There are two easy ways to put your website files on your hosting account. Use File Manager for a handful of files or a single zip, and FTP if you're moving lots of files or updating often.
Where your website files go
Your main domain's website lives in the public_html folder. Your home page should be a file called index.html or index.php inside it.
Addon domains and subdomains have their own folders. You can see each one's folder in cPanel under Domains.
Before replacing anything, download a copy of what's already there — just in case.
Option 1: cPanel File Manager
- Log in to cPanel and open Files > File Manager.
- Open the
public_htmlfolder (double-click it). - Click Upload, then drag your files in or click Select File.
- When the progress bars are green, click Go Back to "/home/…/public_html".
Tip for many files: zip your website on your computer first, upload the single .zip file, then right-click it in File Manager and choose Extract. Delete the .zip afterwards so it doesn't use up disk space.
To see files starting with a dot (like .htaccess), click Settings at the top right and tick Show Hidden Files (dotfiles).
Option 2: FTP (FileZilla or similar)
Create an FTP login
- In cPanel, open Files > FTP Accounts.
- Enter a login name and a strong password.
- Set the Directory — for your main website, use
public_html. (Each FTP account can only see its own folder, which is handy for giving a web designer limited access.) - Click Create FTP Account.
Connect
In your FTP app, use:
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Host | your domain, e.g. yourdomain.com |
| Protocol | FTP — Require explicit FTP over TLS |
| Port | 21 |
| Username | the full FTP login, e.g. [email protected] |
| Password | the FTP account password |
In FileZilla: File > Site Manager > New Site, enter the details above, then Connect. Drag files from your computer (left) into public_html (right).
If FileZilla shows an "unknown certificate" notice the first time, check the certificate details look like they belong to your hosting provider. If you're unsure, open a ticket before accepting.
Good to know
- Disk space: your website, email and backups all share your plan's disk space. You can see usage on the right-hand side of cPanel.
- Website builders and WordPress: if you're using WordPress, see our WordPress guides instead of uploading files by hand.
- Need a hand? We can help with hosting-side questions, like where files go or why a page shows an error. The website's own content and code are yours to manage — but we'll always point you in the right direction. Open a ticket at https://clients.cidhosting.net/submitticket.php.
