> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.noxity.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Indexes

> Control what visitors see when they hit a folder that has no index file. Disable directory listing per folder for security.

Indexes controls Apache's directory-listing behavior on a per-folder basis. By default, if someone visits `/uploads/` and there's no `index.html` or `index.php`, Apache lists the folder contents. Indexes lets you decide if that's what you want.

<Frame caption="cPanel home → Advanced → Indexes">
  <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/noxity/images/cpanel/advanced/indexes/page-light.png" alt="Indexes folder browser with mode dropdown" className="block dark:hidden" />

  <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/noxity/images/cpanel/advanced/indexes/page-dark.png" alt="Indexes folder browser with mode dropdown" className="hidden dark:block" />
</Frame>

## How it works

<Steps>
  <Step title="Pick a folder">
    The page shows a file-browser-style picker rooted at your home directory. Click into the folder you want to set indexing for.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pick a mode">
    Four options:

    | Mode                              | Result                                               |
    | --------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
    | **Default System Setting**        | Inherits from the parent folder (or server default). |
    | **No Indexing**                   | Apache returns 403 Forbidden for the folder.         |
    | **Show Filename Only**            | Plain list of file names.                            |
    | **Show Filename and Description** | List with file size, date, and any HTML description. |
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    The change writes an `Options` directive into a `.htaccess` file in that folder. Effect is immediate; the next request to the folder uses the new mode.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## When to disable indexing

If a folder doesn't have an index file and you don't want visitors browsing its contents, set it to **No Indexing**. Common cases:

* `/uploads/` or `/wp-content/uploads/`: visitors don't need to see the full file tree.
* `/backups/`: definitely don't expose that.
* Any folder containing unprotected scripts you don't want listed.

The simpler alternative for most folders is to drop an empty `index.html` inside; Apache serves it instead of listing the folder. But Indexes is faster for one-off changes.

## Common questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="I get a 500 error after changing the setting">
    The page wrote an `Options` directive into `.htaccess`, and your server policy may not allow it. Edit `.htaccess` for that folder and remove the `Options` line, or set it back to **Default System Setting** in this tool. Open a ticket if it keeps recurring.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The setting changed but visitors still see the old listing">
    Browser and CDN caching. Hard-refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R) or test in an incognito window. If you're behind Cloudflare, purge cache for that path.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Should I use this or just add an index.html to every folder?">
    Either works for hiding listings. **Indexes** is per-folder via .htaccess, scriptable through this UI. **Empty index.html** is per-folder via a file you create. Indexes is faster to apply across many folders; the empty file is more portable if you migrate to another host.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Need a hand?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Open a ticket" icon="life-ring" href="https://members.noxity.io/submitticket.php">
    Best for anything that needs an account check or a config change on our end.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Live chat" icon="messages" href="https://noxity.io/contact">
    Faster for quick questions during business hours.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>