How to Change the Document Root for Your Domain in Plesk

The document root is the directory where Plesk serves your website files from. By default it is set to httpdocs, but you may need to change it — for example, if your framework uses a public subdirectory or you want to point to a different folder.

How to change the document root

1. Log in to Plesk.
2. Go to Websites & Domains.
3. Find the domain you want to modify and click Hosting & DNS tab > Hosting. (In some Plesk views, this is labelled Hosting Settings.)
4. Find the Document root field. It shows the current directory (usually httpdocs).
5. Change the value to your desired directory path. For example:
   • httpdocs/public — for Laravel, Symfony, or other frameworks
   • httpdocs/web — for some CMS platforms
   • A completely different folder name you have created
6. Click OK or Save to apply the change.

Important notes

• The path is relative to your webspace root directory, not an absolute server path.
• The directory must already exist. If it does not, create it first using File Manager or FTP.
• Changing the document root does not move your files — it only changes where Plesk looks for them. You need to make sure your website files are in the new directory.
• This change takes effect immediately. Your site may go offline briefly if the new directory is empty or missing key files.
• SSL certificates are not affected by document root changes.

Common use cases

• Laravel / Symfony: Set document root to httpdocs/public so only the public folder is web-accessible.
• Subdirectory install: Point to a subfolder like httpdocs/blog if you installed a CMS in a subdirectory.
• Separating app and public files: Keep your application code above the document root for better security.

Troubleshooting

• 403 Forbidden after change: The new directory exists but has no index.html or index.php file. Upload your files or check the path.
• Site shows wrong content: Double-check the directory path. A typo will point to the wrong folder or a non-existent one.
• Cannot find Hosting Settings: On some Plesk views, go to the Hosting & DNS tab first, then click Hosting.