Creating a restricted FTP account in cPanel

Confirm the service supports FTP accounts and use encrypted FTP over TLS where available. An additional FTP account is not automatically an SSH or SFTP account. Identify the smallest directory it needs and keep a backup before granting write access to a live website.

1. Open FTP Accounts in cPanel. Enter the new username and a unique generated password.
2. Review the Directory field carefully. Choose the intended website folder or a narrower subdirectory rather than allowing access to the entire account by accident.
3. Set the quota where supported, remembering that it cannot override the hosting account’s overall storage limit. Create the FTP account.
4. Use the full username and connection details displayed for that account in an FTP client. Select the server’s supported TLS mode and verify its certificate.
5. Test listing the intended directory and transferring a harmless test file, then remove that file.

If a developer only maintains files in /home/CPANEL_USER/public_html/media, review whether that directory is the smallest appropriate scope. Replace the example with your actual account path and check that it contains no secrets or unrelated customer files.

1. Create the separate FTP account and set its Directory to that approved location.
2. Connect using the full username and supported FTPS settings shown by cPanel.
3. Confirm the client's visible root maps to the assigned directory, rather than assuming a displayed slash means access to the whole server.
4. Upload one harmless test file, verify it appears only in the intended location, and test that the account cannot browse above its allowed scope.

Remove the test file afterwards. Directory restriction limits the login's file scope, but write access to a live application still needs care. Revoke the separate account when the work ends.

Confirm the account can reach the required path and cannot browse above its assigned scope. Verify that the application still works after any real upload.

For a login error, check the complete username, protocol and host. For a directory-listing timeout, investigate passive-transfer networking rather than changing the password repeatedly. If SSH-based SFTP is required, request the appropriate supported service access instead of trying an FTP-only user on an SSH port.

• Changing a separate FTP account password in cPanel
• Removing an FTP login without deleting website files in cPanel
• Connecting FileZilla to hosting with FTPS or SFTP
• Adjusting an FTP account storage quota in cPanel

• cPanel documentation