How to create a subdomain in cPanel

Knowledgebase Article

How to create a subdomain in cPanel

A subdomain is a subsection of your website that acts as a separate site without needing a new domain name. Subdomains are great for organising your content or setting up specific-purpose areas of your site.

For example:

blog.example.com - for a blog
staging.example.com - for a test or development site

Why Use Subdomains?

Organise your website into distinct sections
Create test environments
Set up memorable URLs

Steps to Create a Subdomain in cPanel

Log in to cPanel and Open "Domains":
Click the Domains icon in the cPanel dashboard.
Enter Your Subdomain:
In the Domain field, type the full name of your subdomain. For example:
- To create staging.example.com, type staging.example.com.
Understand Document Root Sharing:
Decide whether the subdomain will share the same files as your main site:
- Share document root (default): The subdomain will show the same content as your main site. Useful for creating aliases. (Learn more about aliases)
- Do not share document root: The subdomain will have its own unique content. Uncheck the box to enable this option.
Choose a Directory:
If you chose not to share the document root, specify the directory for the subdomain's files. By default, this will be the subdomain name (e.g., staging.example.com).
Click "Create":
Once the settings are complete, click Create.

What Happens Next?

After you create your subdomain, here’s what happens:

If the folder doesn’t already exist: cPanel will create a new folder where you can upload files for your subdomain.
If the folder already exists: The subdomain will use this folder and display any content that’s already in it.
Making the subdomain work online:
- If your domain is pointed to our nameservers: The subdomain will usually start working within a few minutes. (If you’re not sure about this, it probably is, so you can wait and check.)
- If your domain is not pointed to our nameservers: You’ll need to add a record called an "A record" with your domain provider. This tells the internet where your subdomain is hosted. If you’re unsure, contact us and we’ll help you set it up.

Success!

Your subdomain is ready! Now you can decide how to add content to it. Here are some common options:

Uploading content: If you already have files for your subdomain, upload them to the folder you selected during setup (e.g., via cPanel's File Manager or an FTP client). The files you upload will display on your subdomain.
Installing WordPress or another app: Use Softaculous in your cPanel to quickly set up apps on your subdomain.
Cloning an existing app: Duplicate a site you already have using tools in cPanel using Softaculous's clone tool
Using our site builder: Build your subdomain’s content from scratch with ProSite or take a backup of an existing ProSite website and import it.

Whatever your goal, your subdomain is ready for action, and we’ve got guides to help you every step of the way!