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How to Install WHM and cPanel on a Linux VPS

A practical, current guide to installing WHM and cPanel on a Linux VPS, covering supported operating systems, Ubuntu 24.04 requirements, root access, static IPv4, licensing, the official installer command, first WHM setup, and recovery from common failures.
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Install WHM and cPanel on a newly provisioned, supported 64-bit Linux VPS with root access, a public static IPv4 address, working DNS, and sufficient resources. After confirming the image is clean, run cPanel’s official installer from /home, allow it to build the managed service stack, activate a per-server license or 15-day trial, and complete WHM’s initial configuration.

What you need before installing

WHM (WebHost Manager) is the administrative interface used to configure a cPanel server. cPanel provides the individual hosting accounts, while WHM controls the server-wide services, domains, packages, security settings, backups, and account creation. The installer changes a large part of the operating system, so preparation matters more than the command itself.

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A fresh supported operating system

Use a newly installed operating system rather than a VPS that already hosts websites or server software. cPanel’s documentation states: “Only install cPanel & WHM on a freshly-installed operating system.” A clean image prevents existing packages, configuration files, firewalls, mail systems, database servers, and web servers from conflicting with the versions cPanel needs to manage.

Choose a 64-bit image. cPanel does not support ARM architecture. Do not select a pre-built or heavily customized template without checking its compatibility: cPanel warns that pre-built images and templates can cause installation problems.

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Supported Linux distributions

Operating system Current status Important qualification
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Installable Requires the resources listed below and a 64-bit system.
AlmaLinux 8 Listed as supported Compatibility depends on the cPanel version; check the current cPanel version matrix before provisioning.
AlmaLinux 9 Listed as supported Compatibility depends on the cPanel version; check the current cPanel version matrix before provisioning.
AlmaLinux 10 Listed as supported Compatibility depends on the cPanel version; check the current cPanel version matrix before provisioning.
Rocky Linux Not a safe target for a new installation cPanel says new installations are no longer allowed and support for existing Rocky Linux installations has been removed.

Distribution support can change with cPanel releases. Select the exact image and cPanel version combination that the current compatibility documentation lists, rather than assuming that a derivative of an earlier supported release will work.

Root access and network identity

  • Log in as the root user. The installer needs unrestricted access to install packages and rewrite service configuration.
  • Assign a public, static IPv4 address. An IPv6-only server cannot be licensed.
  • Confirm that the server can resolve DNS names and reach the internet. The installer downloads packages and cPanel components during setup.
  • Prepare a hostname and DNS arrangement that you control. WHM uses the hostname during its initial configuration, and the hostname should resolve reliably from the public internet.

CPU, memory, and disk requirements

For Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, cPanel documents a minimum of a 1.1 GHz CPU, 2 GB of RAM, and 20 GB of disk space on a 64-bit system. cPanel recommends a 2 GHz CPU, 4 GB of RAM, and 40 GB of disk space. These are vendor requirements, not a performance guarantee: the number of accounts, traffic, mail volume, databases, backups, and enabled services determine how much capacity you will actually need.

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Resource Documented minimum for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS cPanel recommendation Planning note
Architecture 64-bit 64-bit ARM is not supported.
CPU 1.1 GHz 2 GHz CPU frequency alone does not predict account or workload capacity.
RAM 2 GB 4 GB Additional sites, mail, databases, and monitoring consume more memory.
Disk 20 GB 40 GB Leave headroom for logs, account data, backups, updates, and temporary files.
Extra space for installation and upgrades At least 5 GB in /usr/local/cpanel This space is in addition to the normal operating-system and account requirements.

If your VPS will host several sites, choose the recommended figures or larger rather than treating the minimum as a target. A disk that is technically large enough for the initial install can still fill quickly when backups, email attachments, database dumps, and web logs accumulate.

Licensing: do you need it before installation?

Each server requires its own cPanel & WHM license. You do not have to purchase a paid license before starting a new installation: cPanel makes a free 15-day trial available through a cPanel Store account with a verified email address. The trial still requires a licensable server identity, including a public static IPv4 address.

For continued use, obtain the appropriate Cloud/VPS license for the server. cPanel’s pricing information identifies monthly licensing for cloud and virtual private servers and requires a public-facing static IP. Prices and plan details can change, so check the live cPanel pricing page immediately before ordering. Do not treat a trial as a permanent license or assume that one license covers multiple VPS instances.

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Prepare the VPS without creating conflicts

Provision the supported image, attach the static IPv4 address, and record the root credentials or SSH key. Before running the installer, verify the following:

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  • The image is genuinely fresh and has not been used to install Apache, Nginx, a mail transfer agent, a database server, another hosting panel, or other competing services.
  • The system clock and basic networking work correctly.
  • DNS resolution works for external names and the VPS can make outbound connections.
  • The VPS has enough free disk space, including the additional 5 GB cPanel needs in /usr/local/cpanel for installation and upgrades.
  • You have a recovery route through the provider’s console or rescue system in case an interrupted installation leaves the operating system unbootable.

Do not pre-install the cPanel service stack. cPanel’s installer is designed to install and configure the required services itself; adding your own versions first is a common source of compatibility failures.

On Ubuntu, do not install SELinux. AppArmor is compatible with cPanel. If the provider image includes security tooling or custom hardening, confirm that it does not block package installation, service creation, DNS, or the ports needed by the finished server.

Install cPanel and WHM from the official installer

Connect to the VPS over SSH as root. Run the installer from /home, which is the location specified by cPanel for this command:

cd /home && curl -o latest -L https://securedownloads.cpanel.net/latest && sh latest

The command downloads the current installer to a file named latest and executes it. The download address is cPanel’s official secured-download endpoint.

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Step 1: Start a root session

  1. Open an SSH session to the VPS using its public IPv4 address.
  2. Authenticate as root. If the provider initially gives you another administrative account, use the provider’s documented method to obtain a root shell before continuing.
  3. Change to the installer directory with cd /home.

Step 2: Run the command exactly

  1. Paste the complete command shown above.
  2. Confirm that the URL is exactly https://securedownloads.cpanel.net/latest and that the command is being run on the intended VPS.
  3. Do not launch a second installer in another session. Let the first process manage package installation and service configuration.

Step 3: Leave the installer uninterrupted

The installer downloads and configures a substantial software stack. Completion time varies with VPS performance and network conditions; cPanel does not publish a single guaranteed duration. Keep the SSH session available, or use a provider-supported persistent session method, and avoid rebooting the VPS while package operations are in progress.

A lost terminal display does not by itself prove that the installation stopped. Reconnect and inspect the installer’s current output or logs using cPanel’s documented recovery guidance rather than starting the command again blindly. If the process clearly failed, note the last error, preserve the output, and contact the VPS provider or cPanel support before changing packages manually.

Finish the initial WHM configuration

When the installer completes, open WHM at the address presented for your server and sign in with the root credentials. Perform the initial configuration before creating customer accounts.

Confirm the server identity

  • Set a fully qualified hostname that resolves to the server’s public address.
  • Check the resolver and nameserver settings that WHM presents during setup.
  • Verify that the hostname and DNS records agree; inconsistent forward or reverse DNS can cause mail and service warnings later.

Verify licensing

Check the license status in WHM after the server can reach the licensing service. Activate the 15-day trial through the cPanel Store account with its verified email, or attach the paid license assigned to this server. If licensing fails, confirm that the VPS has a public static IPv4 address, outbound connectivity, correct time, and no firewall rule blocking the licensing service.

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Review the base configuration

Read each initial-setup screen instead of accepting values mechanically. Confirm the hostname, DNS role, network interfaces, contact information, and update preferences. The exact fields can vary by cPanel release and operating-system support, so use the labels shown by the installed version. Keep a record of the values you choose for later administration.

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Create accounts only after the base setup

Once WHM reports a valid license and the hostname and DNS are correct, create the first hosting package and account. Add a domain, assign its account credentials, and test the resulting web, DNS, and mail behavior from outside the VPS. Delaying account creation until the base configuration is complete makes it easier to distinguish installation problems from domain-level configuration errors.

Post-install checks that catch common problems

Use these checks immediately after WHM setup:

  • License: WHM shows an active trial or paid license for this specific server.
  • Hostname: The chosen hostname resolves publicly and matches the server identity shown in WHM.
  • DNS: The server can resolve external domains, and the authoritative DNS arrangement for hosted domains is deliberate rather than accidental.
  • Storage: Free space remains available on the operating-system volume and in /usr/local/cpanel.
  • Services: The web, database, DNS, and mail services installed by cPanel are running according to WHM’s service status screens.
  • Access: You can reach WHM again after closing the original SSH session and have a documented recovery path through the VPS provider.
  • Backups: A provider snapshot or another independent backup plan exists before production data is added.
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Troubleshooting installation and licensing failures

The installer refuses to proceed

Recheck that the VPS uses a supported 64-bit distribution and a fresh image. Remove the temptation to repair the image by installing random packages: cPanel expects to control its own dependencies. If the image came from a provider template, replace it with a clean supported image because cPanel specifically warns that pre-built images can cause installation issues.

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The server cannot be licensed

Confirm that the address is a public static IPv4 address rather than a private, changing, or IPv6-only address. Check outbound DNS and HTTPS connectivity, the system clock, and the email verification on the cPanel Store account. A license belongs to the individual server, so moving an existing license or reusing one from another VPS can also prevent activation.

The installation stops after services were pre-installed

Previously installed Apache, mail, database, firewall, or hosting-panel components may conflict with cPanel’s managed stack. The reliable recovery path is usually to redeploy the VPS from a fresh supported image and rerun the official installer, not to remove packages selectively from a partially modified system.

There is not enough disk space

Compare the free space with both the operating-system requirement and the additional 5 GB cPanel needs in /usr/local/cpanel. Remember that account data, logs, temporary package files, and backups need room after installation. Resize the VPS volume or redeploy with a larger disk before retrying; do not fill the remaining space with unrelated software.

Rocky Linux was selected accidentally

Do not continue as though it were a supported new-install target. cPanel’s current compatibility information says new Rocky Linux installations are no longer allowed and support for existing Rocky Linux installations has been removed. Reprovision with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or a supported AlmaLinux release that matches the cPanel version you intend to run.

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Choosing a VPS for cPanel

The cheapest VPS is not automatically the best cPanel host. Evaluate the complete service, including the license and the operational features that protect your accounts.

Decision area Questions to answer before ordering
Operating-system image Can the provider deploy Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or a supported AlmaLinux release without an incompatible template?
cPanel compatibility Does the selected image meet the cPanel version requirements at the time of deployment?
Administrative access Do you receive root access and a provider console for recovery?
Network identity Is a public static IPv4 included, and can you control the relevant DNS records?
Capacity Does the plan meet the documented CPU, RAM, disk, and extra-space requirements with headroom for accounts and backups?
Virtualization What virtualization technology is used, and are there documented limits on CPU, disk I/O, or network throughput?
Recovery Are snapshots, image backups, and restore tests available, and what do they cost?
Reliability What network and storage availability commitments apply, and how is maintenance communicated?
Total cost What is the recurring VPS charge plus the cPanel license, backup storage, IPv4 charges, and any bandwidth fees?

Ask the provider whether snapshots capture a running cPanel server consistently and whether you can restore to a clean image. A snapshot is useful for rollback, but it should not replace an independent backup of account data and databases.

Operational practices after installation

Keep cPanel and the operating system maintained

cPanel installations and upgrades need the additional space noted earlier. Monitor disk usage before updates, especially on servers that retain local backups or large mailboxes. Apply updates through the supported WHM and operating-system mechanisms rather than replacing cPanel-managed packages manually.

Protect root access

Use strong, unique administrative credentials and restrict SSH access according to your provider’s controls and your organization’s policy. Preserve an emergency console path before changing SSH or firewall settings. A lockout is much harder to correct when the only access method is the network connection you just restricted.

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Plan backups before production traffic

Decide where backups will live, how long they will be retained, and how a full account restore will be performed. Keep at least one copy independent of the VPS’s primary disk. Test a restore with a non-production account so that a backup policy is demonstrated rather than assumed.

Document the server

Record the operating-system release, cPanel version, public IPv4 address, hostname, license type and renewal date, DNS responsibility, backup destination, and provider recovery process. This information reduces downtime when another administrator has to renew the license, replace the VPS, or diagnose a failed upgrade.

When cPanel on a VPS is the wrong choice

cPanel is a managed hosting control plane, so it consumes resources and adds a recurring license cost. A minimal VPS hosting one application may be better served by a simpler stack, while a multi-site environment that needs account isolation, browser-based administration, and standardized mail and DNS controls may justify cPanel. Make that decision before provisioning: changing the operating system after accounts are live generally means migrating data, DNS, databases, and mail rather than simply toggling a setting.

Installation checklist

  1. Provision a fresh 64-bit Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or supported AlmaLinux image.
  2. Reject Rocky Linux for a new cPanel installation.
  3. Confirm root access, a public static IPv4 address, working DNS resolution, and outbound connectivity.
  4. Meet at least 1.1 GHz CPU, 2 GB RAM, and 20 GB disk for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS; preferably use cPanel’s 2 GHz, 4 GB RAM, and 40 GB recommendations.
  5. Reserve at least 5 GB in /usr/local/cpanel for installation and upgrades.
  6. Do not install Apache, mail, database, or other competing services first; do not install SELinux on Ubuntu.
  7. Log in as root and run cd /home && curl -o latest -L https://securedownloads.cpanel.net/latest && sh latest.
  8. Wait for the installer to finish without rebooting or launching a second installer.
  9. Open WHM, verify the hostname and DNS arrangement, and activate the server’s trial or paid license.
  10. Complete the base configuration, verify services and storage, then create hosting accounts.
  11. Set up independent backups and document recovery procedures before production use.

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