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Configuring raw access log files in cPanel

Raw access logs contain detailed information about all visitors to your website and FTP site. Unlike graphical log programs (such as AWStats or Webalizer), raw logs provide unprocessed data that you can analyze manually or with third‑party tools.

Why Use Raw Access Logs?

Section titled “Why Use Raw Access Logs?”
  • Monitor all visitor activity in detail.
  • Track bandwidth usage and resource consumption.
  • Detect suspicious or unauthorized access attempts.
  • Export logs for custom analysis in external tools.

Configuring Raw Access Logs

Section titled “Configuring Raw Access Logs”

  1. Log in to cPanel.

  2. On the Tools page → Metrics section, click Raw Access.

  3. Under Configure Logs:

    • To archive logs monthly, select:

      Archive logs in your home directory at the end of each month

    • To delete old logs automatically, select:

      Remove the previous month's archived logs from your home directory at the end of each month

  4. Click Save.

Downloading Raw Access Logs

Section titled “Downloading Raw Access Logs”

  1. In cPanel → Raw Access, scroll to Download Current Raw Access Logs.

  2. Click the filename of the log you want to download.

    • Logs are stored in gzip (.gz) format.
    • Example: example.com.gz.

  3. Save the file to your computer.

  4. Decompress the .gz file using:

    • Windows → WinRAR, 7‑Zip, or similar.
    • macOS/Linux → built‑in archive utilities.

  5. Open the decompressed file in any text editor or log analysis tool.