Hosting
Meridian: a look at the new cPanel and how to turn it on
cPanel launches Meridian, an interface that organizes tools around what you want to do. We walk through its six workspaces, the new dashboard, the command palette and other new features, how to turn it on, how to go back to Jupiter and whether you should switch.
HostSpace team
5 min read
Key takeaways
- Meridian is optional and does not change your sites, mailboxes or databases.
- Tools are grouped into six workspaces: Websites, Email, Files, Databases, Security and Performance.
- Ctrl + K (Cmd + K on Mac) opens the command palette to jump to any feature.
- You can go back to Jupiter at any time with Classic cPanel Theme.
Article contents
What Meridian is
Meridian is the new cPanel interface. It arrived with cPanel & WHM version 138 and it is the first time in years that the panel changes how its tools are organized: instead of a grid of more than a hundred icons grouped by category, Meridian arranges them around what you want to do, such as launching a site, creating an email account or checking your account’s security.
The key point is that nothing in your account changes. Meridian and Jupiter, the theme you already know, share the same sites, mailboxes, databases and settings. Only the way you see them changes, and you can switch between both themes whenever you like.
Six workspaces organized by task
Meridian’s sidebar gathers every tool into six workspaces. Each one opens with a summary of what you have and shortcuts to the most common actions:
| Workspace | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Websites | Domains, subdomains, DNS, SSL and the wizard to add a site. |
| Email accounts, forwarders and filters. | |
| Files | File Manager, file transfer (FTP) accounts, disk usage and backups. |
| Databases | MySQL or MariaDB databases and their users. |
| Security | SSL certificates, IP blocking, two-step verification and passwords. |
| Performance | Resource usage, visitors, bandwidth and error logs. |
The tools are the same as always, though a few were renamed. These are the ones most likely to throw you off at first:
| In Jupiter | In Meridian | Where it lives |
|---|---|---|
| FTP Accounts | File Transfer Accounts | Files |
| Two-Factor Authentication | Two-Step Verification | Security |
A home page that tells you what needs attention
When you log in you no longer see a list of icons but a dashboard with your account status:
- Action Required: detected problems, such as a domain whose DNS does not point to the server or an invalid SSL certificate, with a button to fix them.
- Suggested Next Actions: suggestions to finish setting up your account, which you can follow or dismiss.
- Resource Usage: the disk space and bandwidth you have used against your plan’s limits.
- Account Overview: a summary of your domains, mailboxes, databases, backups, SSL and two-step verification.
If the dashboard flags an SSL issue, how to install a free SSL on cPanel explains what to check.
Find any tool from the keyboard
Meridian includes a command palette to jump straight to a feature without clicking through menus. Open it with Ctrl + K on Windows or Linux, Cmd + K on Mac, the / key or the Search… field in the header. Type what you are looking for, such as “email” or “php”, move with the arrow keys and press Enter.
More new features
- Dark mode: pick light, dark or your system setting from the header.
- Spanish: Meridian is now translated into Spanish, among other languages; change it in your account preferences.
- Add a site wizard: the + Add Website button walks you through adding a domain and choosing how to build the site. The options shown depend on what the server and your plan have enabled.
- AI tools: cPanel announced an assistant that answers questions about your account from the Ask AI button. It only appears when the provider enables it, so it is normal not to see it in your panel.
How to turn on Meridian
- Log in to cPanel as usual.
- On Jupiter’s home page, click Try the new Meridian theme.
- If you don’t see the button, open your user menu, go to your account preferences and pick meridian in the Theme section.
The change applies only to your user and stays the next time you log in. If neither option appears, your server does not offer Meridian yet; write to us and we will tell you when it is ready for your account.
How to go back to Jupiter
If you prefer the previous interface, click Classic cPanel Theme in Meridian’s header, or pick jupiter in the Theme section of your preferences. Your account stays exactly the same.
A few rarely used tools still exist only in Jupiter. If you cannot find a feature in Meridian, switch to Jupiter for a moment, do what you need and come back.
Should you switch?
If you log in to cPanel now and then to create a mailbox, check a certificate or upload files, Meridian will feel easier: the dashboard tells you what is missing and the command palette takes you straight to each tool. If you manage many accounts or already know where every icon is, you can stay on Jupiter; it is still the default theme and still supported.
Our advice: try it for a few days. The switch is reversible and does not touch your data, so there is nothing to lose.
Frequently asked questions
No. Meridian is an optional theme; Jupiter is still the default and you can switch between them whenever you like.
No. Both themes use the same account, so your sites, mailboxes, databases and settings stay exactly the same.
Click Classic cPanel Theme in Meridian’s header or pick jupiter in the Theme section of your account preferences.
Meridian requires cPanel 138 or later. If your server does not offer it yet, contact us and we will tell you when it is ready for your account.
HostSpace team
We provide hosting, domains, VPS servers and business email with Spanish-speaking support. We write about what our customers ask us most.