cPanel File Manager can download single files, but not whole folders. The trick is to compress the folder into a ZIP file first, then download that one file. This guide shows you how to compress and download a folder in cPanel - handy for grabbing a copy of your website, a folder of images, or files a developer asked for.
How to compress a folder in cPanel
- In cPanel, go to Files > File Manager.
- Browse to the folder you want. To download your entire website, open your home folder and select
public_html; to download only part of it, openpublic_htmland select the folder inside it. - Click the folder once to select it. To include several items, hold Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) and click each one.
- Click Compress in the toolbar, or right-click and choose Compress.
- Choose Zip Archive as the compression type. ZIP files open on any Windows or Mac computer without extra software.
- Check the path and file name for the new archive at the bottom of the window, for example
/public_html/website-backup.zip. Change the name if you like. - Click Compress File(s).
- Wait for the Compression Results window, then close it. Large folders can take a minute or two.
How to download the ZIP file
- Click Reload in the File Manager toolbar if the new ZIP file isn't showing.
- Click the ZIP file once to select it.
- Click Download in the toolbar (or right-click it and choose Download).
- Your browser saves the file to your usual downloads folder.
Delete the ZIP file afterwards
The ZIP file uses disk space on your Instant Access Internet Services hosting account, and if it's inside public_html anyone who guesses its name could download it. Once your download is complete:
- Select the ZIP file in File Manager and click Delete.
- To free the space immediately, click View Trash and then Empty Trash.
Tip: to avoid the file ever being public, set the archive path to your home folder instead of public_html (for example /website-backup.zip).
Want a complete backup instead?
Compressing public_html copies your website files only. It does not include your databases (which WordPress and most other website software store content in) or your email. For a full copy:
- Download a backup from JetBackup 5, which can include files, databases and email - see How to Download a Copy of Your Website Backup (JetBackup 5).
- Export a database separately with phpMyAdmin - see How to Import and Export a Database with phpMyAdmin.
- For a WordPress site, WP Toolkit can create a backup of files and database together - see How to Back Up and Restore WordPress in WP Toolkit.
Troubleshooting
Compress fails or the ZIP is empty
The most common cause is running out of disk space - the ZIP needs room while it's being created. Check your disk usage on the cPanel home page (see Understanding cPanel Statistics: Disk Space, Bandwidth and Databases) and delete old archives or backups you don't need. You can also compress smaller folders one at a time.
The download is very slow or stops
Large downloads can be interrupted by a flaky connection. An FTP program such as FileZilla can resume interrupted downloads and can download folders directly without compressing them - see How to Connect to Your Website with FileZilla (FTPS).
Some files are missing from the ZIP
Hidden files such as .htaccess are included in the archive even if File Manager isn't showing them. When you open the ZIP on a Mac or Windows computer, those files may be hidden there too. See How to Show Hidden Files (.htaccess) in cPanel File Manager.
How do I open a .tar.gz file?
If you chose a GZip or BZip2 archive instead of ZIP, Mac can open it by double-clicking. On Windows 11, File Explorer can open .tar.gz files, or you can use a free tool such as 7-Zip.
Related guides
- How to Use cPanel File Manager to Manage Your Website Files
- How to Upload and Extract a ZIP File in cPanel
- How to Download a Copy of Your Website Backup (JetBackup 5)
- How to Import and Export a Database with phpMyAdmin
- How to Connect to Your Website with FileZilla (FTPS)
Still stuck? Open a support ticket and the Instant Access Internet Services team will help.
