> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.hostinger.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.hostinger.com/websites/directory-indexes.md).

# Directory Indexes

Control what visitors see when they hit a URL that maps to a directory with no `index.html` or `index.php`: a file listing, or a 403 Forbidden. In hPanel this tool is called **Folder Index Manager**.

> **Warning:** Directory listing should be disabled in most cases. Exposing your file structure can leak sensitive files, config, or backups.

## Toggle in hPanel

1. Open your website dashboard.
2. Go to **Advanced** → **Folder Index Manager**.
3. Choose:
   * **Enabled** — visitors see directory contents when there's no index file.
   * **Disabled** — visitors get 403 Forbidden.
4. Click **Save**.

Only enable this if you intentionally want a browsable folder (e.g., a public downloads directory).

## Per-directory via `.htaccess`

Disable listing:

```apacheconf
Options -Indexes
```

Enable listing:

```apacheconf
Options +Indexes
```

Place the `.htaccess` in the directory you want to affect.

***

*Last updated: July 22, 2026*