How-To Guide For Resetting cPanel File Manager

Resetting cPanel’s File Manager usually refers to restoring its default settings or resolving an issue where the interface is not loading correctly. Since there isn’t a single “Reset” button, this guide will cover the most effective methods to troubleshoot and restore File Manager’s functionality.

Method 1: Clearing Your Browser Cache

Most File Manager issues are caused by corrupted browser cache data. This is the simplest and first troubleshooting step you should take.

1. Clear Cache and Cookies: Open your browser’s settings and find the option to clear your Browse data. Ensure you select “Cookies and other site data” and “Cached images and files.”
2. Try a Different Browser: If clearing the cache doesn’t work, try accessing cPanel and File Manager from a different web browser. If it works there, the issue is definitely related to your original browser’s settings or extensions.

Method 2: Resetting the File Manager’s “Preferences”

File Manager has its own set of preferences that can sometimes become corrupted. You can reset these to their defaults from within the File Manager itself.

1. Open File Manager from your cPanel dashboard.
2. Click the Settings button in the top-right corner.
3. A pop-up window will appear, showing your current preferences. While there is no “Reset to Default” button, you can manually change the settings back to their default state:
   • Show Hidden Files (dotfiles): Uncheck this box.
   • Disable Syntax Highlighting: Uncheck this box.
   • Show All File Types: Uncheck this box.
   • Save: Click the Save button to apply the changes.

Method 3: Using the Command Line (For Advanced Users)

If the graphical interface is completely broken and you have root or SSH access, you can manually clear File Manager’s user preferences.

1. Connect via SSH: Log in to your server via SSH as the root user.
2. Navigate to the User’s Home Directory: Change to the cPanel user’s home directory.
   Bash

   cd /home/cpuser
   

   (Replace cpuser with the actual cPanel username).

3. Delete the Preferences File: File Manager settings are stored in a hidden .cpanel directory. Delete the file that stores its preferences.
   Bash

   rm -f .cpanel/filemanager.sqlite
   

   This command removes the SQLite database file where File Manager preferences are stored. The next time you open File Manager, a new, default preferences file will be created.

Method 4: Rebuilding Apache and cPanel Configuration

If the issue persists, there may be a deeper server-side problem. This method is a last resort and should only be performed by a server administrator with WHM access.

1. Log in to WHM: Access your WebHost Manager.
2. Rebuild cPanel Configuration: In the search bar, type scripts. A common command used to rebuild the cPanel installation is:
   Bash

   /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/upcp --force
   

   This command will force an update and reinstallation of the cPanel packages, which can fix corrupted files.

3. Rebuild Apache: In WHM, navigate to EasyApache 4 and rebuild Apache. This can resolve issues related to how the web server handles File Manager’s requests.