How to See the Hidden Files Using cPanel's File Manager

While handling a website you may need to edit the files which are always hidden until you make them appear by changing the default settings.

As you know, the .htaccess file is one of the most crucial files of a WordPress website and most of the time; you require to add some extra code to it.

How can you edit it if you don’t even know how to find it?

Most of the newbies have no idea that the prefixed dot signifies the hidden nature of this file.

There are many other files related to the FTP Quota and much more which remain hidden by default.

I hope you know how to edit the .htaccess file. If not, I will walk you through the process of finding it. In this tutorial, you’re going to learn about finding the hidden files and how you can make them appear like others.

If you’re a non-techie person, then it’s going to be one of the helpful tutorials for you. Many people suggest editing such files using the Yoast SEO plugin.

Yes, you can edit the .htaccess file but not others. So, it’s better to follow the steps I am going to explain.

A Step by Step Guide to Make the Hidden Files Appear

Every now and then, the confusion of the different design of the cPanel arises. Just to let you know, you don’t need to worry about it.

The design may be different but the options remain similar.

If you’re using Bluehost, you may find a blue layout of its cPanel which is totally different from the default cPanel. Many web hosting companies have their own marketplace.

Just focus on finding the right option and navigate through it.

Follow these steps.

Step 1

First of all, you should know where these files reside. As you know, the files are stored in the file manager to find it from your cPanel.

In the Files’ section, you can easily find a File Manager icon. Click to open it.

Step 2

If you’re opening this for the first time, you don’t see any hidden file with a dot prefix. It’s because, by default, the system keeps them hidden.

You can have the full access to all the files and folders of your website but not the hidden files.

Note: Make sure you’re analyzing the root directory (public_html).

Step 3

You have to change the file appearance settings.

Click on the settings’ gear button from the top-right corner of the screen.

Step 4

A popup will appear on your screen blurring everything behind.

You have to choose the document root for which these settings will be applied.

Check the box for “Show Hidden Files”.

Click on the “Save” button and you’re almost done.

Step 5

Refresh the page and you can see all the hidden files which were not there a while ago.

You can edit these files according to your requirements.

Note: It’s always recommended to take a backup before making any changes.

Congrats, you have successfully changed the settings.

In my starting days, I used to fret a lot because of such technical concepts. You will encounter with the .htaccess file quite often, so it’s vital to understand about it.

Editing a file requires finding it, and for a non-techie person, it can be hard. I had to struggle for a couple of minutes to get there.

On the web, there are only a few tutorials about such small things. People ignore these, but we don’t.

Changing the Settings

We believe in offering some easy to follow tutorials so that our users don’t face any problem while handling a website.

The use of cPanel has become mandatory even for the non-techie users. I hope you haven’t faced any problem while following the steps mentioned above.

While running a website, you may in need to make such changes quite often. Have you checked it for your site or do you hire others to do it for you?

I know many freelancers can help you at a little cost, but it’s always better to educate yourself about what you have to deal with for years.

Conclusion

It’s the matter of changing the settings of the file manager. It’s essential to know that the website’s data is always stored in the root directory of cPanel. Even if you have a subdomain, you will see a folder. Just open it, and the similar files and folder will get manifested. I hope you can easily accomplish this.

 

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