Table of Contents
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is how files get uploaded to and downloaded from your web server without logging into cPanel itself. Creating a separate FTP account — rather than sharing your main login — is the standard way to give a developer or freelancer access to just the files they need.
1. Log in to cPanel
Go to your cPanel login page and sign in with your main account credentials.
2. Open FTP Accounts
In the Files section, click FTP Accounts. This shows any existing FTP accounts on your hosting and a form to create a new one.
3. Create the account
Enter a username, a strong password (or use the generator cPanel provides), and set the directory this account should be restricted to — usually a specific folder inside public_html rather than the whole account, if you're handing access to someone else.
4. Set a quota
You can optionally cap how much storage this FTP account is allowed to use, which is a sensible safeguard when giving access to a third party.
5. Connect with an FTP client
Download a free client like FileZilla, then enter your domain (or server IP) as the host, the FTP username and password you just created, and port 21 — or port 22 if your host supports SFTP, which encrypts the connection and is the safer option where available.
6. Upload and manage files
Once connected, you'll see your local files on one side and the server's folder on the other — drag and drop to upload, download, rename, or delete files directly.
Key takeaway: Never hand out your main cPanel login for file access — a scoped FTP account limited to one folder means you can revoke or delete it later without touching anything else on your hosting.
Security tips
Use SFTP over plain FTP whenever your host offers it, since standard FTP sends credentials in plain text. Delete any FTP account you're no longer using, and avoid reusing the same password across multiple accounts.