag-co-za","tag-com","tag-affordable","tag-cheap","tag-cpanel","tag-development","tag-domain","tag-hosting","tag-joomla","tag-registration","tag-reseller","tag-shared","tag-south-africa","tag-website","tag-wordpress"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/interwebdev.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/interwebdev.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/interwebdev.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/interwebdev.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/interwebdev.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=361"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/interwebdev.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/interwebdev.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=361"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/interwebdev.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=361"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/interwebdev.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=361"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}