Creating Subdomains

A subdomain is a separate section of your website that lives under your main domain — for example, blog.yourdomain.com or shop.yourdomain.com. This article explains what subdomains are good for and how to create and manage them in cPanel.

What a subdomain is

A subdomain is a prefix added to your existing domain to create a distinct part of your site. You do not need to register or buy anything — subdomains are created from a domain you already have on your account.

Common uses include:

• A blog at blog.yourdomain.com
• An online store at shop.yourdomain.com
• A test or staging copy at dev.yourdomain.com
• A members area at members.yourdomain.com

A subdomain is different from an addon domain, which hosts a separate site under its own domain name. See Managing Addon Domains if that is what you need.

Before you begin

• An existing domain on your account. Subdomains are created from a domain already pointed to Exact Hosting.
• cPanel access.
• A name for your subdomain. Decide the prefix you want (for example, blog).

Step 1: Open the Subdomains tool

1. Sign in to cPanel.
2. In the Domains section, select Subdomains. [SME CONFIRM: in newer cPanel, subdomains may be created from the unified "Domains" > "Create A New Domain" interface rather than a separate "Subdomains" icon. Confirm which the current theme uses.]

Step 2: Create the subdomain

1. In the Subdomain field, enter the prefix you want — for example, blog.
2. Choose the Domain it should attach to from the dropdown.
3. cPanel fills in a Document Root automatically (the folder where this subdomain's files will live, such as blog.yourdomain.com). Accept it unless you have a specific reason to change it.
4. Select Create.

Your subdomain is now active and ready for content.

Step 3: Add content to your subdomain

The subdomain starts as an empty folder. Add a website the same way you would for any site:

• Install an application — see Installing Applications with Softaculous. When prompted, choose the subdomain as the install location.
• Upload files into the subdomain's document root using File Manager or FTP.

Tip: Confirm your free SSL certificate covers the subdomain so it loads over https://. See Your Free SSL Certificate (AutoSSL).

Step 4: Manage or remove a subdomain

Return to the Subdomains (or Domains) tool to review what you have created. From there you can:

• See all subdomains and their document roots.
• Remove a subdomain you no longer need.

Warning: Removing a subdomain stops it from loading. Its files may remain in the document root — back them up first if you need them.

Next steps

• Host a separate site instead. If you need a different domain name, see Managing Addon Domains.
• Create a database for your subdomain's app. See Creating and Managing MySQL Databases.

Questions? Contact Exact Hosting Support.