How to Use the Index Manager in cPanel

The Index Manager in cPanel allows you to control how a directory behaves when someone visits it directly in a browser and no default file (such as index.html or index.php) is present. You can choose whether visitors see a list of files, a limited list, or nothing at all.

Follow the steps below to configure directory indexing in cPanel:

1. Log in to your cPanel account.

2. Open the Index Manager
In the Files section, click on the Index Manager icon.

3. Select the Directory
Browse to the folder you want to configure. Once you find the correct directory, click Edit next to it.

4. Choose an Indexing Option
You will see four available settings:

• Inherit
  Uses the same indexing setting as the parent directory. If the parent directory has no specific setting, the system will show the default file list.
• No Indexing
  Prevents the directory contents from being displayed. If no default file exists, visitors will see a “Forbidden” or similar message instead of a file list.
• Show Filename Only
  Displays a simple list of the files in the directory when no default file is present.
• Show Filename and Description
  Shows a detailed list of files, including additional information such as file size and type.

Select the option that best matches your needs, then click Save.

5. Confirmation
A green success message will appear once the new indexing setting has been applied successfully.

By following these steps, you can easily control how directories on your website are displayed to visitors. If you need more help with cPanel features, you can explore additional guides in the bodHOST knowledge base.

Learn more in the knowledge base about: How to Reset Your cPanel Account Password in WHM