Open Websites & Apps from the sidebar, click a site card, and use the Files tab for inline file management and the Backups tab for that site's on-demand backups.
If you've only used the classic cPanel File Manager and Backup tools before, this is organized per-domain in a different interface. Nothing about how your files or backups are stored changes when you switch themes.
Inline file manager
The Files tab under a site card opens an inline file browser scoped to that domain's document root. You can:
- Browse folders and files without leaving the site's dashboard view.
- Upload and download files.
- Copy, move, compress, extract, and delete files and folders.
This covers everyday file tasks: pulling a log file, dropping in a static asset, or reorganizing folders. For account-wide file operations that aren't scoped to a single domain (managing files outside a specific site's folder, or working across multiple domains on the account at once), switch back to Classic cPanel using the "Classic cPanel Theme" button. The classic File Manager and Web Disk tools live there, and none of that changes when you're on Meridian; it's the same files on the same server either way.
Trash
Meridian's top-level Files section includes a Trash. If a file you deleted isn't where you expect it, check Trash before assuming it's gone for good and before pulling a full backup to recover one file. Deleted items may not stay recoverable indefinitely, so it's worth checking sooner rather than later. This isn't a substitute for backups.
File transfer accounts
File transfer accounts are how you move files in and out over FTP without sharing your main cPanel login. Meridian's top-level Files section includes file transfer (FTP) accounts, and the classic cPanel FTP Accounts tool covers the same ground if you prefer Classic; see Adding your first website: from empty hosting to live site for general account setup. Each FTP account gets its own username and password and can be scoped to a specific folder, which is the right way to hand off access without exposing the whole account.
The Backups tab
The Backups tab provides on-demand tools: Available Backups and Generate Full Backup, creating a complete point-in-time snapshot of your account, saved to your home directory. Account-wide nightly backups run through the classic JetBackup 5 tool, which isn't surfaced inside Meridian; switch to Classic cPanel to reach it.
For the full picture of what's covered automatically versus what you should add yourself (like UpdraftPlus for off-site, application-aware backups), see Backing up your WordPress site.
Restoring from a backup
A Meridian-generated backup is a full account archive saved to your home directory. Restores from the nightly backups still happen in the classic JetBackup 5 tool, which Meridian does not surface; reach it via the top search or switch back to the Classic theme. Before a large restore, especially one that will overwrite the current database, it's worth taking a fresh on-demand backup first. That way, if the restore doesn't give you what you expected, you can get back to exactly where you started.
When to contact support
If a restore fails, a backup you expected to see isn't listed, or you need help recovering something older than what's available, open a ticket from Support in the portal. It reaches a real person, not a bot.