Have you just uploaded your website, only to be greeted by a “403 Forbidden” error instead of your homepage?
This error can be frustrating especially when your hosting and domain seem properly configured. One of the most common causes for this error is that your site doesn’t have a proper index file in the root directory.
In this article, we’ll explain exactly what an index file is, why it matters, and how to fix this issue directly from cPanel no advanced technical knowledge required.

What Does “403 Forbidden” Mean?

The 403 Forbidden error means that the server understands your request but it refuses to fulfill it. In simple terms, the server is blocking access to a page or directory.

This usually happens due to one of these reasons:

• The index file is missing

• File or folder permissions are incorrect

• Directory listing is disabled (which is good for security)

What Is an Index File?

Every directory (folder) in your website especially the root directory (usually /public_html/) should contain a default file that the server loads when someone visits your domain.

This file is usually named:

Without this file, your server doesn’t know which page to display, and if directory listing is disabled (which it usually is), the server will return a 403 Forbidden error instead of showing the folder contents.

Step-by-Step Fix from cPanel

Let’s fix the problem directly from your cPanel account.

Step 1: Log In to cPanel

• Go to your cPanel login URL (usually sent by your hosting provider).

• Enter your credentials to access the dashboard.

Step 2: Open File Manager

• Inside cPanel, locate the “File Manager” under the Files section.
  

• Click to open it.

• Navigate to the public_html/ folder this is the root folder for your main domain.
  

Step 3: Check for index.html or index.php

• Look through the list of files inside /public_html/.

• See if any of the following files exist:

  • index.html

  • index.php

If one of these files exists, skip to Step 5.
If not, continue to Step 4.

Step 4: Upload or Create an Index File

You’ll need to upload a homepage file or create a temporary one.

Option A: Upload Your Own Index File

If you’ve built a website using an editor or CMS (like WordPress or HTML templates):

1. Click Upload in File Manager
   

2. Choose your index.html or index.php file

3. Upload it into the /public_html/ directory

Option B: Create a Temporary File

If you want to test quickly:

1. In File Manager, click +File

2. Name it index.html

3. Open the file and insert basic content like:

Save it. Now reload your website you should see this page instead of a 403 error.

Step 5: Ensure File Permissions Are Correct

Even if the file exists, wrong permissions can cause a 403 error.

• Right-click the index.html or index.php file

• Click Change Permissions
  
  

• Make sure the permission is set to 644

  This means:

  • Owner: Read & Write

  • Group: Read

  • Public: Read

Step 6: Clear Browser Cache and Test

Sometimes your browser caches the error page. Be sure to:

• Clear your browser cache

• Try visiting your domain in Incognito/Private mode

If the index file and permissions are correct, your website should now load.

What If You Still See 403?

Here are additional things to check:

How to Avoid This Error in the Future

• Always include a valid index.html or index.php file when uploading a new site

• Use correct permissions (644 for files, 755 for folders)

• Don’t delete the index file unless replacing it

• Avoid manually modifying .htaccess unless you understand the changes

Final Thoughts

Seeing a 403 Forbidden error is annoying, but the fix is usually straightforward. Most of the time, it’s just a missing or misnamed index file something you can easily resolve using cPanel’s File Manager.
By following the simple steps outlined in this blog, you can restore your homepage and ensure visitors don’t hit a dead end when visiting your domain.
If you’re unsure what to do, your hosting provider can help you verify your file setup and permissions.