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Adding and Managing Domains in cPanel

BasicscPanel Webhosting

This interface lets you manage all domains linked to your cPanel hosting account and add new ones as needed:

List Domains – This interface will appear when you open the menu. You can manage your existing domains that are connected to your web hosting and add new ones within this table.

  • Domain:
    This column displays all domains connected to your hosting.
    Note: This is the primary domain created automatically by Rackhost.uk and cannot be modified.
  • Document Root:
    Shows the root directory for each domain, where its files are stored. Clicking the path or the house icon will open the directory in cPanel File Manager.
  • Redirect To:
    If the domain is redirected to another one, the destination will be shown here. Clicking the redirected domain will open it in a new window.
  • Force HTTPS Redirect:
    Enable or disable automatic redirection from the non-secure (HTTP) to the secure (HTTPS) version of the website using this option.
    Note: This option only works for domains with valid SSL certificates. If it cannot be enabled, contact customer support. The button does not appear for aliases.
  • Actions:
    Manage – Access additional domain settings.
    Create Email – Click on this button to create an email address for this domain and you will be redirected to the Create Email interface.
  • Gear icon:
    Show/Hide Associated Subdomains: This button reveals or hides subdomains created by the system for each domain. This setting is only available if an additional domain exists.

Adding Domains to the cPanel Web Hosting

Follow these steps to add a domain:

Click on the Create a New Domain button on the Domains interface. Enter the full domain name (e.g., example.uk) in the Domain field. For subdomains, enter the subdomain name (e.g., subdomain.example.uk). Specify the directory where your files will reside (this will be the domain’s document root or root directory). It’s recommended to keep the domain’s contents in separate folders because later on it will be much easier to manage its files. Tick off the checkbox in front of ”Share document root with…”, then enter the name of the folder in the search box after /public_html/. You can modify this later in the Manage menu. Outside of the public_html/ directory you can’t create a document root. 

The following directory names cannot be used under any circumstances:

  • The account’s home directory itself (/)
  • Directories outside the home directory of the account (./ and ../)
  • .cpanel
  • .trash
  • etc.
  • mail
  • ssl
  • tmp
  • logs
  • .cphorde
  • .spamassassin
  • .htpasswds
  • var
  • cgi-bin
  • .ssh
  • perl5

Finally, select Submit or Submit and Create Another to complete the process.

Manage Button

Click the Manage button next to a domain to access the following options:

  • Update the Domain
    You can modify the given root directory using the New Document Root field. Click Update to save the changes.
    Tip: This will change where the system looks for files but won’t move any files. Root directories that are in public_html/ cannot be modified.
  • Remove the Domain
    To delete a domain from your hosting, click the Remove Domain button, then confirm by selecting Yes, remove this domain.
    Note: Always make a backup before removing a domain. Only the virtual host and DNS records will be deleted—the domain directory and its contents will remain intact.

What Happens To The Email Accounts When You Remove A Domain

If a domain with email addresses is removed, the email addresses will disappear from the Email Addresses interface, but their mail folders will remain on the server. If you re-add the domain, the email addresses will reappear as well.

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