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Most of our Linux servers use the cPanel control panel. You can use the control panel for a wide range of tasks, including creating email accounts and making backups. This article gives an overview of the control panel. Other articles in the cPanel section look at how you can use the control panel to do specific tasks.
If you are new to cPanel and you find the control panel a little overwhelming, we are happy to talk you through how to use the control panel. Please either call us on 0800 107 7979 or submit a ticket and we will arrange a session at a time that suits you.
When you log into cPanel you see the control panel’s home page. Below the navigation bar at the top you see various sections, including Files, Databases, Domains and Email (if you have an email-only hosting package there will be fewer items). In the sidebar you see general information and statistics about your hosting package.
Image: cPanel’s home screen.
The navigation bar includes a search field which you can use to quickly find the option you are looking for. If you want to, say, change your user password then a search for the word “password” will get you to the right place.
You can also use the search field just under the navigation bar. This search function returns the same results but they are presented differently. Instead of a list with options cPanel filters out the menu items relevant to your search.
Image: cPanel’s alternative search menu.
Next to the search field in the navigation bar you see your user name. When you click on your user name you get a drop-down menu with a number of items related to your user account. Among others you can reset your user password (via the Password & Security option) and change the look and feel of the control panel (Change Style).
One option worth highlighting is Contact Information. When there is an issue with your hosting account – for instance, if you have nearly run out of disk space or bandwidth – the system sends an email to the address(es) shown in this section. By default the email address is the address you entered when you bought the hosting package. If needed, you can change the email address in this section.
The General Information box in the sidebar provides a few bits of useful information:
The Server Information link takes you to a page that provides useful information about the hosting environment. Among others, the page shows the version of PHP and MySQL/MariaDB the server is running. Note that the PHP version can be changed – there are always multiple versions available.
The Statistics box provides an overview of the resources used by your hosting package. Among others, it lists how many addon domains, subdomains, email accounts and databases you are using, as well as how many you have available.
You also see information about how much disk space and bandwidth you are using:
It is worth noting that all our hosting packages have pre-defined resources. If you need more resources, you can upgrade your hosting package at any time. You can do so via your billing account or by opening a ticket.