When you open the FTP Accounts section in cPanel, you will notice several FTP accounts that you did not create. These are system-generated accounts that cPanel uses for various purposes. Here is what they are, why they exist, and which ones you should leave alone.
Your main cPanel account doubles as your primary FTP account
You do not need to create a separate FTP account to start uploading files. Your cPanel username and password work for FTP, and this account has access to your entire home directory. The other accounts listed in cPanel are system defaults that you generally do not need to touch.
01. Your Main cPanel FTP Account
The first account you will see in the FTP Accounts list uses your cPanel username. This is your primary account and it has full access to your entire hosting directory, including public_html, mail, tmp, and everything else under your home directory.
To connect with this account:
- Host: Your domain name or the server hostname
- Username: Your cPanel username
- Password: Your cPanel password
- Port: 21 (standard FTP) or 22 (SFTP if SSH is enabled)
When you log in with this account, you land in your home directory. Your website files go in the public_html folder. If you have addon domains, each one has its own subdirectory inside public_html or elsewhere depending on your setup. See FTP Root Directory and Account Structure for the full layout.
02. The Logs Account
You may see an FTP account with the username format yourusername_logs. This is a special read-only account that provides FTP access to your raw access logs and error logs.
The logs directory is typically at the same level as public_html and contains:
- Access logs - Records of every HTTP request to your website
- Error logs - PHP errors, server errors, and other issues
Most users never need to use this account since you can view logs through cPanel's Metrics section (Raw Access Logs, Error Log, Visitors, etc.). The FTP account exists for users who want to download large log files or use external log analysis tools.
If you want to run your own log analysis software, download the raw access logs via this account or through cPanel. Your logs are in Apache Combined Log Format, which is compatible with tools like AWStats, Webalizer, and GoAccess. See understanding web stats for more on log analysis.
03. Anonymous FTP
cPanel may list an "anonymous" FTP account. On Ultra Web Hosting shared servers, anonymous FTP is disabled by default for security reasons. This account listing is a cPanel interface artifact and does not actually allow anonymous connections.
Anonymous FTP allows anyone to connect without a password, which is a significant security risk on shared hosting. If you see this entry in your FTP Accounts list, you can safely ignore it.
Do not attempt to enable anonymous FTP on a shared hosting account. It creates a security vulnerability for your account and the entire server. If you need to share files publicly, use a download link or a file sharing service instead.
04. Additional FTP Accounts You Create
Beyond the default accounts, you can create additional FTP accounts in cPanel. This is useful when:
- A web developer needs access - Create a restricted account that only has access to
public_html(or a specific subdirectory) rather than your entire home directory. - You manage multiple sites - Give each site's maintainer their own account locked to that site's directory.
- You want upload-only access - Create an account for a directory where people can upload files but not browse or download existing content.
How to Create an Additional FTP Account
- In cPanel, go to Files > FTP Accounts
- Enter a username (it will be appended to your cPanel username, like
devuser@yourdomain.com) - Set a strong password
- Set the directory - This restricts the account to only see files within that folder. Use
public_htmlfor full site access, or a subdirectory likepublic_html/blogfor restricted access. - Set a quota if desired (or leave unlimited)
- Click "Create FTP Account"
When you give FTP access to a developer or contractor, create a dedicated account for them and delete it when the work is done. Never share your main cPanel credentials. If the developer needs cPanel features beyond FTP, consider using cPanel's User Manager to create a sub-account with limited permissions instead.
05. FTP Security Tips
- Use FTPS or SFTP - Plain FTP sends passwords in cleartext. Use "Explicit FTP over TLS" in your FTP client for encrypted connections. If you have SSH access, SFTP on port 22 is even more secure.
- Delete unused accounts - Review your FTP accounts periodically and remove any that are no longer needed.
- Use strong passwords - FTP accounts are a common attack vector. Use cPanel's password generator to create strong, unique passwords.
- Restrict directories - Do not give additional accounts access to your entire home directory. Scope them to the specific folder they need.
Need Help Managing FTP Accounts?
Our support team can help you set up FTP accounts, troubleshoot connection issues, or review your account security.
Open a Support TicketQuick Recap
- Your cPanel login is your main FTP account - No need to create a separate one
- The logs account - Provides FTP access to your raw access and error logs
- Anonymous FTP is disabled - Ignore this entry in cPanel, it is a UI artifact
- Create restricted accounts for developers - Scope them to specific directories
- Use FTPS or SFTP - Never send passwords over plain FTP
Understanding your hosting account structure · Last updated March 2026 · Browse all FTP articles
