The Webmaster

How to configure Directory Indexing in cPanel

By Jonathan Griffin. Editor, SEO Consultant, & Developer.

· 5 min read

The Directory Indexing feature in cPanel allows you to specify what to display in a directory when viewed on the web.

A web server is usually configured to display the following:

  • If present, a server will display the contents of an index file. Index files include index.php, default.html, and index.html.
  • If an index file is not present, the server will display a directory listing.

An example list of Index files and a screenshot of the default directory listing in cPanel can be found in the Frequently Asked Questions section.

How to Configure the Directory Settings

Before you manage your Index settings, you may wish to configure the default directory to display for the Indexes feature. You can also use these directory settings to find the relevant directory for a specific domain.

  1. Log in to cPanel

    The first step is to log in to your cPanel admin area. Your web host will have sent you details on how to do this in your welcome email.

    We’ve covered the different methods of logging in to cPanel here.

  2. Click on the Indexes Feature Icon

    Under the Advanced Panel, click the Indexes Feature Icon.

  3. Access the Directory Settings

    The first step is to configure your directory settings. This allows you to set a directory from which to begin navigation.

    To access the directory settings configuration screen, click the “Settings” button.

  4. Select the Directory Settings

    There are three options you can choose for your start directory which is used when using the Indexes feature, which are:

    • Home - This begins navigation from the home directory.
    • Web Root - This begins navigation from the public_html or www directory, depending on how your server is configured.
    • Document Root for - Here, you can select the document root for one of the domains on your cPanel account.

    If you wish to change settings for all websites on your account, we recommend selecting the web root. This way, you can view all the relevant directories without further navigation.

    If you wish to change settings for a specific domain, you can select from the “Document Root for” dropdown.

  5. Choose whether to make your settings default

    To make these settings apply to all future uses of the Indexes feature, you should select the “Always open this directory in the future” checkbox.

  6. Save your directory settings

    Click “Save Changes” to save your settings.

How to Configure the Indexes Settings

The Directory Indexing functionality is contained within the Indexes feature. The tutorial below takes you through the process of Configuring your Directory Indexing settings.

  1. Log in to cPanel

    The first step is to log in to your cPanel admin area. Your web host will have sent you details on how to do this in your welcome email.

    We’ve covered the different methods of logging in to cPanel here.

  2. Click on the Indexes Feature Icon

    Under the Advanced Panel, click the Indexes Feature Icon.

  3. Choose folder you wish to configure your Indexes settings

    The first step is to choose the folder you wish to configure by clicking the “Edit” button next to it under the “Actions” column.

    Notice

    Subdirectories can be set to inherit the settings of their parent. If you wish to configure the settings for all your websites, you can choose to edit the Web Root.

    The Webroot is the public_html or www directory, depending on how your server is configured.

  4. Configure your Indexes settings

    Select one of the following options in the Index Manager:

    • Inherit — The directory inherits the parent directory’s index setting. If the parent directory does not have any setting the directory uses the system default settings.
    • No Indexing — No directory contents are displayed. A “403 Forbidden” notice will be shown instead.
    • Show Filename Only — Only filename information is shown.
    • Show Filename and Description — The server lists file names and additional information, such as file size, last modified, and description.

    You can view what each of these settings look like here.

  5. Save your Indexes settings

    Click “Save Changes” to save your settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Index Pages?

An Index Page is a file that automatically loads when a browser navigates to a directory on a web server.

Example Index files include:

index.php, index.php5, index.php4, index.php3, index.perl, index.pl, index.plx, index.ppl, index.cgi, index.jsp, index.jp, index.phtml, index.shtml, index.xhtml, index.html, index.htm, index.wml, Default.html, Default.htm, default.html, default.htm, home.html, home.htm, index.js.

What is the default cPanel Index configuration?

cPanel’s default indexes configuration will load an Index Page. If there is no Index Page then a list of files and directories will be displayed, along with the following information:

  • Name
  • Last modified
  • Size
  • Description

A screenshot of a web page with no Index Page, using the cPanel default settings is shown below:

Default cPanel Directory with no Index Page
Default cPanel Directory with no Index Page CREDIT: THE WEBMASTER

What do each of the Index Settings look like?

The different settings in the Index Manager look like the following:

  • No Indexing:

    Indexes Manager - No Indexing
    Indexes Manager - No Indexing CREDIT: THE WEBMASTER

  • Show Filename Only:

    Indexes Manager - Show Filename Only
    Indexes Manager - Show Filename Only CREDIT: THE WEBMASTER

  • Show Filename and Description:

    Indexes Manager - Show Filename and Description
    Indexes Manager - Show Filename and Description CREDIT: THE WEBMASTER