Working with Files in DirectAdmin
The DirectAdmin File Manager is a web-based tool for managing your hosting files without needing a separate FTP client. This guide covers the most common file management tasks you will encounter.
Uploading Files
- Open File Manager and navigate to the destination directory (usually
public_html). - Click the Upload button in the toolbar.
- Click Choose Files or drag and drop files into the upload area.
- Select one or more files from your computer.
- Wait for the upload to complete. A progress bar will show the upload status.
- Click Back to Files or close the upload dialog to return to the file listing.
For large websites, upload a ZIP archive and extract it on the server. This is much faster than uploading individual files.
Extracting Archives
- Upload the ZIP, TAR, or GZ archive to the desired directory.
- Select the archive file by clicking its checkbox.
- Click the Extract button in the toolbar.
- Choose the destination directory for the extracted files.
- Click Extract to unpack the archive.
Editing Files
- Navigate to the file you want to edit.
- Click on the file name or select it and click Edit.
- The built-in text editor will open with the file contents.
- Make your changes in the editor.
- Click Save to write the changes to disk.
Always create a backup copy of a file before editing it. You can do this by selecting the file and using Copy to create a duplicate with a different name, such as
file.php.bak.Moving and Renaming Files
- To rename a file, select it and click Rename. Enter the new name and confirm.
- To move a file, select it and click Move. Enter or browse to the destination path.
- To copy a file, select it and click Copy. Specify the new location and filename.
Deleting Files
Select one or more files using the checkboxes, then click Delete. Confirm the deletion when prompted. Deleted files cannot be recovered unless you have a backup.