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Overview

This document explains how to log into cPanel, WHM, Webmail, and the Command Line Interface (CLI).

In the following examples, replace 192.168.0.1 with your site or server's IP address:

 

To access cPanel, perform the following steps:

  1. Navigate to the following location in your browser: https://192.168.0.1:2083

  2. Enter your cPanel username in the Username text box.
  3. Enter your password in the Password text box.
  4. Click Log in.

For additional options, see below.

 

To access WHM, perform the following steps:

  1. Navigate to the following location in your browser: https://192.168.0.1:2087

  2. Enter your WHM username in the Username text box.
  3. Enter your password in the Password text box.
  4. Click Log in.

For additional options, see below.

 

To access Webmail, perform the following steps:

  1. Navigate to the following location in your browser: https://192.168.0.1:2095

  2. Enter your email address in the Username text box.
  3. Enter your password in the Password text box.
  4. Click Log in.

For additional options, see below.

Important:

  • We strongly recommend that you log in over an encrypted SSL connection. An encrypted SSL connection will not transmit your username and password in plain text over the Internet.
  • Your domain's DNS information must propagate before you can access cPanel, WHM, or Webmail with your domain name. If you cannot access the interface with your domain name, use your domain's IP address. 
  • Your domain can take approximately 48-72 hours to propagate after you set up the DNS information. After your domain propagates, navigate to your website via your domain name.
  • Bookmark the interface URL or drag it to your Favorites Bar so you don't need to remember the IP address.
  • For more information about cPanel, WHM, and Webmail connections, read our How to Configure Your Firewall for cPanel & WHM's Services documentation.

cPanel & WHM service URLs

A cPanel & WHM service URL contains four sections:

SectionDescriptionExample
ProtocolThe protocol that your browser uses to communicate with a remote server. For cPanel, WHM, and Webmail, this value is either http or https. https is http over an encrypted connection. We strongly recommend that you use https whenever you access cPanel & WHM services.https://
AddressThe address can consist of either an IP address (for example, 192.168.0.1) or a domain (for example, example.com). This section of the URL specifies the remote server that you wish to access. When you use a domain name to access cPanel & WHM services name, make sure that the domain's DNS information has propagated across the domain name system (DNS).example.com
Port numberWhen you access most websites via http or https, the port number is implied. However, cPanel & WHM services use their own set of port numbers. If you wish to access a cPanel & WHM service over an encrypted or unencrypted connection, you must specify the port number. https and http port numbers are different, even for the same service. To specify a port number, enter a colon (:) followed by a number.2083
Security tokenAfter you log in to your server, it automatically appends a security token to the URL for your session. Security tokens help prevent authorized use of a website through XSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery). Security tokens contain the string cpsess and a 10-digit number.cpsess1234567890

External authentication credentials

Note:

cPanel & WHM introduced this functionality in version 54.

Your system administrator may allow users to access cPanel or Webmail with external authentication credentials (for example, cPanelID, Google Accounts, Facebook, or your hosting provider's portal). This allows users to reduce the number of passwords that they need to remember.

By default, cPanel & WHM servers ship with cPanelID functionality, which is the combined username and password combination for the cPanel Store, the cPanel Tickets system, and our Manage2 billing system. However, system administrators can disable this functionality.

If you have already associated your local account with a linked external authentication identity provider, the system will automatically log you into the service. Otherwise, the service will ask you to associate a local username and password with the identity provider's account.

If you are a system administrator and wish to activate external authentication methods for your users, read our Manage External Authentications documentation. 

Notes:

  • In cPanel & WHM version 54, you cannot link an external account to multiple cPanel accounts, WHM accounts, and Webmail accounts. However, you can link an external account to a cPanel account, a WHM account, and a Webmail account. Also, you can link multiple external accounts to the same cPanel, WHM, or Webmail account.

  • In cPanel & WHM version 56 and later, you can link one or more external accounts to multiple cPanel, WHM, and reseller (WHM) accounts.

  • If you link to an external account through a provider that has two-factor authentication enabled, you must also authenticate through that identity provider in addition to any two-factor authentication that you configure on your server.

Two-factor authentication credentials

Note:

cPanel & WHM introduced this functionality in version 54.

Two-factor authentication (2FA) provides improved security through an additional login step. With 2FA enabled on the account, cPanel users must provide a generated six-digit security code in order to complete the login.

For more information, read our cPanel Two-Factor Authentication and WHM Two-Factor Authentication documentation.

Note:

 In the following examples, replace 192.168.0.1 with your site or server's IP address and replace example.com with your domain name. 

How to access cPanel

To access cPanel, enter one of the following URLs in your preferred browser:

  • https://192.168.0.1:2083 — Access cPanel over an encrypted connection with your IP address.
  • https://example.com:2083 — Access cPanel over an encrypted connection with your domain name.
  • http://192.168.0.1:2082 — Access cPanel over an unencrypted connection with your IP address.
  • http://example.com:2082 — Access cPanel over an unencrypted connection with your domain name.

Then, decide whether you wish to log in via your cPanel account or an alternate authentication method:

Use cPanel account

Perform the following steps:

  1. Enter your cPanel username in the Username text box.
  2. Enter your password in the Password text box.
  3. Click Log in.

If your site uses Two-factor authentication (2FA), perform the following additional steps:

  1. Open your preferred 2FA app in your smartphone to retrieve the six-digit security code. 

    Note:

    The 2FA app generates a new six-digit security code for your cPanel account every 30 seconds.

  2. Enter the six-digit security code that the app provides.

    Note:

    You must enter the security code within 30 seconds. After time expires, the app will generate a new six-digit code.

  3. Click Continue.

Use external authentication method

Note:

cPanel & WHM introduced this feature in version 54.

Perform the following steps:

  1. Click the button that corresponds to the external authentication identity provider that you wish to use (for example, cPanelID, Google Accounts, Facebook, or your hosting provider's portal).
  2. If you are not currently logged in to the identity provider, the identity provider's login interface will appear. Enter your authentication credentials in the appropriate text boxes.
    • If you already own an account at the cPanel Store, the cPanel Tickets system, or the Manage2 billing system, that is your cPanelID.
    • If you do not already own an account at those sites, register for a cPanelID at the cPanel Tickets System Registration page. For more information about cPanelID, read our What is cPanelID? documentation. 
  3. If you have not already authorized the provider to log in to your server, allow it to do so.

The cPanel login interface will appear again with a message which confirms that you authenticated with the provider.

  1. If you have already linked the identity provider to a single cPanel account, the interface will automatically log you in.
  2. If you have already linked the provider to multiple cPanel accounts, a new interface will appear. Select the desired cPanel account or click Link Another Account to link another cPanel account.

  3. If you have not yet linked the identity provider to a cPanel account, you will see the following message:

    Your account is not associated with an existing “cPanel” account. Please log in to connect the account.


    Enter your username and password in the appropriate text boxes and log in to your server. This action will link the external account to your cPanel account.

How to access WHM

To access WHM, enter one of the following URLs in your preferred browser:

  • https://192.168.0.1:2087 — Access WHM over an encrypted connection with your IP address.
  • https://example.com:2087 — Access over an encrypted connection with your domain name.
  • http://192.168.0.1:2086 — Access WHM over an unencrypted connection with your IP address.
  • http://example.com:2086 — Access WHM over an unencrypted connection with your domain name.

Then, decide whether you wish to log in via your WHM account or an alternate authentication method:

Use WHM account

Perform the following steps:

  1. Enter your WHM username in the Username text box.
  2. Enter your password in the Password text box.
  3. Click Log in.

If your server uses Two-factor authentication (2FA), perform the following additional steps:

  1. Open your preferred 2FA appinyour smartphone to retrieve the six-digit security code. 

    Note:

    The 2FA app generates a new six-digit security code for your cPanel account every 30 seconds.

  2. Enter the six-digit security code that the app provides.

    Note:

    You must enter the security code within 30 seconds. After time expires, the app will generate a new six-digit code.

  3. Click Continue.

Use external authentication method

Note:

cPanel & WHM introduced this feature in version 54.

Perform the following steps:

  1. Click the button that corresponds to the external authentication identity provider that you wish to use (for example: cPanelID, Google Accounts, Facebook, or your hosting provider's portal).
  2. If you are not currently logged in to the identity provider, the provider's login interface will appear. Enter your authentication credentials in the appropriate text boxes.
    • If you already own an account at the cPanel Store, the cPanel Tickets system, or the Manage2 billing system, that is your cPanelID.
    • If you do not already own an account at those sites, register for a cPanelID at the cPanel Tickets System Registration page. For more information about cPanelID, read our What is cPanelID? documentation. 
  3. If you have not already authorized the identity provider to log in to your server, allow it to do so.

The WHM login interface will appear again with a message which confirms that you authenticated with the provider.

  1. If you have already linked the identity provider to a single cPanel account, the interface will automatically log you in.

  2. If you have already linked the provider to multiple cPanel accounts, a new interface will appear. Select the desired cPanel account or click Link Another Account to link another cPanel account.

  3. If you have not yet linked the identity provider to a cPanel account, you will see the following message:

    Your account is not associated with an existing “WHM” account. Please log in to connect the account.

     

 

Enter your username and password in the appropriate text boxes and log in to your server. This action will link the external provider to your cPanel account.

 

How to access Webmail

You can either access Webmail directly through your browser or log in to Webmail through the cPanel interface.

Access Webmail directly

To access Webmail, enter one of the following URLs in your preferred browser:

  • https://192.168.0.1:2096 — Access your Webmail over an encrypted connection with your IP address.
  • https://example.com:2096 — Access your Webmail over an encrypted connection with your domain name.
  • http://192.168.0.1:2095 — Access your Webmail over an unencrypted connection with your IP address.
  • http://example.com:2095 — Access your Webmail over an unencrypted connection with your domain name.

Then, decide whether you wish to log in via your webmail account or an alternate authentication method:

Use Webmail account

Perform the following steps:

  1. Enter your username in the Username text box.
  2. Enter your password in the Password text box.
  3. Click Log in.

Select your preferred Webmail application (see below).

Use external authentication method

Note:

cPanel & WHM introduced this feature in version 54.

Perform the following steps:

  1. Click the button that corresponds to the external authentication identity provider that you wish to use (for example: cPanelID, Google Accounts, Facebook, or your hosting provider's portal).
  2. If you are not currently logged in to the identity provider, the provider's login interface will appear. Enter your authentication credentials in the appropriate text boxes.
    • If you already own an account at the cPanel Store, the cPanel Tickets system, or the Manage2 billing system, that is your cPanelID.
    • If you do not already own an account at those sites, register for a cPanelID at the cPanel Tickets System Registration page. For more information about cPanelID, read our What is cPanelID? documentation. 
  3. If you have not already authorized the identity provider to log in to your server, allow it to do so.

The Webmail login interface will appear again with a message which confirms that you authenticated with the provider.

  1. If you have already linked the provider to a single Webmail account, the interface will automatically log you in.
  2. If you have already linked the provider to multiple Webmail accounts, a new interface will appear. Select the desired Webmail account or click Link Another Account to link another Webmail account.

  3. If you have not yet linked the provider to a Webmail account, you will see the following message:

    Your account is not associated with an existing “Webmail” account. Please log in to connect the account.


    Enter your username and password in the appropriate text boxes and log in to your server. This action will link the external provider to your Webmail account.

Access webmail from the cPanel interface

Important:

The Webmail icon will not display if you logged in with the reseller or root password.

To access Webmail from the cPanel interface, either click the Webmail icon in the Mail section of the cPanel Home interface, or perform the following steps:

  1. Navigate to cPanel's Email Accounts interface (Home >> Mail >> Email Accounts).
  2. Click More in the row that corresponds to the email account for which you wish to access Webmail.
  3. Select Access Webmail.
  4. Enter the password for the selected email account, and click Log In.
  5. Select your preferred webmail application (see below).

How to select your preferred webmail application

To select your preferred webmail application, perform the following steps:

Click the logo or the Read Mail Using link for your preferred webmail application.The interface for your chosen webmail application will appear.

  1. If you are not sure which webmail application you should use, read our Which Webmail Application Should I Choose? documentation.
  2. Click Enable AutoLoad if you want the chosen webmail application to load automatically the next time that you access Webmail.

The webmail client will retrieve and display all of your email account's read and unread messages.

How to use SSH to log in to the command line

Many system administration tasks and some website administration tasks require that you access the server from the command line interface (CLI). For example, if you need to run a script, you must do this from the CLI.

Note:

Your hosting provider controls who can log in via the command line and what permissions are available. If you need CLI access, contact your hosting provider. 

To use SSH to log in to the server, perform the following steps:

  1. Open your preferred CLI application. For example, Apple users often use the Terminal application to access the CLI.

  2. Run the following command, where user represents your username on the server, and hostname represents the server's hostname or IP address:

    ssh user@hostname 
  3. Enter your password and press the Enter key.

The working directory that you access immediately after you log in depends on your system's configuration and the permissions that you possess on the server.

Note:

To determine which user you logged in as on the CLI, run the following command:

whoami

This command returns the name of the currently-authenticated user, or it returns root if you used the sudo command to escalate your privileges.

How to change an interface's locale

You can choose a new language setting (locale) in which to view an interface.

This change sets a cookie in your browser that expires after one year. You must perform this step whenever you log in to an account from a new browser, when you delete cookies, and after the cookie expires.

To change an interface's locale, perform the following steps:

  1. At the bottom of the login interface, click the desired locale name.
  2. The interface will refresh and  a message of success will appear.

Note:

If your browser's Accept-Language header is set, then the login interface will attempt to display the locale that corresponds to your browser setting. If the locale that the browser's header requests is not available, the login interface appears in English.