How to Use the Disk Usage Viewer in cPanel

Introduction

At Lanetti, we strive to provide you with the tools needed to efficiently manage your hosting resources. One such tool is the Disk Usage Viewer in cPanel. This feature helps you monitor how your storage space is being used, allowing you to identify and manage large files or folders that may be consuming excessive space. This guide will walk you through accessing and using the Disk Usage Viewer to manage your hosting storage effectively.

What Is the Disk Usage Viewer?

The Disk Usage Viewer is a cPanel tool that provides a detailed breakdown of how your disk space is being utilized across different directories and files in your hosting account. You can use it to:

• Identify large files and folders.
• Monitor email, databases, and file storage usage.
• Ensure you stay within your hosting plan’s storage limits.

How to Access the Disk Usage Viewer

Step 1: Log in to Your cPanel

1. Open your browser and navigate to your cPanel login page (e.g., https://yourdomain.com/cpanel).
2. Enter your username and password, then click Log in.

Step 2: Locate the Disk Usage Tool

1. In the cPanel dashboard, scroll down to the Files section.
2. Click on Disk Usage.
   

Using the Disk Usage Viewer

Step 1: Review Disk Space Summary

1. The top section of the Disk Usage Viewer shows a summary of your disk usage, categorized by file types, such as:

   • Home directory usage.
   • Email storage.
   • MySQL database usage.

2. This summary provides an overview of how your disk space is being utilized across different services.

Step 2: Analyze Detailed Disk Usage

1. Below the summary, you’ll see a visual representation of your storage usage. This includes a directory tree and bar graph.
2. Expand directories by clicking on the plus (+) icon next to them to see subdirectories and their respective sizes.
3. Focus on directories with unusually large sizes to identify potential storage issues.

Step 3: Locate Large Files or Folders

1. Click on a directory to navigate deeper into your folder structure.
2. Look for files or subdirectories consuming significant space.
3. Take note of unused or unnecessary files that can be deleted or moved.

Managing Disk Space

Step 1: Delete Unnecessary Files

1. Navigate to the File Manager in cPanel.
2. Locate the files or folders identified as consuming excessive space.
3. Right-click on the file or folder and choose Delete.

Step 2: Clear Email Storage

1. If emails are taking up space, navigate to the Email Accounts section in cPanel.
2. Click Manage next to the email account, then clear old or large emails.

Step 3: Optimize Databases

1. Use the phpMyAdmin tool in cPanel to optimize your databases and reduce their size.
2. Delete unused tables or entries to free up space.

Tips for Efficient Disk Usage Management

1. Monitor Regularly: Regularly check the Disk Usage Viewer to ensure you are not nearing your storage limit.
2. Archive and Download: Archive old files and download them to your local system to free up server space.
3. Limit Email Retention: Configure your email clients to delete old emails from the server automatically.
4. Optimize Images: Compress large images and videos before uploading them to your server.