Understanding and Managing Disk Space Usage in cPanel
If you’re hosting your website with Sternhost, monitoring your disk space usage is essential for maintaining optimal site performance and avoiding service interruptions. Whether you’re running a small blog or managing a growing eCommerce site, staying within your hosting limits helps ensure everything runs smoothly.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to check and manage your disk space usage in cPanel, available on all Sternhost plans.
What Is Disk Space in Web Hosting?
Disk space refers to the amount of storage available on your web hosting account for files such as:
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Website code and content
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Databases
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Email messages and attachments
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Media files (images, videos, PDFs)
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Backup files and system logs
Each Sternhost hosting plan includes a specific disk quota. Exceeding this limit can cause email or website issues — that’s why monitoring your usage is important.
How to Check Disk Space in cPanel
To view your current disk space usage on Sternhost, follow these steps:
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Log in to cPanel:
Go to your Sternhost cPanel login page. (Tip: Use yourdomain.com/cpanel to access it easily.) -
Navigate to “Disk Usage”:
Under the Files section, click on Disk Usage. -
Review Usage Summary:
You’ll see a visual bar and list of directories sorted by size. This includes your/home,/public_html, email folders, and backups. -
Click to Explore:
Use the folder icons to expand and drill into subdirectories using the File Manager for more detail.
Tips to Reduce Disk Usage
Here are some ways to free up space and keep your site lean:
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Delete unused files: Remove old backups, themes, or images.
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Empty trash and cache: Especially for CMSs like WordPress.
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Manage email storage: Download or delete large attachments.
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Optimize databases: Use phpMyAdmin or a plugin to clean up overhead.
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Compress images: Use tools like TinyPNG or plugins for compression.
What Happens When You Run Out of Disk Space?
Running out of disk space can lead to:
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Website downtime
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Failed email delivery
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Inability to update your site or install plugins
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Backup and script errors
To avoid this, regularly monitor your usage and consider upgrading your plan if needed.
Need More Space?
If your website is growing and you’re frequently hitting your disk quota, you might be due for an upgrade.
👉 Explore Sternhost Hosting Plans
👉 Contact Support if you’re unsure of the best option.
Final Thoughts
Monitoring disk usage isn’t just for developers — every website owner should check it occasionally. Thankfully, Sternhost makes it easy to stay in control with a user-friendly cPanel dashboard and reliable hosting infrastructure.
Keep your site running smoothly. Stay informed. Stay optimized.
