File Manager

Overview

The File Manager lets you browse, edit, upload, download, compress, and extract files on your server directly in the browser, without an SFTP client.

You can open the File Manager at two levels:

	Server level	Site level
Starting folder	The server's root folder /	The site's folder, for example /home/flashpanel/example.com
Acts as user	root	The site user
Session duration	About 4 hours	About 2 hours

Use the site-level File Manager when you only need to work on one site's code: you stay inside that site's folder and new files belong to the site user. Use the server level only when you need access to system files.

Open the File Manager

• Server level: on the server's overview page, click the File Manager card; or click the folder icon (tooltip File Manager) in the toolbar at the top of the server pages. The button only appears once the server is fully installed.
• Site level: on the site's overview page, click the File Manager card; or click the folder icon in the toolbar at the top of the site pages.

The File Manager opens in a floating window, and you can open several windows at once. Press ⌘ + W to close the active window. The button is temporarily disabled while the Agent is being installed on the server.

Choose a connection mode

The first time you open it on a server without an Agent Site, the Choose File Browser Mode screen appears with two options:

• Install Agent Site (Direct Mode - Recommended): your browser connects directly to the server, giving faster speed, full features, a longer timeout for large operations, a more stable connection, and SSL/TLS security. Follow the installation in Events, then open the File Manager again.
• Continue with Proxy Mode: connects through FlashPanel, suitable for simple operations. This option is only available for servers on a paid plan; otherwise the Proxy Mode (Paid Plan Required) button takes you to the plan management page.

If the Agent on the server is outdated, an upgrade screen appears. Click Upgrade Now, then open the File Manager again after the upgrade finishes.

Browse folders

The file list has the Name, Size, Permission, Ownership, and Date columns.

• Click a folder name to open that folder.
• Click a file name to open the file in a new tab (see View and edit files).
• Click part of the path in the top-left corner to go back to that folder, or press Backspace to go up one level.
• Click Go To Folder (or press /), type a path, and select the folder to open. Press Esc to clear the search.
• Click Refresh to reload the list.
• Click Information to see the name, path, type, size, modification time, and permission of the current folder.

When you open a symbolic link (symlink), the File Manager goes to the target folder if it is inside the starting folder. Otherwise, the message Cannot open symbolic link to root directory appears.

Work with files and folders

Check the box at the start of a row to select one or more items, or click a row to select just that item. The matching action buttons appear in the toolbar. You can also right-click a row to open a quick menu.

• Open: open a folder or file (right-click menu only).
• Move / Copy: choose the destination folder in the Move to / Copy to dialog.
• Rename: rename one item.
• Archive: choose the ZIP, TAR, or TAR.GZ format, the compression level (0 to 9), and the archive name.
• Extract (for archives): choose Extract here or extract into a folder named after the archive (without its extension), then click Extract.
• Download: download one file to your computer.
• Empty: remove all the content of a file while keeping the file (useful for large log files). Confirm with Yes, Do it!.
• Delete: delete the selected items after confirmation.
• Import Database (for .sql, .sql.gz, or .zip files, right-click menu only): select the target Database and click Submit to import the data.

WARNING

Deleting cannot be undone. Check the list of items to delete carefully before confirming.

Create and upload files

The following buttons are always in the toolbar and apply to the open folder:

• Create File / Create Folder: enter a name and confirm.
• Upload to: opens an upload window where you select one or more files. Files are uploaded straight into the current folder, and the list refreshes automatically when done.
• URL Download: enter the file's URL, the File Name, and the destination folder (Save to) so the server downloads the file directly from the Internet.

View and edit files

When you open a file, its content appears in a new tab next to the File tab:

• Text files open in an editor with syntax highlighting. The language is detected automatically; you can change it in the Mode field.
• Click Save (or press Ctrl/⌘ + S) to save your changes.
• Images and videos are shown as a preview and cannot be edited.
• Click the x icon on the tab to close the file.

Permissions and ownership

• Change permissions: click the value in the Permission column (for example 644). Enter the numeric Mode or check read, write, and execute for File Owner, Group, and Others (use Check all / Uncheck all to select quickly), then click Change Permission.
• Change ownership: click the value in the Ownership column. Enter the Owner and Group (check The owner and group are the same to use one value), then click Change Ownership.

TIP

A site's files should belong to the site user. If you create or upload files with the server-level File Manager (root), change their owner back to the site user so the site can read and write them.

Display options

Click the gear icon in the toolbar to open Settings:

• Show hidden files: show files and folders whose names start with a dot.
• Show system files: show system files.
• Always show files: file names that are always shown even when hidden files are hidden (.env and .htaccess by default). Type a file name and press Enter or a comma to add it.

These options are saved in the browser you are using.

Tiny File Manager (legacy)

Some older sites had Tiny File Manager installed. If your site still has it, a Tiny File Manager card appears on the site's overview page with an Access link and an Uninstall button.

Because FlashPanel now has its own File Manager, you should uninstall Tiny File Manager for safety:

1. Click the Tiny File Manager card on the site's overview page.
2. Click Uninstall.
3. Enter the path shown in the confirmation dialog, then confirm.

Tiny File Manager can no longer be installed.

Notes & warnings

• Warning: The server-level File Manager acts as root and can change or delete any system file. Be careful to avoid breaking the server.
• Note: Sessions expire. If an action fails after a long period of inactivity, close and reopen the File Manager window.
• Note: The File Manager is not shown on the Agent Site's page.
• Note: For large files or syncing many files, use SFTP.