How to create a subdomain

Applies to: All plans (within your plan's subdomain limit — see the table below).

Before you start: You need access to cPanel (open your service in the client area -> Services -> My Services, then choose Log in to cPanel), and the domain you want the subdomain under must already be on your account.

A subdomain is a prefix on your main domain — for example blog.yourdomain.com or shop.yourdomain.com. It is handy for a blog, a staging copy, an app, or any section you want to keep in its own folder. You create one in cPanel, and because our DNS is managed by us, on our own nameservers, and your zone is built automatically for you, the subdomain starts resolving without any extra DNS steps.

Create the subdomain

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. Open cPanel -> Domains -> Domains (the domains management area; on some layouts the tool is labelled Subdomains).
3. Choose Create a New Domain (or Create a Subdomain).
4. In the domain field, type the full subdomain, for example blog.yourdomain.com. cPanel splits this into the subdomain part (blog) and the parent domain automatically.
5. Check the document root — this is the folder that will hold the subdomain's files (for example public_html/blog). You can accept the suggested folder or set your own.
6. Select Submit (or Create).

Result: The subdomain is created and its document root folder is ready. Because your DNS zone is managed for you on our own nameservers, blog.yourdomain.com will start working once DNS has propagated — usually within minutes.

Where your subdomain's files live

Upload your subdomain's website files into its document root folder. To get there, open cPanel -> Files -> File Manager and navigate to the folder you set in step 5 (for example public_html/blog). Anything you place in that folder is served at the subdomain's address.

You can upload files through File Manager or over FTP/SFTP — see How to upload files with File Manager and How to connect over FTP or SFTP.

How many subdomains can I create?

Each plan has a subdomain limit:

If you reach your limit, the next step is to upgrade your plan — see When should I upgrade my plan? and How to upgrade or downgrade your plan.

Troubleshooting this task

• The subdomain does not load yet. Fresh DNS can take a little time to propagate. Give it a few minutes, then try again in a private browser window.
• You hit your plan's limit. cPanel will not let you create more subdomains than your plan allows. Upgrade your plan to add more.
• You need to point a record by hand. You don't normally need to — the subdomain is set up automatically. Note that live DNS records are managed in the client area, not the cPanel zone editor. Customer websites are served over both IPv4 and IPv6 (dual-stack): when your domain uses our nameservers, we create both the A and the AAAA records for you, so there is normally nothing to add. If you do need to add a record by hand, use an A record to 185.185.49.198 and an AAAA record to 2a00:7c80:0:286:c::10. See How to manage DNS records in your client area.
• You want a redirect instead of a folder. If the subdomain should just forward visitors elsewhere, set up a redirect instead — see How to set up a domain redirect.

Related articles

• How to add an addon domain
• How to manage your domains inside cPanel
• How to upload files with File Manager
• Understanding your hosting account's limits