Using phpMyAdmin in cPanel

phpMyAdmin is a free, web-based tool for managing MySQL and MariaDB databases. Every Exact Hosting cPanel plan includes phpMyAdmin so you can manage your databases without installing additional software. This article introduces phpMyAdmin, shows you how to open it from cPanel, and points to the official phpMyAdmin reference for advanced topics.

About phpMyAdmin

phpMyAdmin handles most day-to-day database tasks through a friendly web interface: creating and editing databases, tables, columns, indexes, users, and permissions. It also lets you run SQL statements directly, import and export data, and visualize relationships between tables. If you've ever needed to back up a database, change a password in wp_users, or fix a corrupt row, phpMyAdmin is usually the fastest way to do it.

Before you begin

• An active Exact Hosting cPanel hosting plan. phpMyAdmin is included with all cPanel hosting plans.
• At least one MySQL or MariaDB database on your account. Create one in cPanel under MySQL Databases if you don't already have one.
• A backup before making changes. Database changes are easy to make and hard to reverse. Export the database first.

Step 1: Open phpMyAdmin from cPanel

1. Sign in to cPanel. See Managing cPanel Access.
2. In the Databases section, click phpMyAdmin.

phpMyAdmin opens in a new tab, already signed in with the credentials for your cPanel account.

Common phpMyAdmin tasks

Once phpMyAdmin is open, use the left sidebar to select a database and the top tabs to switch between views. Common tasks include:

• Browse a table. Click a database in the sidebar, then a table, then the Browse tab.
• Run a SQL query. Click the SQL tab and enter your statement.
• Export a database. Click the Export tab. The default Quick / SQL settings produce a portable backup file.
• Import data. Click the Import tab and upload a SQL or compressed dump.

Further reading

For deeper documentation, see the official phpMyAdmin user guide. Key sections:

• Import and export — full reference for the Import and Export tabs.
• User management — create, edit, and delete database users; assign privileges.
• Relations — define and visualize foreign-key relationships between tables.
• Bookmarks — save and re-run SQL queries.
• Transformations — format column data on display.
• Charts — visualize query results.
• Custom themes — change the phpMyAdmin appearance.

Next steps

• Export your database before any edit. Use the Export tab in phpMyAdmin or include the database in a full account backup. See Creating a Full Backup Using Backup Wizard.
• Create database users in cPanel. Use MySQL Databases in cPanel for user and privilege management at the account level.
• Coordinate with your developer. Schema changes can break the application that uses the database. Test changes on a staging copy when possible.

Questions? Contact Exact Hosting Support.

Related articles

• Creating and Managing MySQL Databases (Database Wizard) — create databases and users
• Troubleshooting "Error Establishing a Database Connection" — fix database connection errors