Table of contents
What is cPanel and how does it work with WordPress?Installing WordPress with cPanel’s WordPress ToolkitManaging WordPress sites through the WP Toolkit dashboardUsing single sign-on to access WordPress adminManaging themes and plugins in cPanelApplying security hardening optionsCreating backups and restoring your WordPress siteCloning and staging your WordPress siteManaging files with File Manager and FTPWorking with databases and phpMyAdminManaging domains and DNS in cPanelSetting up email accounts for your domainBonus: How to troubleshoot WordPress errors using cPanelGetting started
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WordPress Guide → Development → Use cPanel

How to use cPanel with WordPress

Your guide to bare metal management best practices.

Managing your WordPress website doesn’t have to be complicated. With cPanel, you can install, monitor, back up, and secure your entire site—all from one easy-to-use dashboard. Whether you’re launching your first site or want more control without touching code, cPanel makes site management far more accessible.

Let’s walk through everything you can do with WordPress and cPanel, step by step.

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What is cPanel and how does it work with WordPress?

cPanel is a web-based control panel provided by many web hosting companies. It lets you manage your hosting account through a graphical interface instead of the command line. Think of it as the control room for your website.

When it comes to WordPress, cPanel includes a tool called the WordPress Toolkit. This built-in suite gives you a simplified way to install, update, secure, and manage WordPress websites directly from the cPanel interface. With WP Toolkit, you don’t need to log in separately to each site or mess with complicated server settings.

cPanel is especially helpful for beginners, freelancers, and small business owners who want to self-manage their websites without hiring a developer.

Installing WordPress with cPanel’s WordPress Toolkit

The WordPress Toolkit in cPanel lets you install WordPress in just a few clicks.

  1. Log in to cPanel – You’ll usually get the login link from your hosting provider. It looks something like yourdomain.com/cpanel or is accessible from your hosting dashboard.
  2. Find “WordPress Toolkit” – Scroll down or search for it using the top search bar. Click it to open the Toolkit.
  3. Click “Install WordPress” – You’ll be asked to fill in details like:
    • Installation URL (where WordPress will be installed)
    • Site name and tagline
    • Admin username, password, and email
    • Auto-update settings for WordPress core, plugins, and themes
  4. Customize settings (optional) – You can choose the language, set your database name, and even select pre-installed plugins or themes.
  5. Click “Install” – The Toolkit will take care of everything. It usually takes under a minute.

Alternate method: If your cPanel doesn’t include WP Toolkit, you can install WordPress using Softaculous Apps Installer—another one-click option available in many hosting environments.

Managing WordPress sites through the WP Toolkit dashboard

After installation, your site appears in the WP Toolkit dashboard.

Here’s what you can do from there:

  • View all installed WordPress sites in one place
  • Monitor update status (core, plugins, themes)
  • See if any security issues are detected
  • Access file and database info
  • Enable/disable search indexing
  • Put the site in maintenance mode
  • Access staging and cloning tools

Everything is clickable, so even if you’re not sure what a setting does, you can explore without breaking your site.

Using single sign-on to access WordPress admin

One of the best features in the Toolkit is the one-click login. From your site listing in WP Toolkit:

  1. Click the arrow to expand site details.
  2. Click “Log in” next to the admin account name.

This opens your WordPress dashboard without needing to enter your username or password. It’s fast, safe, and perfect if you forget login credentials.

Managing themes and plugins in cPanel

You can manage all your WordPress themes and plugins directly from WP Toolkit.

  • In your site’s panel, click the Themes or Plugins tab.
  • From here, you can:
    • Install new themes/plugins from the WordPress.org repository
    • Upload your own ZIP files
    • Activate or deactivate plugins/themes
    • Delete unused ones
  • You can also use plugin sets to install several plugins at once, which is useful when setting up multiple sites.

It’s much faster than logging into each site separately.

Applying security hardening options

Security hardening in WP Toolkit applies expert-recommended protections with one click.

To enable it:

  1. Open your site in WP Toolkit.
  2. Scroll to the Security Status section.
  3. Click “Check Security” to scan for vulnerabilities.
  4. Review each recommendation (e.g., disable XML-RPC, restrict access to wp-config.php) and click “Secure” to apply.

You don’t have to know what each one does—the Toolkit handles it automatically.

Setting automatic updates and smart update options

WordPress Toolkit gives you two ways to handle updates:

  1. Auto-updates – Turn on automatic updates for:
    • WordPress core
    • Plugins
    • Themes
  2. Smart Updates – This feature creates a backup, runs the update in a test environment, and checks if anything breaks. You get a report before applying the update live.

To enable either:

  • Go to your site in WP Toolkit.
  • Open the Updates section.
  • Choose which components to auto-update or enable Smart Update if available.

This helps you avoid crashes or compatibility issues.

Creating backups and restoring your WordPress site

You can back up your WordPress site through WP Toolkit or cPanel’s backup tools.

With WP Toolkit:

  1. Go to your site panel.
  2. Click “Backup/Restore”.
  3. Choose to back up files, the database, or both.
  4. Click “Create Backup”.

Restoring a backup:

  • Click “Backup/Restore”, find the backup version you want, and click Restore.

You can also download backups to your computer for safekeeping.

Cloning and staging your WordPress site

Need to test changes before going live? Use the Cloning and Staging tools:

  1. Click “Clone” from your site’s dashboard in WP Toolkit.
  2. Choose a new domain or subdomain for the cloned site.
  3. WP Toolkit will duplicate your live site, including all files and the database.

To set up a staging environment:

  1. Click “Create Staging” instead of clone.
  2. Make your edits and test everything.
  3. When ready, click “Push to Live” to overwrite your live site.

This is the safest way to test plugins, updates, or design changes.

Managing files with File Manager and FTP

File Manager is a built-in file explorer in cPanel:

  1. Find File Manager under the “Files” section.
  2. Navigate to public_html (or the folder where WordPress is installed).
  3. You can upload files, edit themes, or delete unused files right from your browser.

To access your site externally, set up FTP (File Transfer Protocol):

  1. Go to FTP Accounts in cPanel.
  2. Create a new FTP user.
  3. Use tools like FileZilla to connect with your credentials.

FTP is better for uploading large files or bulk editing.

Working with databases and phpMyAdmin

WordPress stores its content in a MySQL database. You can manage it via:

  • MySQL Databases: Create or delete databases and users.
  • phpMyAdmin: Edit database entries manually.

To find your database:

  1. Open wp-config.php in File Manager.
  2. Look for the line that starts with define(‘DB_NAME’—this is your database name.

To reset a password or fix a broken plugin:

  1. Open phpMyAdmin.
  2. Choose the correct database.
  3. Click the wp_users table to change admin credentials.

Managing domains and DNS in cPanel

From the Domains and Zone Editor sections, you can:

  • Add new domains or subdomains
  • Create redirects
  • Edit DNS records (A, MX, TXT, etc.)

To add a domain:

  • Click Domains > Create a New Domain
  • Enter your domain and document root (usually public_html/yourdomain)
  • Click Submit

To edit DNS records:

  • Go to Zone Editor
  • Click Manage next to your domain
  • Add or change records as needed

DNS edits help when setting up email, connecting to third-party services, or switching hosts.

Setting up email accounts for your domain

To create branded email like [email protected]:

  1. Go to Email Accounts in cPanel.
  2. Click Create.
  3. Choose your domain, username, and password.
  4. Click Create Account.

You can access your inbox via:

  • Webmail (usually /webmail on your domain)
  • Email clients like Outlook or Thunderbird (IMAP/SMTP settings provided)

Set up spam filters, autoresponders, and email forwarders from the same panel.

Bonus: How to troubleshoot WordPress errors using cPanel

If something goes wrong, cPanel can help you fix it without developer help.

Check error logs:

  • Go to Errors in cPanel to see recent issues.

Fix file permission issues:

  • Use File Manager to set correct permissions: folders = 755, files = 644.

Disable a broken plugin:

  1. Go to wp-content/plugins in File Manager.
  2. Rename the plugin’s folder (e.g., plugin-name_old).
  3. This deactivates it instantly.

Reset your admin password:

  1. Open phpMyAdmin.
  2. Find your wp_users table.
  3. Edit the user_pass field for your admin account using MD5 encryption.

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