How to add an addon domain in cPanel

Addon domain, subdomain or alias: which do you need?

cPanel offers three ways to attach another name to your account. Only an addon domain gives you a second independent website.

Step 1: Point the new domain at your hosting

cPanel will accept the domain before DNS points here, but the site, email and free SSL only work once it does. Do this first so it's ready by the time you've finished:

• Easiest: set the domain's nameservers to the same two VirtualCloud nameservers your main domain uses. cPanel then creates the DNS zone for you in Step 2.
• Keeping DNS elsewhere, such as Cloudflare: add A records for @ and www pointing to the Shared IP Address shown under General Information on the cPanel home screen.

Point your domain to VirtualCloud hosting walks through both methods with screenshots of the values to copy.

Step 2: Create the domain with its own folder

1. Open Domains and start a new domain

   Go to cPanelDomainsDomains and click Create A New Domain. In current cPanel this replaces the old Addon Domains screen; if you click that icon in an older bookmark, it brings you here.

2. Enter the domain and untick "Share document root"

   Type the domain without www or https://. Then untick the box that says Share document root … with your main domain. This is the setting that matters: left ticked, cPanel creates an alias that shows your main website instead of a new one.

   cPanel›Domains›Create A New Domain

   Domain

   yourshop.co.in

   Share document root (/home/yourus3r/public_html) with "yourdomain.in"

   Document Root (File System Location)

   /home/yourus3r/yourshop.co.in

   SubmitReturn To Domains

3. Check the document root and submit

   cPanel suggests a folder named after the domain, which is what you want. Keep it outside public_html where cPanel allows it: inside, the new site would also be reachable as yourdomain.in/yourshop.co.in. Click Submit. The domain appears in the list within a few seconds, and cPanel creates its DNS zone if the domain uses our nameservers.

Step 3: Get the free SSL certificate and force HTTPS

AutoSSL issues free certificates on a schedule, but you don't have to wait for it. Once the domain and www both resolve to your server, open cPanelSecuritySSL/TLS Status and click Run AutoSSL. A few minutes later, back in Domains, switch on Force HTTPS Redirect for the new domain.

cPanel›Domains›Domains

DomainDocument rootForce HTTPS

yourdomain.in/public_htmlOn

yourshop.co.in/yourshop.co.inOn

If the certificate doesn't appear, Turn on free SSL and force HTTPS covers the usual reasons, such as a missing www record.

Step 4: Put a website on it

The new folder starts empty, so visitors see a default page until you add something:

• WordPress: in cPanelSoftaculous Apps InstallerWordPress, pick the addon domain in the Choose Domain list and leave In Directory empty. Install WordPress with Softaculous covers every option.
• Your own files: upload them with FilesFile Manager into the document root from Step 2, or create an FTP account in FilesFTP Accounts limited to that folder, which is the safe way to give a developer access to one site only.
• Moving it from another host? Follow Migrate your website, or ask for our free migration.

Each domain can run its own PHP version: set it in SoftwareMultiPHP Manager, as explained in Change PHP version in cPanel.

Step 5: Create email addresses on the new domain

Mailboxes for the addon domain are created exactly like those for your main domain. In cPanelEmailEmail Accounts, click Create and choose the new domain from the Domain list before typing the username. The mailbox allowance is shared by every domain on the plan: Orbit includes 50 mailboxes in total, Galaxy and Universe unlimited.

Then open EmailEmail Deliverability: the addon domain has its own SPF and DKIM records, and its own status. Make sure it shows Valid, and add a DMARC record as in How to set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC in cPanel. Phone and Outlook settings are in Create a mailbox in cPanel.

Addon domain troubleshooting