There are many different features found in Web Host Manager (WHM) that are useful in maintaining your dedicated server. However, not all of them are available to the default user you were given when you signed up. Determining what requires root access can be complicated. We take the guesswork out of that with the chart below. It lists the features found in the WHM and whether or not you need root access to use it. The list order follows the default listing of categories found in the left hand menu of the WHM. Keep in mind, if you’re not logged in as root, you will not see all the options below.
NOTE: Root access is included (at no extra charge) with our Dedicated Server, VPS, and Reseller VPS Hosting plans.
| Category | Feature | Requires Root Access |
|---|---|---|
| Server Configuration | ||
| Basic cPanel & WHM Setup | ||
| Change Root Password | Yes | |
| Configure cPanel CronJobs | Yes | |
| Initial Quota Setup | Yes | |
| Server Time | Yes | |
| Statistics Software Configuration | Yes | |
| Tweak Settings | Yes | |
| Update Preferences | Yes | |
| Support | ||
| Grant cPanel Support Access | Yes | |
| Legacy Configure Customer Contact | ||
| Support Center | Yes | |
| Networking Setup | ||
| Change Hostname | Yes | |
| Resolver Configuration | Yes | |
| Security Center | ||
| Apache mod_userdir Tweak | Yes | |
| Compiler Access | Yes | |
| Configure Security Policies | Yes | |
| cPHulk Brute Force Protection | Yes | |
| Host Access Control | Yes | |
| Manage External Authentications | ||
| Manage root’s SSH Keys | Yes | |
| Manage Wheel Group Users | Yes | |
| ModSecurity Configuration | Yes | |
| ModSecurity Tools | Yes | |
| ModSecurity Vendors | Yes | |
| Password Strength Configuration | Yes | |
| PHP open_basedir Tweak | Yes | |
| Security Advisor | Yes | |
| Security Questions | Yes | |
| Shell Fork Bomb Protection | Yes | |
| SMTP Restrictions | Yes | |
| SSH Password Authentication Tweak | Yes | |
| Traceroute Enable/Disable | Yes | |
| Two-Factor Authentication | ||
| Server Contacts | ||
| Contact Manager | Yes | |
| Edit System Mail Preferences | Yes | |
| Resellers | ||
| Change Ownership of an Account | Yes | |
| Change Ownership of Multiple Accounts | Yes | |
| Edit Reseller Nameservers and Privileges | Yes | |
| Email all Resellers | Yes | |
| Manage Reseller’s IP Delegation | Yes | |
| Manage Reseller’s Shared IP | Yes | |
| Reseller Center | Yes | |
| Reset Resellers | Yes | |
| Show Reseller Accounts | Yes | |
| View Reseller Usage and Manage Account Status | Yes | |
| Service Configuration | ||
| Apache Configuration | Yes | |
| Bandmin Password | Yes | |
| Configure PHP and sUEXEC | Yes | |
| cPanel Log Rotation Configuration | Yes | |
| cPanel Web Disk Configuration | Yes | |
| cPanel Web Services Configuration | Yes | |
| Exim Configuration Manager | Yes | |
| FTP Server Configuration | Yes | |
| FTP Server Selection | Yes | |
| Mailserver Configuration | Yes | |
| Mailserver Selection | Yes | |
| Manage Service SSL Certificates | Yes | |
| Nameserver Selection | Yes | |
| PHP Configuration Editor | Yes | |
| Service Manager | Yes | |
| Locales | ||
| Configure Application Locales | ||
| Copy a Locale | ||
| Delete a Locale | ||
| Edit a Locale | ||
| Locale XML Download | ||
| Locale XML Upload | ||
| View Available Locales | ||
| Backup | ||
| Backup Configuration | Yes | |
| Backup Restoration | Yes | |
| Backup User Selection | Yes | |
| Configuration File Rollback | Yes | |
| Legacy Backup Configuration | Yes | |
| Legacy Restore Backups | Yes | |
| Legacy Restore Multiple Backups | Yes | |
| Restore a Full Backup/cpmove file | Yes | |
| Clusters | ||
| Configuration Center | Yes | |
| DNS Cluster | Yes | |
| Remote Access Key | ||
| System Reboot | ||
| Forceful Server Reboot | Yes | |
| Graceful Server Reboot | Yes | |
| Server Status | ||
| Apache Status | Yes | |
| Daily Process Log | Yes | |
| Server Information | ||
| Server Status | ||
| Account Information | ||
| List Accounts | ||
| List Parked Domains | Yes | |
| List Subdomains | ||
| List Suspended Accounts | ||
| Search Accounts | ||
| Show Accounts Over Quota | ||
| View Bandwidth Usage | ||
| Account Functions | ||
| Change Site’s IP Address | Yes | |
| Create a New Account | ||
| Email All Users | Yes | |
| Force Password Change | ||
| Limit Bandwidth Usage | ||
| Manage Account Suspension | ||
| Manage Demo Mode | ||
| Manage Shell Access | Yes | |
| Modify an Account | ||
| Modify Suspended Account Page | ||
| Password Modification | ||
| Quota Modification | ||
| Raw Apache Log Download | Yes | |
| Raw FTP Log Download | Yes | |
| Rearrange an Account | ||
| Reset Account Bandwidth Limit | Yes | |
| Show Active and Inactive Accounts | Yes | |
| Skeleton Directory | ||
| Terminate an Account | ||
| Unsuspend Bandwidth Exceeders | Yes | |
| Upgrade/Downgrade an Account | ||
| Web Template Editor | ||
| Multi Account Functions | ||
| Change Multiple Sites’ IP Addresses | Yes | |
| Modify/Upgrade Multiple Accounts | ||
| Terminate Multiple Accounts | ||
| Transfers | ||
| Convert Addon Domain to Account | ||
| Copy an Account From Another Server | Yes | |
| Copy and Account From Another Server With an Account Password | Yes | |
| Copy Multiple Accounts/Packages From Another Server | Yes | |
| Review Transfers and Restores | Yes | |
| Transfer Tool | Yes | |
| Themes | ||
| Change WHM Theme | ||
| Theme Manager | Yes | |
| Packages | ||
| Add a Package | ||
| Edit a Package | ||
| Delete a Package | ||
| Feature Manager | ||
| DNS Functions | ||
| Add a DNS Zone | ||
| Add an Entry for Your Hostname | Yes | |
| Delete a DNS Zone | Yes | |
| Edit a DNS Zone | Yes | |
| Edit MX Entry | ||
| Edit Zone Templates | ||
| NS Record Report | Yes | |
| Park a Domain | Yes | |
| Perform a DNS Cleanup | Yes | |
| Reset a DNS Zone | Yes | |
| Set Zone Time To Live (TTL) | Yes | |
| Setup/Edit Domain Forwarding | Yes | |
| Synchronize DNS Records | Yes | |
| SQL Services | ||
| Additional MySQL Access Hosts | Yes | |
| Change MySQL User Password | Yes | |
| Database Map Tool | Yes | |
| Manage Database Users | Yes | |
| Manage Databases | Yes | |
| Manage MySQL Profiles | Yes | |
| MySQL Root Password | Yes | |
| phpMyAdmin | Yes | |
| Repair a MySQL Database | Yes | |
| Show MySQL Processes | Yes | |
| IP Functions | ||
| Add a New IP Address | Yes | |
| Assign IPv6 Address | Yes | |
| Change a Site’s Address | Yes | |
| Configure Remote Service IPs | Yes | |
| IP Migration Wizard | Yes | |
| IPv6 Ranges | Yes | |
| Rebuild the IP Address Pool | Yes | |
| Show IP Address Usage | Yes | |
| Show or Delete Current IP Addresses | Yes | |
| Show/Edit Reserved IPs | Yes | |
| Software | ||
| EasyApache 3 | Yes | |
| EasyApache 4 | Yes | |
| Install a Perl Module | Yes | |
| Install an RPM | Yes | |
| Module Installers | Yes | |
| MySQL/MariaDB Upgrade | Yes | |
| Rebuild RPM Database | Yes | |
| System Update | Yes | |
| Update Server Software | Yes | |
| Greylisting | Yes | |
| Mail Delivery Reports | ||
| Mail Queue Manager | Yes | |
| Mail Troubleshooter | ||
| Repair Mailbox Permissions | Yes | |
| Spamd Startup Configuration | Yes | |
| View Mail Statistics Summary | Yes | |
| View Relayers | Yes | |
| View Sent Summary | Yes | |
| System Health | ||
| Background Process Killer | Yes | |
| Process Manager | Yes | |
| Show Current Disk Usage | Yes | |
| Show Current Running Processes | Yes | |
| cPanel | ||
| Branding | ||
| Change Log | ||
| Install cPAddons Site Software | Yes | |
| Manage cPAddons Site Software | Yes | |
| Manage Plugins | Yes | |
| Modify cPanel & WHM News | ||
| Reset a Mailman Password | Yes | |
| Synchronize FTP Passwords | ||
| Upgrade to Latest Version | Yes | |
| x3 Branding | ||
| SSL/TLS | ||
| Generate an SSL Certificate and Signing Request | ||
| Install an SSL Certificate on a Domain | ||
| Manage SSL Hosts | ||
| Purchase and Install an SSL Certificate | Yes | |
| SSL Storage Manager | ||
| Market | ||
| Market Provider Manager | ||
| Restart Services | ||
| DNS Server (BIND/NSD/MyDNS) | ||
| FTP Server (ProFTPd/PureFTPd) | ||
| HTTP Server (Apache) | ||
| IMAP Server | ||
| Mail Server (Exim) | ||
| Mailing List Manager (Mailman) | ||
| SQL Server (MySQL) | ||
| SSH Server (OpenSSH) | ||
| Development | ||
| x3 Plugin File Generator | Yes | |
| Apps Manage by AppConfig | Yes | |
| cPanel Development Forum | ||
| cPanel Plugin File Generator | Yes | |
| Manage Hooks | Yes | |
| Software Development Kit | ||
| Plugins | ||
| Add IP to Firewall | ||
| Google Apps Wizard | Yes | |
| Softaculous – Instant Installs |
At this point, you should understand what functions within WHM require root access. If you need root access, please review our article on how to request root access.