New to cPanel? This quick tour of the cPanel dashboard shows you what's on the screen and where the everyday tools live. Our server uses the current cPanel Jupiter interface, so what you see here matches your account.
The cPanel home page at a glance
When you log in, you land on the Tools page. It has four main areas:
- The top bar - search, notifications and your user menu.
- The main menu - a narrow menu on the left side of the screen.
- The tool groups - the big middle area, with every tool sorted into groups.
- The side panels - General Information and Statistics on the right (they move below the tools on a phone or small window).
The top bar
- Search box - type what you want ("email", "php", "redirect") and click the result. Press the
/key on your keyboard to jump straight into it. - Notifications bell - a red dot means there's a message, warning or error for your account, such as an SSL problem or a nearly full disk. Click the bell to read it.
- User menu - click your username or the user icon to change your password, language and contact details, reset the page layout (Reset Page Settings) or Log Out.
The main menu
The left-hand menu appears on every cPanel page. Click Tools to get back to the home page from anywhere, or click the cPanel logo. Some entries in this menu are optional features; if you click one that isn't part of your plan, it simply won't be available.
The tool groups
Each group holds related tools. The ones most customers use are:
| Group | What it's for | Popular tools |
|---|---|---|
| Mailboxes and mail settings | Email Accounts, Forwarders, Email Filters, Email Deliverability, Track Delivery | |
| Files | Your website files and backups | File Manager, FTP Accounts, Directory Privacy, JetBackup 5 |
| Databases | MySQL databases for WordPress and other apps | Manage My Databases, Database Wizard, phpMyAdmin |
| Domains | Your domain, subdomains, redirects, DNS and WordPress | Domains, Redirects, Zone Editor, Dynamic DNS, WordPress Management (WP Toolkit) |
| Metrics | Traffic and usage | Visitors, Errors, Bandwidth, Raw Access, Awstats, Resource Usage |
| Security | Keeping the account safe | SSL/TLS Status, SSL/TLS, SSL/TLS Certificates, Two-Factor Authentication, SSH Access, Hotlink Protection |
| Software | PHP settings | MultiPHP Manager, MultiPHP INI Editor |
| Advanced | Power-user tools | Cron Jobs, Terminal, Error Pages, Indexes, LiteSpeed Web Cache Manager |
| Preferences | Your cPanel login and settings | Password & Security, Change Language, Contact Information, Account Preferences, User Manager |
Tools that aren't part of your plan are hidden, so you only see what you can use. If you can't spot a tool, use the search box - it's the quickest way to find anything.
You can reorder the groups: click a group's title bar and drag it up or down. Put the ones you use most at the top. To undo your changes, use Reset Page Settings in the user menu.
The General Information panel
This panel shows useful account details at a glance:
- Current User - your cPanel username.
- Primary Domain - your website's domain, with a link showing whether its SSL certificate is valid.
- Shared IP Address - the server IP your site uses.
- Home Directory - the top folder of your account, for example
/home/exampleco. Your website files live inpublic_htmlinside it. - Last Login IP Address - check this now and then. If you don't recognize it, change your password.
The Statistics panel
The Statistics panel lists how much of your plan you're using: disk space, bandwidth, databases, email accounts, FTP accounts, and CPU, memory and entry processes. A warning icon appears when something reaches 80% of its limit, and the infinity symbol means unlimited. Only features included in your plan are listed.
Common questions
My cPanel looks different from screenshots I found online
Older guides often show the retired Paper Lantern or x3 themes. Jupiter is the only theme on the Instant Access Internet Services server. Tool names are mostly the same, so search for the tool name instead of following old screenshots.
Where are Addon Domains, Subdomains and Aliases?
cPanel merged them into a single Domains tool. On standard plans you can create subdomains there; addon and alias domains aren't included (each account hosts one website/domain).
Where is Webmail?
Open Email > Email Accounts and click Check Email next to a mailbox, or go to https://example.com/webmail.
Related guides
- How to Use the cPanel Search Bar and Keep Favorite Tools Handy
- Understanding cPanel Statistics: Disk Space, Bandwidth and Databases
- cPanel Resource Usage Explained: CPU, Memory and Entry Process Limits
- One Website Per Account: What Your Hosting Plan Includes
Still stuck? Open a support ticket and the Instant Access Internet Services team will help.
