title: Domains
created at: Thu Oct 17 2024 18:55:03 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
updated at: Sat Feb 08 2025 14:21:04 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
---
# Domains
Use this interface to create and manage multiple domains from a single cPanel account.
# Overview
Use this interface to create and manage multiple domains from a single cPanel account.
> \[!NOTE]
> Note
> You can change your primary domain via WHM’s [*Modify an Account*](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/account-functions/modify-an-account/) interface (*WHM » Home » Modify an Account*).
> Some settings **only** appear if your hosting provider’s settings enable them.
# Actions
## Create a New Domain
> \[!WARNING]
> Important
> To create a new domain, your hosting provider **must** enable at least **one** of the following features in WHM’s [*Feature Manager*](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/packages/feature-manager) interface (*WHM » Home » Packages » Feature Manager*):\
> [Addon Domains](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/cpanel-product/cpanel-glossary/#addon-domain)\
> , [Aliases](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/cpanel-product/cpanel-glossary/#aliases)\
> , [Subdomains](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/cpanel-product/cpanel-glossary/#subdomain)
To create a domain, perform the following steps:
1. Click *Create a New Domain*. A new interface will appear.
2. Enter a [fully qualified domain name (FQDN)](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/cpanel-product/cpanel-glossary/#fqdn) in the *Domain* text box.
* To create a new domain, enter the new domain name. For example, `example.com`.
* To create a [subdomain](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/cpanel-product/cpanel-glossary/#subdomain) , enter a new name followed by a period (`.`) and then the website’s domain. For example, enter `subdomain.example.com` to create a subdomain of `example.com`.
3. **Optionally**, you can specify the directory where you want the files for the domain to exist (the domain’s document root). To create this directory, deselect the *Share document root with “example.com”* checkbox, where `example.com` represents your main domain. You **cannot** create a document root outside of the `public_html/` directory. This will create an addon domain. You **cannot** use the following directories:
* The account’s home directory itself (`/`)
* Directories outside of the account’s home directory (`./` and `../`)
* `.cpanel`
* `.trash`
* `etc`
* `mail`
* `ssl`
* `tmp`
* `logs`
* `.cphorde`
* `.spamassassin`
* `.htpasswds`
* `var`
* `cgi-bin`
* `.ssh`
* `perl5`
> \[!NOTE]
> Note
> This setting **only** appears if your hosting provider enables it.
> The interface automatically populates the remaining text boxes, and we recommend that you use these values. However, you can enter different values in the *Document Root (File System Location)* and *Subdomain* text boxes if you desire.
1. Click *Submit* or click *Submit and Create Another*.
> \[!NOTE]
> Note
> Visitors **cannot** view your subdomain immediately. Changes to DNS records may require two days or more to reach each [nameserver](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/cpanel-product/cpanel-glossary/#nameserver) on the internet.
#### Certificates
When you create a domain or subdomain, the system will attempt to secure that domain with an existing [certificate](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/cpanel-product/cpanel-glossary/#certificate) .
* If no certificate exists, the system will generate a self-signed certificate to secure the new domain.
* If your hosting provider enables [AutoSSL](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/ssl-tls/manage-autossl) for the account that owns the new domain, the system will add a request for an AutoSSL certificate to secure the new domain and install it when it becomes available.
## Force HTTPS Redirect
Use the *Force HTTPS Redirect* toggle to automatically redirect a domain’s visitors from the insecure version of the website to the secure version.
To automatically redirect visitors for a single domain, set the *Force HTTPS Redirect* toggle **on** for the domain.
To automatically redirect visitors for multiple domains, select the checkbox for each domain. Then, select *Enable Force HTTPS Redirect*.
## Manage the Domain
Use the *Manage the Domain* interface to manage the domain’s document root directory, remove the domain, or perform other actions. From the *Additional Resources* menu, you can select the following actions to perform in a new browser tab:
| Action | Description |
| ----------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| *Create an Email Address* | Add an email address to the website. |
| *Create a Site with Site Publisher* | Quickly create a simple website, even if you have never created a website before. |
| *Modify the Zones* | Create, edit, and delete Domain Name System (DNS) records. |
| *Modify the Redirects* | Send all of the visitors of a domain or particular page to a different URL. |
#### New document root
The domain’s [document root](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/cpanel-product/cpanel-glossary/#document-root) directory defines the domain’s directory relative to the cPanel account’s home directory. For example, enter `newdomain.com` in the *New Document Root* text box for a cPanel account that uses the `/home/username` home directory. That domain’s files will reside in the `/home/username/public_html/newdomain.com` directory.
> \[!NOTE]
> Note
> This action changes the directory where the server searches for your files. It does **not** rearrange your files in any way.
> You **cannot** modify the document root directory for domains that share that directory with the main domain.
To provide a new document root directory, perform the following steps:
1. Enter a new path, relative to the user’s home directory.
2. Click *Update*.
#### Remove the domain
> \[!WARNING]
> Important
> We **strongly** recommend that you create a full account backup before you remove a domain. For more information about backups, read our [*Backup*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/files/backup-for-cpanel) documentation.
> This action **only** removes the domain’s `vhost` entries and DNS entries. The server retains the domain’s directory and contents.
> You **cannot** delete the main domain.
To remove the domain from the cPanel account, perform the following steps:
1. Click *Remove Domain*.
2. To confirm that you wish to remove this domain, click *Yes, remove this domain*.
#### Email accounts when you remove a domain
If you remove a domain that contains email accounts, those email accounts will **not** appear in the [*Email Accounts*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/email/email-accounts) interface (*cPanel » Home » Email » Email Accounts*). However, the mail folders continue to exist on the server. If you re-add the domain, the email accounts will reappear.
# List Domains
This interface lists your domains.
| Item | Actions |
| ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| *Domain* | - Click *Domain* to sort the list alphabetically by account name. <br />- Click an individual domain to visit the public-facing website.The *Main Domain* label identifies the domain that your hosting provider listed to create this account. |
| *Document Root* | - Click *Document Root* to sort the list alphabetically by relative directory paths. <br />- Click the home icon (<br />- ) or the file path to navigate to the [*File Manager*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/files/file-manager) interface (*cPanel » Home » Files » File Manager*) for that domain. A new interface will appear.This interface displays an unlinked file path if your hosting provider disables the [*File Manager*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/files/file-manager) interface (*cPanel » Home » Files » File Manager*). For more information, contact your hosting provider. |
| *Redirects To* | If the listed domain redirects to a different domain, the destination will appear here. Click a domain to visit the public-facing website. A new tab will appear.<br />To manage redirects, navigate to the [*Redirects*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/domains/redirects) interface (*cPanel » Home » Domains » Redirects*). |
| *Force HTTPS Redirect* | - To automatically redirect the new domain’s visitors from the insecure version of the website (HTTP) to the secure version (HTTPS), set the toggle to *On*. <br />- To disable redirection to the secure version of the website, set the toggle to *Off*.Select the appropriate checkboxes and then click *Force HTTPS Redirect On* or *Force HTTPS Redirect Off* at the top of the table to perform this action on multiple accounts.<br />> \[!WARNING]<br />> Important<br />> You can **only** enable redirection on main domains that also possess a valid SSL certificate. If you cannot enable redirection for your domains, contact your hosting provider.<br />> The toggle will **not** appear for aliases. |
| *Actions* | - [*Manage*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/domains/domains/#manage) — To manage additional settings, click *Manage*. A new interface will appear. <br />- *Create Email* — To create email addresses for the domain, click *Create Email*. The [*Email Accounts*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/email/email-accounts) interface (*cPanel » Home » Email » Email Accounts*) will appear. |
| *Show Associated Subdomains* | To show subdomains that the system automatically creates, perform the following steps:<br />1. Click the gear icon (<br />).<br />1. Click *Show Associated Domains*.This setting is **only** available if an addon domain exists. |