My disk space is full: what's using it and how to free it up

What happens when disk space is full?

A full hosting account can cause:

• Website uploads to fail
• Email delivery to fail
• Applications to stop writing cache or session files
• Backups to fail
• Updates to stop part-way through
• Databases or websites to report errors

Free some space before attempting another update, backup or large upload.

Check usage in cPanel

1. Sign in to cPanel.
2. Open Files.
3. Select Disk Usage.
4. Review the largest folders.
5. Inspect those folders in File Manager.

For mailbox usage, also check Email → Email Accounts, which shows storage used per mailbox.

Check usage in DirectAdmin

1. Sign in to DirectAdmin.
2. Review the storage usage shown on the dashboard.
3. Use File Manager to inspect large folders.
4. Check individual mailbox usage under E-mail Manager.

DirectAdmin also has Extra Features → Resource Usage.

Check these common causes

Old backups

Look for ZIP archives, .tar or .tar.gz files, Softaculous backups, migration packages, old account backups and database exports.

Download any backup you still need, store it safely off-site and then remove the server copy. Do not delete the only usable backup of a live website.

Email

Mailboxes can use more space than website files. Check Inbox, Sent, Trash, Spam or Junk, large attachments and mail stored by old accounts.

Emptying a folder in your mail application may not remove it from the server until the folder is purged. See My mailbox is full: how to free up space or increase the quota.

Logs

Large logs may include error_log files, application debug logs, Passenger logs, cron output and WordPress debug.log.

Download a log if it is needed for investigation, then remove it or empty it. Fix the underlying error if the log grows again.

Cache files

Website caches can become large. Use the application's own cache-clearing tool where possible, including LiteSpeed Cache on WordPress websites.

Do not delete unfamiliar cache or session folders while the application is processing updates or orders.

Old website copies

Look for staging sites, development copies, old domain folders, previous migrations, renamed plugin folders and duplicate public_html archives. Confirm that a copy is no longer used before deleting it.

File Manager trash

Deleting through File Manager may move files to a trash folder instead of removing them immediately. Empty the trash after confirming that it contains nothing you need.

What not to delete

Do not remove unfamiliar files merely because they are large. Take special care with:

• .htaccess
• .env
• wp-config.php
• Active website files
• Current application dependencies
• Mail storage folders
• SSL or verification files

Download a backup before deleting important content.

If usage grows again

Repeated growth usually has an underlying cause. Check for:

• A recurring application error
• Debugging left enabled
• Backups scheduled too frequently
• A compromised mailbox sending large volumes
• A form generating attachments
• Cache files that are never cleared
• A cron job writing continuous output
• Malware creating files

Still stuck?

Open a support ticket and include:

• Your domain or hosting account
• Whether you use cPanel or DirectAdmin
• The total and used disk space shown
• The largest folders you found
• Any files you already removed
• Whether email, uploads or the website are failing
• When the usage began increasing
• A screenshot of the disk-usage report