cPanel Common Questions

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Last modified: February 8, 2024

Overview

This document is a reference guide to the most common questions asked by our users.

Important:

You may have to contact your hosting provider to implement some of these solutions.

Website

Why is my website down?

There are many reasons why your website might be down. The following are the most common reasons:

Plugin issue – Contact your hosting provider.

Note:

If you are using WordPress®, verify that your WordPress plugins are up-to-date. For more information, refer to WordPress’ Plugins documentation.
DNS-related issue – There are many reasons why you might experience a DNS-related issue. The Zone Editor feature (cPanel » Domains » Zone Editor) can help you with many of them. This feature allows you to create, edit, and delete Domain Name System (DNS) zone records. DNS converts human-readable domain names (for example, example.com) to computer-readable IP addresses (for example, 192.0.0.1). DNS relies on zone records that exist on your server to map domain names to IP addresses.
An HTTP Error – The most common error codes you will encounter:
- 500 Internal Server Error – The server encountered an unexpected condition. This error appears when the server cannot gather any specific information about the problem. This often occurs when the server cannot fulfill an application request because of a misconfigured application. To resolve this issue, contact your hosting provider.
- 403 Forbidden Error – The server will not allow the visitor to access the requested file. If a visitor receives this code in error, check the file’s permission settings. You can use cPanel’s File Manager interface (cPanel » Files » File Manager) to check and update file permissions.
- 404 Not Found – The server did not find a visitor’s requested file. This error commonly occurs when a visitor mistypes a URL.
- 504 Gateway Timeout Error – The server didn’t receive a timely response from the upstream server. This is temporary and typically resolves on its own.
  
  More:
  
  For more information, read our HTTP Error Codes and Quick Fixes documentation.
An issue with the .htaccess file. - For more information on .htaccess files, read our Advanced Apache Configuration documentation.
Database error – Confirm that your database has the right login credentials. If the issue continues, the database server may be down. Contact your hosting provider.
Domain registrar issue – For more information, read our How to Identify Your Registrar documentation.

Note:

Ensure that you are using the proper nameserver. Contact your hosting provider.
Maintenance window – Your hosting provider or network provider may have scheduled a maintenance window. Maintenance windows allow providers to perform upgrades, hardware repairs, and other necessary work at a specific time. This lets their customers know that an outage isn’t due to an unexpected failure or issue. Check your email for announcements or contact your hosting provider.
Network issue – To test your network, run the traceroute and ping commands.
Server issue – Contact your hosting provider.

How do I update PHP?

To update your PHP, use one of the methods listed in our How to Update Your System documentation.

How do I install WordPress?

To install WordPress, follow the steps in our How to Install WordPress With cPanel documentation.

Why am I getting a 404 error?

The server did not find a visitor’s requested file. This error commonly occurs for one of the following reasons:

File or directory requested does not exist – Ensure the file name is correct and you have uploaded the file to the server.
An issue with the .htaccess file – For more information on .htaccess files, read our Advanced Apache Configuration documentation.
DNS-related issue – There are many reasons why you might experience a DNS-related issue. The Zone Editor feature (cPanel » Domains » Zone Editor) can help you with many of them. This feature allows you to create, edit, and delete Domain Name System (DNS) zone records. DNS converts human-readable domain names (for example, example.com) to computer-readable IP addresses (for example, 192.0.0.1). DNS relies on zone records that exist on your server to map domain names to IP addresses.
A permalink issue in WordPress – For information about permalinks, read WordPress’ Using Permalinks article.
Invalid File permissions – Contact your hosting provider.
A mistyped URL – Verify the URL is correct.

How do I backup and restore my site?

New users may prefer to use the Backup Wizard interface (cPanel » Files » Backup Wizard). The Backup Wizard interface allows you to back up all or part of your website, or to restore it from the most recent backup file.
Experienced users may prefer to use the Backup interface (cPanel » Files » Backup). The Backup interface allows you to download and store your site in a backup file. This interface also allows you to restore your website from a backup file.

Email

How do I access my webmail account?

Navigate to cPanel’s Email Accounts interface (cPanel » Home » Email » Email Accounts). Then, locate the email account in the table and click Check Email. The Webmail interface will open in a new browser tab.

I can’t send and receive emails.

There could be several reasons why you are unable to send and receive emails.

Port 25 closed – This port must be open to send and receive emails. Contact your hosting provider.
Mail Client configured incorrectly – Read our Set Up a Mail Client documentation to check your mail client configuration.
SPF/DKIM configured incorrectly – To update your SPF/DKIM settings, read our Email Deliverability in cPanel documentation.
IP Address reputation – For more information, read our Blacklisting & IP Address Reputation documentation.
Invalid HELO – The /etc/mailhelo file contains Exim’s configuration for the HELO command, which initiates dialog between a mail server and a client. This file governs which domain sends the HELO command. For more information, read our mailhelo file documentation.
Exim queue full – To clear your queue or delete specific messages, read our How to Manage Your Exim Queue documentation or contact your hosting provider.
DNS-related issue – Use the Email Deliverability in cPanel interface to identify problems with your mail-related DNS records for one or more of your domains.

Why can’t I configure my mail client?

Invalid SSL certificate – Your SSL certificate has expired.
- If you purchased your SSL certificate, you can use the SSL/TLS interface (cPanel » Security » SSL/TLS) to install and manage SSL certificates and private keys, which enhance your website’s security. You can use this interface to generate signing requests, which may be needed by the certificate provider before they can issue a certificate.
- If your hosting provider issued your SSL certificate, contact your hosting provider.
- If your provider has enabled the SSL/TLS Status interface (cPanel » Security » SSL/TLS Status) on your cPanel account, you can view, upgrade, or renew your domains’ SSL certificates.
Invalid ports – Some ports must be open for cPanel to accept incoming or outgoing data. For more information, read our How to Configure Your Firewall for cPanel & WHM Services documentation.
Invalid setting – To update your settings, read our Set Up Mail Client documentation.
Invalid servername – To verify your servername, read our Set Up Mail Client documentation.
Invalid username – To verify your username, read our Set Up Mail Client documentation.
DNS issue – Use the Email Deliverability in cPanel interface (to identify problems with your mail-related DNS records for one or more of your domains.
Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol not supported – The mail client does not support Transport Layer Security protocol version 1.2 (TLSv1.2) or later. cPanel & WHM only supports TLSv1.2 or later. The system enables TLSv1.2 by default.

I am receiving spam emails.

If you are receiving spam email, use our Spam Filter interface. This interface allows you to configure the spam filter settings (powered by Apache SpamAssassin™) for your account. Spam filters identify and sort or delete unsolicited email, commonly known as spam.

You can also use the Junk button in Roundcube to train the system to recognize spam.

Server

How do I increase disk quota?

Contact your hosting provider if you wish to request a higher disk usage quota.

How do I renew SSL?

The SSL/TLS Wizard interface allows you to easily purchase, renew, and install SSL certificates for domains on your account. In order for the SSL/TLS Wizard to appear in your cPanel account, contact your hosting provider.

How do I renew AutoSSL?

The SSL/TLS Status lets you view, upgrade, or renew your domains’ Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates.

What is the AutoSSL email notification?

If your hosting provider has enabled notifications for AutoSSL, the system will send you an email when it generates or renews an AutoSSL certificate for a domain. For more information, read our SSL/TLS Status documentation.

Domains

How do I transfer my domain?

Transfer your domain from one registrar to another – Visit or request support from the new domain name registrar.
Transfer your hosted content from one server to another – Use the Transfer Tool. To transfer accounts, you must obtain root-level privileges with the su or sudo commands, or contact your hosting provider.
Point your DNS to a new server – Contact your hosting provider.

How can I add an addon domain?

To add an addon domain, read our Domains documentation.

DNS

Where do I make changes to my DNS settings?

The Zone Editor feature (cPanel » Domains » Zone Editor) allows you to create, edit, and delete Domain Name System (DNS) zone records. DNS converts human-readable domain names (for example, example.com) to computer-readable IP addresses (for example, 192.0.0.1). DNS relies on zone records that exist on your server to map domain names to IP addresses.

How do I update MX records?

The Zone Editor feature (cPanel » Domains » Zone Editor) allows you to update MX records. You can set the following values using the Zone Editor interface:

Priority — Identifies the servers that handle a domain’s email. This value for each MX record determines the order in which other mail servers will use the domain’s mail server. A lower value indicates a higher priority level. A value of 0 indicates the highest priority level.
Destination — The mail server. This must be a fully-qualified domain name (FQDN).

Database

Why is my database not connecting?

Incorrect or out of sync password for the database user – For MySQL® or MariaDB® database users, read our Manage My Databases documentation.
DNS-related issue – There are many reasons why you might experience a DNS-related issue. The Zone Editor feature (cPanel » Domains » Zone Editor) can help you with many of them. This feature allows you to create, edit, and delete Domain Name System (DNS) zone records. DNS converts human-readable domain names (for example, example.com) to computer-readable IP addresses (for example, 192.0.0.1). DNS relies on zone records that exist on your server to map domain names to IP addresses.
Server issue (max_connections, InnoDB issue, DOS) – Contact your hosting provider.
User/user@host does not have the required grants to the database – Contact your hosting provider.
Database crashed and needs to be repaired – Contact your hosting provider.
Optimization required – Contact your hosting provider.
Website coding issues – Contact your hosting provider.