--- title: "Using the File Manager with InMotion Central" description: "The InMotion Central File Manager allows you to manually edit the files and directories associated with your WordPress site. Access the File Manager and other tools from the Vertical..." url: https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/product-guides/central/projects/central-file-manager/ date: 2023-07-05 modified: 2025-05-28 author: "InMotion Hosting Contributor" categories: ["Projects"] tags: ["Central Product Guide"] type: post lang: en --- # Using the File Manager with InMotion Central The **InMotion Central File Manager** allows you to manually edit the files and directories associated with your WordPress site. Access the File Manager and other tools from the **Vertical Elipsis **menu on any environment. ![screenshot featuring the vertical elipsis menu expanded to show the file manager and other tools](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/file-manager-tools-1024x530.png) - [Navigating Directories](#navigating) - [Upload and Download](#upload-download) - [Copy, Paste](#copy-paste) - [View and Edit Files](#view-edit) - [Compress and Extract](#compress-extract) - [Moving Files](#moving) - [Deleting Files](#deleting) Manage your WordPress sites with InMotion Central! Try it out on one of our [UltraStack One](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/ultrastack-one-for-wordpress) plans today! ## Navigating Directories **Directories,** or folders, help keep your site files organized. InMotion Central’s File Manager works like most common operating systems. On the left side, a **Directory Toolbar** displays the directories within a given development environment. A directory can be expanded to view other directories it contains. Click on a directory to view its contents on the right side of the screen in the **Directory Contents** panel. ## Upload and Download - To upload a file or directory, navigate to the directory you want to upload to using the Directory Toolbar. - For example, if you want to upload something to your **Media Library**, be sure you are in the Media Library directory. - Then, click the **Upload** button located on the **Actions Toolbar** above the file display. - A dialogue box will appear. Use the dialogue box to choose the file or directory on your device that you want to upload. - If you have to upload many files at once, it is likely going to be faster to first compress them into a single file, then extract them once they are uploaded. - To download any file, right click on it and select the **Download** option. If you are using a Mac and do not have right click enabled, use control-click (⌃-click) instead of right click for all relevant steps in this guide. ## Copy, Paste, Duplicate - Both **Copy** and **Paste** are available using right click. - Select the file or directory to copy with right click, then select **Copy** from the right click menu. - To paste, first navigate to the appropriate directory in the **Directory Toolbar**. - Then, right click in an empty space in the **Directory Contents** area on the right side of the screen. - Selecting **Duplicate** will immediately create a copy of a file or directory in the same place as the original. ## View and Edit Files - To view or edit the code a file contains, right click on the file and select **View and Edit** from the right click menu. - This will open up the File Manager’s built in **Code Editor**. - You can close the Code Editor at any time without saving by clicking the **‘X’** in the upper right hand corner. - To save changes you have made to the code, use either the **Save** or **Save and Exit** buttons. ## Compress and Extract It is easier and faster to move or download files and directories that have been compressed. - If you want to compress a directory, right click on the directory and select the **Compress…** option. - This will open up a dialogue box that allows you to choose the **Compression Format** you would like to use. - Choose a format from the drop down menu. - You can optionally rename the directory at this point. - When you are ready, click **Compress Now** and the process will begin. - When the compression is finished, the File Manager page will automatically refresh. You can also compress multiple directories or files at the same time. Select multiple files and/or directories, then right click on the highlighted selection. The process works the same as above, but now you have compressed everything you selected into a single file, not just the contents of one directory! ## Moving Files If you want to move a file or directory, you need to know where you are going to put it. The top left of the WordPress Central File Manager always displays the **File Path** of the currently selected file or directory. If you have nothing selected, the File Manager will instead display the **Current Working Directory**. To move a file or directory, right click on it and select **Move**. This will open up a dialogue box allowing you to type in a file path. Confirm the path you would like to move the file or directory to, then press **OK**. If you type a directory path that does not yet exist, the necessary directories will be created for you! ## Deleting Files Deleting files is easy! Right click on the selected file or files you want to delete and select the **Delete** option. Be careful! While the InMotion Central File Manager does have a limited **Trash** section, files are only cached here for a very short time before they are permanently deleted. If you need to restore something in the Trash, click on the **View Trash** button, select the file or files you would like to have back and click **Restore Files** in the upper toolbar. Check out more of our WordPress resources in the [WordPress Education Channel](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/edu/wordpress/)!