FTP Accounts

Create dedicated FTP accounts in cPanel to give yourself or others secure file access with specific directory restrictions.

Creating an FTP Account

Log into cPanel and scroll to the Files section.
Click FTP Accounts.
In the Add FTP Account form, enter a username. This will be combined with your domain to create the full login (e.g., uploads@yourdomain.com).
Enter a strong password or click Generate to create one automatically. The strength meter should show Very Strong.
Set the Directory field to control which folder this account can access. By default, cPanel fills in /home/username/uploads. Change this as needed:
- /public_html — full website access
- /public_html/uploads — restricted to an uploads folder
- / — full home directory access (use with caution)
Set a Quota in megabytes, or select Unlimited.
Click Create FTP Account.

Note FTP accounts are restricted to the directory you specify and everything below it. They cannot navigate above their assigned directory. This is useful for giving clients or collaborators access to only the files they need.

Managing Existing Accounts

All FTP accounts are listed at the bottom of the FTP Accounts page. From there you can:

Change Password

Find the account in the list and click Change Password.
Enter the new password and click Change Password to confirm.

Change Quota

Click Change Quota next to the account.
Enter the new quota in megabytes or select Unlimited.
Click Change Quota to save.

Delete an Account

Click Delete next to the account you want to remove.
Confirm the deletion. This removes FTP access only — it does not delete any files on the server.

Special Accounts

You will see some accounts in the list that cannot be deleted:

Your main cPanel account — This always exists and has full access to your home directory. Its credentials match your cPanel login.
Anonymous FTP — Disabled by default on shared hosting for security reasons.

Warning Never share your main cPanel FTP credentials. If someone else needs file access, create a separate FTP account with restricted directory access and a unique password.

Connection Details

Once an account is created, use these settings in your FTP client:

Host: ftp.yourdomain.com
Port: 21
Username: The full username shown in the account list (e.g., uploads@yourdomain.com)
Password: The password you set during creation
Encryption: Use Explicit TLS for a secure connection

Tip You can also click Configure FTP Client next to any account in the list. cPanel will provide ready-made configuration files for popular FTP clients.