Getting started on cPanel: Complete guide for beginners

Estimated Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Beginner ⭐

📋 Introduction

cPanel is the most widely used control panel in the world for managing your web hosting. With its intuitive graphical interface, you can manage your files, emails, databases, and domains without any technical knowledge.

This guide will walk you through your first steps on cPanel: how to access it, understand the interface, and discover essential features.

What You Will Learn

✅ How to access cPanel
✅ Understanding the Jupiter interface
✅ Navigating through different sections
✅ Locating essential tools
✅ Customizing your dashboard

🔐 Step 1: Accessing cPanel

There are several methods to access your cPanel.

Method 1: Via OuiHeberg Client Area (Recommended)

Log in to your OuiHeberg Client Area
In the Hosting section, click on Manage
Click on the Access cPanel button

✅ This method logs you in automatically without having to enter your credentials.

Method 2: Via Direct URL

You can directly access cPanel via your browser:

Protocol	URL	Port
HTTPS (secure)	`https://your-domain.com:2083`	2083
HTTP	`http://your-domain.com:2082`	2082

Example: https://web07.ouiheberg.com:2083

Method 3: Via the /cpanel Shortcut

The simplest method:

https://your-domain.com/cpanel

You will be automatically redirected to the login page.

Login Page

You will land on the cPanel login page:

Enter your credentials:

Username: Provided in your welcome email
Password: Provided in your welcome email

💡 Tip: You can change the language at the bottom of the login page.

🖥️ Step 2: Exploring the Jupiter Interface

Once logged in, you will encounter the Jupiter interface of cPanel (current default theme).

Dashboard Overview

cPanel Jupiter Interface

The Jupiter interface consists of 3 main areas:

Area	Description
🔍 Navigation Bar	Top: search, user account, settings
🛠️ Tools Area	Center: all features organized by categories
📊 General Information	Right: account statistics and info

Navigation Bar

cPanel Navigation Bar

The navigation bar includes:

Item	Description
🔍 Search Bar	Quickly search for a feature
👤 User Menu	Access preferences, password, logout
⚙️ Tools / Solutions	Switch between Tools and Solutions pages

User Menu

Click on your username to access options:

cPanel User Menu

Option	Description
Account Preferences	Customize the interface
Password and Security	Change your password
Change Language	Interface in French, English, etc.
Contact Information	Notification email
Reset Settings	Restore default interface
Logout	Log out of cPanel

General Information Panel

On the right side of the interface, you will find information about your account:

Information	Description
Current User	Your cPanel username
Main Domain	Your hosting's main domain
Home Directory	Path to your files (/home/username)
Shared IP Address	Server's IP
Last Login	Date and IP of last login
Theme	Current theme (Jupiter)

Statistics

The Statistics panel displays your resource usage:

Resource	Description
Disk Space	Used / available storage
Bandwidth	Monthly traffic used / available
Email Accounts	Number of created accounts
MySQL Databases	Number of databases created
Addon Domains	Additional domains
Subdomains	Created subdomains

⚠️ Attention: If a resource is approaching its limit, it will display in orange or red.

📂 Step 3: Main Sections

The cPanel interface organizes features into logical categories. Here are the main sections:

📁 FILES

Tool	Description
File Manager	Navigate, upload, edit your web files
Images	Resize, convert images
Directory Privacy	Protect directories with a password
Disk Usage	View space occupied by directory
Web Disk	WebDAV access to your files
FTP Accounts	Create FTP access
Backup	Download/restore backups
Backup Wizard	Step-by-step guided backup

Email

Tool	Description
Email Accounts	Create and manage your email addresses
Autoresponders	Automatic out-of-office messages
Forwarders	Forward emails to another address
Email Filters	Automatic sorting rules
Default Address	What to do with emails without a recipient
Mailing Lists	Create mailing lists
Delivery Tracking	View sent/received emails
Spam Filters	Configure SpamAssassin
Encryption	GPG keys for encrypted emails
Email Deliverability	SPF, DKIM, DMARC

Databases

Tool	Description
MySQL Databases	Create and manage your databases
MySQL Database Wizard	Guided creation of databases
phpMyAdmin	Graphical interface for MySQL
Remote MySQL	Allow external connections
PostgreSQL Databases	Alternative to MySQL (if available)

Domains

Tool	Description
WordPress Toolkit	Manage your WordPress installations
Domains	Manage all your domains
Zone Editor	Edit DNS records
Redirects	Create domain redirects
Dynamic DNS	Configure DDNS

Metrics

Tool	Description
Visitors	Visit statistics
Errors	Site error logs
Bandwidth	Traffic usage
Raw Access	Apache access logs
Awstats	Advanced statistics
Webalizer	Traffic analysis

Security

Tool	Description
SSL/TLS	Manage SSL certificates
SSL/TLS Status	View your certificates' status
IP Blocker	Block IP addresses
Imunify360	Anti-malware protection (if available)
Two-Factor Authentication	Enable 2FA
Hotlink Protection	Prevent image theft
Leech Protection	Limit abusive downloads

Software

Tool	Description
Softaculous	One-click installation (WordPress, etc.)
Select PHP Version	Change PHP version
Cron Jobs	Schedule automatic scripts
MultiPHP Manager	Configure PHP per directory
MultiPHP INI Editor	Modify PHP settings

Advanced

Tool	Description
Terminal	SSH command line
Error Pages	Custom error pages
Cron Jobs	Script automation
Index Manager	Directory behavior
MIME Handlers	File types

Search Step 4: Using Search

The search bar is your best friend! Instead of manually looking for a feature, simply type what you are looking for:

Search Examples

You're looking for...	Type...
Create an email	`email` or `messaging`
Manage files	`files` or `file`
Database	`mysql` or `database`
SSL Certificate	`ssl` or `certificate`
Install WordPress	`softaculous` or `wordpress`

💡 Tip: The search works in real-time and displays results instantly.

Customize Interface Step 5: Customizing the Interface

Reorganize Sections

You can rearrange categories according to your preferences:

Click and hold on the title of a section
Drag and drop the section to the desired location
The order is automatically saved

Change Language

To switch the interface to French:

Click on your username (top right)
Select Change Language
Choose French from the list
Click Modify

Reset Interface

If you wish to revert to the default display:

Click on your username
Select Reset Page Settings
Confirm

The 5 Most Common Actions

Here are the actions you will perform most frequently:

1️⃣ Manage your files

📁 Files → File Manager

Upload, edit, or delete files on your hosting.

2️⃣ Create an email

📧 Email → Email Accounts

Create professional email addresses @your-domain.com.

3️⃣ Install WordPress

⚙️ Software → Softaculous Apps Installer → WordPress

Install WordPress in a few clicks.

4️⃣ Manage a database

🗄️ Databases → MySQL Databases

Create databases for your applications.

5️⃣ Configure SSL

🔒 Security → SSL/TLS or SSL/TLS Status

Enable HTTPS on your site.

Troubleshooting

I can't find my feature

❌ Issue	✅ Solution
Feature not found	Use the search bar
Interface in English	Change the language in the user menu
Grayed-out feature	Contact support (may be disabled)

Connection Error

❌ Issue	✅ Solution
Forgot password	Use "Forgot password" or reset via the Client Area
Account blocked	Too many attempts → Wait 15 min or contact support
Blank page	Clear browser cache, try another browser

Slow Interface

❌ Cause	✅ Solution
Slow connection	Check your internet connection
Outdated browser	Update Chrome/Firefox/Edge
Extensions	Disable ad blockers

📝 Summary

ACCESS CPANEL:
├── Via the OuiHeberg Client Area (recommended)
├── Via https://your-domain.com:2083
└── Via https://your-domain.com/cpanel

JUPITER INTERFACE:
├── Navigation Bar: Search + User Menu
├── Central Area: Tools organized by categories
└── Right Panel: Information + Statistics

MAIN SECTIONS:
├── 📁 Files: Manager, FTP, Backups
├── 📧 Email: Accounts, Filters, Spam
├── 🗄️ Databases: MySQL, phpMyAdmin
├── 🌐 Domains: DNS, Redirects, WordPress Toolkit
├── 📊 Metrics: Statistics, Logs
├── 🔒 Security: SSL, IP Blocking, 2FA
└── ⚙️ Software: Softaculous, PHP, Cron

KEY TIP:
└── Use the search bar to find quickly!

First steps on cPanel: Complete guide for beginners