How to Create an FTP Account in cPanel

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) allows you to upload, download, and manage website files on your hosting account. You can create separate FTP accounts for your website, developers, designers, or other users without sharing your main cPanel login details.

This guide applies to cPanel hosting accounts, including accounts managed by Resellers through WHM.

Before You Begin

You will need:

Your cPanel login details.
Access to the cPanel account where the FTP account needs to be created.
The domain or directory you want the FTP user to access.

Important: FTP accounts are created from cPanel, not directly from WHM.

For Resellers, WHM is used to create and manage the individual cPanel hosting accounts. Once the customer's cPanel account has been created, the FTP account is created inside that customer's cPanel.

Step 1: Log in to cPanel

Depending on your hosting provider, you can access cPanel using the link provided in your hosting welcome email or through your client area.

If you are a Reseller, first access the customer's cPanel account from WHM or from your hosting management system.

Step 2: Open FTP Accounts

Once you are inside cPanel:

Find the Files section.
Click FTP Accounts.

You will see the FTP Accounts management page.

Step 3: Create a New FTP Account

Under Add FTP Account, enter the following information:

Log In

Enter the username you want to use for the FTP account.

For example:

website

Depending on your cPanel configuration, cPanel may automatically append the domain name.

The resulting FTP username may look similar to:

[email protected]

Password

Enter a strong password for the FTP account.

We recommend using the Password Generator provided by cPanel to create a secure password.

Quota

You can specify a storage limit for the FTP account or select Unlimited, depending on your requirements.

Step 4: Create the FTP Account

After entering the required information:

Review the FTP username.
Confirm the directory.
Confirm the password.
Click Create FTP Account.

cPanel will create the FTP account.

The new account will then appear in the FTP Accounts section.

FTP Directory Access

The directory assigned to an FTP account determines what files the user can access.

For example:

Directory	Access
`public_html`	Website files
`public_html/example.com`	Files for a specific website
`public_html/client`	Only the specified client folder
`/`	Full access to the cPanel account's available files

Recommended Practice

For developers or third-party users, we recommend assigning access only to the directory they actually need.

For example, if a developer only needs to work on one website, assign the FTP account to that website's document root rather than giving access to the entire hosting account.

This follows the principle of least privilege and helps protect other files within the hosting account.

How to Connect Using the FTP Account

After creating the account, you can connect using an FTP client such as FileZilla or another compatible FTP application.

Use the following information:

FTP Host: Your domain name or server hostname

FTP Username: The FTP username created in cPanel

FTP Password: The password assigned to the FTP account

FTP Port: 21

Protocol: FTP

For secure connections, use FTP over TLS/SSL (FTPS) when supported by the server and FTP client.

Recommended: Use a secure FTP connection whenever possible. Avoid sending FTP credentials over an unencrypted connection.

Example FTP Settings

Suppose your domain is:

example.com

and you created the FTP account:

website

Your FTP client settings may look like:

Host: example.com
Username: [email protected]
Password: Your-FTP-Password
Port: 21
Protocol: FTP
Encryption: Use explicit FTP over TLS if available

The exact username format can vary depending on the cPanel configuration.

For Resellers: Creating an FTP Account for a Client

If you are a Reseller, there are two separate steps to understand.

Step 1 — Create the Client's cPanel Account

From WHM, create the client's hosting account using:

WHM ? Account Functions ? Create a New Account

Enter the customer's domain, username, password, package, and other required settings.

Step 2 — Access the Client's cPanel

After the cPanel account has been created, access that customer's cPanel account.

Then go to:

cPanel ? Files ? FTP Accounts

Create the FTP account using the procedure described above.

FTP Account vs. cPanel Login

An FTP account is not the same thing as the main cPanel account.

cPanel Login

The main cPanel credentials provide access to the hosting control panel and its available features.

FTP Account

An FTP account is specifically intended for file transfer and can be restricted to a particular directory.

For security reasons, it is generally better to create a separate FTP account for a developer or third-party user instead of sharing the main cPanel credentials.

How to Delete an FTP Account

To remove an FTP account:

Log in to cPanel.
Go to Files ? FTP Accounts.
Locate the FTP account.
Click Delete.

cPanel may provide options regarding the files associated with the FTP account.

Warning: Deleting an FTP account and deleting the files it can access are different actions. Review the confirmation carefully before deleting anything.

Troubleshooting FTP Connection Problems

If the FTP account cannot connect, check the following:

1. Verify the Username

Make sure you are using the complete FTP username shown in cPanel.

2. Verify the Password

Reset the FTP password from:

cPanel ? FTP Accounts

if necessary.

3. Check the FTP Host

Try using your domain name or the server hostname provided by your hosting provider.

4. Check the Port

Standard FTP uses:

21

5. Check the Directory

Make sure the FTP account has been assigned to the correct directory.

6. Check the FTP Client

Make sure your FTP client is configured for the correct protocol and encryption settings.

7. Use FTPS When Available

If the server supports FTP over TLS/SSL, configure the FTP client to use the secure connection option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I create an FTP account from WHM?

FTP accounts are normally created from the individual cPanel account. WHM is primarily used to create and manage the hosting accounts themselves.

Can a reseller create FTP accounts for their customers?

Yes. A reseller with the appropriate WHM/cPanel access can access the customer's cPanel account and create an FTP account there.

Can I create multiple FTP accounts?

Yes. Multiple FTP accounts can be created and each account can be assigned different directory access.

Can I give a developer access only to one website?

Yes. Assign the FTP account to the specific website's document root or required directory instead of the entire hosting account.

Does creating an FTP account create another cPanel account?

No. An FTP account is a separate login for file access within an existing cPanel hosting account.

Is FTP secure?

Traditional FTP does not encrypt credentials or transferred data. Where available, FTP over TLS/SSL (FTPS) should be preferred for secure file transfers.

Summary

To create an FTP account:

cPanel ? Files ? FTP Accounts ? Add FTP Account ? Enter Username & Password ? Select Directory ? Create FTP Account

For Resellers:

WHM ? Create/Manage Customer cPanel Account ? Access Customer cPanel ? FTP Accounts ? Create FTP Account

Always provide the FTP user with only the directory access they require, and use secure FTP connections whenever supported.

How to Create an FTP Account in cPanel – Client and Reseller