Managing your website files is an essential part of keeping your hosting account organised. Over time, outdated files may accumulate in your directories taking up unnecessary storage space. Removing these files helps optimise server resources, reduce clutter, and prevent confusion when updating or maintaining your website.
DirectAdmin provides a built-in File Manager tool that allows you to browse, upload, move, and delete files directly from your hosting account, without the need for third-party FTP software. This guide will walk you step by step through the process of locating and deleting images safely using the DirectAdmin File Manager.
Never delete files above the public_html directory.
Deleting files or folders above the public_html level can compromise your entire hosting account, affect server configurations, or break other websites and services hosted on the same account. Always ensure you are working within your website’s public_html folder to avoid unintentional damage.
Deleting files
1. Log in to DirectAdmin.
2. In the menu, go to 'System Info & Files' → 'File Manager'.
3. The File Manager shows a list of folders and files. Double-click folders until you locate the file that you wish to delete.
4. Check the file(s) that you want to delete, then click the garbage bin symbol at the top. Alternatively, you can also right click the file and select 'Remove'.
5. When the confirmation pop-up appears, click 'Remove' to proceed with deleting the selected file(s).
To minimise the risk of accidental data loss, always create a backup of important files before deleting them.
Resolving problems with file removal
Each folder and file has its own access permissions. These permissions may prevent you from deleting a specific file or folder. For example, the 'owner' might be set incorrectly, or you may have assigned overly strict permissions to yourself. You can resolve this as follows.
1. Log in to DirectAdmin.
2. In the menu, go to 'System Info & Files' → 'File Manager'.
3. Check the file(s) that you can't remove, then click the three dots next to the garbage bin symbol, and select 'Set Permissions'. Alternatively, you can also right click the file and select 'Set Permissions'.
4. Enter '755' in the Chmod field, check the 'Recursive' option at the bottom, and click 'Save'.
5. Now you should be able to successfully delete the file(s).