Plesk is powerful, but can feel overwhelming the first time. Here’s the tour through the most important areas, so you know where to find what.
Main views
Plesk has two modes, switchable at the top left:
- Web Admin View (default): task-oriented, simpler
- Service Provider View: for resellers / web agencies with multiple customer accounts
We enable the Web Admin View on end-customer plans — it’s the right fit for webhosting.
Left navigation
In the Web Admin View you’ll see on the left:
- Websites & Domains: your domains, webhosting settings, FTP accounts
- Mail: mailboxes, aliases, spam settings
- Applications: Softaculous catalog, WordPress
- Files: File Manager
- Databases: MySQL/MariaDB
- Statistics: traffic, disk space, AWStats
- Users: additional Plesk logins, FTP sub-accounts
- Account: plan info, backups, SSL certificates
Dashboard main page
Click the Plesk logo at the top left: dashboard with:
- Quick actions (frequent tasks)
- Domain list
- Resource usage (disk space, traffic)
- Notifications (pending actions, SSL renewals, backup status)
Domain cards
Every domain gets a card on the main page with:
- Domain name
- Quick links to mail, databases, File Manager
- Status (online/offline, SSL status)
- Hosting type
Click the card → domain detail page with all settings for that domain.
Tabs on the domain detail page
When you click a domain, a detail page appears with tabs:
| Tab | What you do there |
|---|---|
| Hosting & DNS | Document root, PHP version, DNS records, creating subdomains |
| Mailboxes of this domain | |
| Applications | Softaculous, WordPress installations |
| Databases | MySQL DBs of the domain |
| Files | File Manager in this domain’s web space |
| Security | SSL certificates, IP blocks, directory protection |
| Statistics | Traffic stats, logs |
| Backup Manager | Backups, restore |
On smaller plans some tabs are hidden.
Search
Top center: search bar. Finds:
- Domains by name
- Mailboxes by address
- Databases by name
- Plesk functions (e.g. “SSL”, “php.ini”)
Handy when you don’t know where a function lives.
Viewing service plan limits
Top left next to the avatar → Account or “My plan”.
Shows:
- Disk space: used / limit
- Domains: used / limit
- Mailboxes: used / limit
- Databases: used / limit
- Traffic: current month
- PHP versions: available
When you get close to a limit, Plesk warns you with a notification.
Notifications
Top right: bell icon. Shows:
- Backup success/failure
- SSL certificates about to expire
- Update notices (apps, Plesk)
- Security events
- Quota warnings
Recommendation: check it once a week.
Help system
Plesk has a built-in help button on many pages. Opens contextual documentation in Plesk format.
Plus: every Plesk page has a question-mark icon at the top right with quick help.
Changing language and theme
Avatar → Edit profile:
- Language (German / English / 30+ others)
- Date format
- Keyboard shortcuts on/off
- Theme: light / dark
Which actions come up often
From our experience, these are the most frequent clicks for webhosting customers:
- Create a mailbox (Mail → Mail addresses → +)
- Update WordPress (WordPress → Updates)
- Create a backup (Account → Back Up & Restore)
- Edit a file in the File Manager (Files → File Manager)
- Check the SSL certificate status (Domain → Hosting & DNS → SSL)
Over time the path there becomes routine.
Frequently asked questions
Plesk feels cluttered — is there a simpler mode? Web Admin View (the default) already is the simpler one. Under the settings profiles there’s a “Power User” mode with a reduced UI — not helpful everywhere.
Where do I find my Plesk login history? Avatar → Security → Login history. IPs, dates, success/failure.
Theme customization — can I put Plesk in my own colors? Logo and a few colors are adjustable per Plesk account. Full re-branding (for resellers) is available separately.
Keyboard shortcuts:
?key in Plesk: shows available shortcutsCtrl+/: focus the search barCtrl+Alt+H: home dashboard
Plesk mobile app? Plesk has a mobile app for iOS and Android. Very limited functionality — we recommend the browser for serious administration. The mobile app is fine for a status check on the go.
How do I test whether my website is actually running? Open the domain in the browser. If the default Plesk page (“Default Plesk Page”) appears: you haven’t uploaded anything yet. Standard after initial setup.
What if Plesk reloads during use / connection errors? Plesk auto-logs you out after 30 minutes of inactivity. For persistent connection errors: check the server status or open a ticket with us.
What’s next
First login to Plesk
What you get after ordering, how to log in to Plesk for the first time and what to set up right away.
Domain overview and web space
What the domain detail page shows: document root, creating subdomains, DNS status, web space quota. So you know your way around your main domain.
File Manager in the browser
Upload files, edit them, set permissions — all in Plesk's built-in File Manager. When it's enough, and when FTPS is the better choice.
Setting up FTPS access
FTPS server details, setup with FileZilla and Cyberduck, additional FTP sub-accounts for web designers and staff.