How to Use the DirectAdmin File Manager to Upload and Edit Files

DirectAdmin's File Manager lets you work with your website's files directly from your browser, without needing to set up an FTP client for small changes.

Opening File Manager

1. Log in to DirectAdmin.
2. Click File Manager from the main menu.
3. Open the domains folder, then your domain name, then public_html, which is where your main website's files live.

Uploading Files

1. Navigate to the folder you want to upload into.
2. Click Upload Files.
3. Select the files from your computer or drag them into the upload window.
4. Wait until the upload confirms completion before navigating away.

Editing a File

1. Click the checkbox next to the file you want to edit.
2. Click Edit in the toolbar for plain text files like .php, .html, or .css.
3. Make your changes, then click Save.

Extracting an Archive

Select an uploaded .zip file and click Extract in the toolbar to unpack it directly on the server, which is faster than uploading many individual files one by one.

Download a copy of any live file to your computer before editing it directly on the server. That way you have a working backup if an edit breaks something.

File Permissions

Some scripts and applications need specific folder permissions to write files, commonly shown as numbers like 644 or 755. Select the file or folder and click Change Permissions to adjust these. Only change permissions when a specific application documentation asks for it.