Why is my website showing “Index of”?

If your website displays a page titled “Index of” instead of your usual content, it generally means that the web server cannot find a default page to load. Rather than showing an error, the server displays a list of files and folders that exist in that directory.

This behavior is common after website migrations, manual file uploads, incomplete installations, or changes to your website’s structure.

What does “Index of” mean?

Web servers look for a default file whenever someone visits a website or folder. Depending on the server configuration, this file is often named:

• index.html
• index.php
• index.htm

If none of these files are present in the requested directory, the server may generate an “Index of” page that lists the available files and subfolders.

For example, instead of loading your homepage, the server may display something similar to:

Index of /

images/
css/
uploads/
backup.zip

This does not necessarily mean that your website files have been deleted. In many cases, the server simply cannot determine which file should be displayed first.

Common causes

The index file is missing

The most common cause is that the website’s main file has been removed, renamed, or uploaded to the wrong location.

Check whether your website directory contains an index file such as:

• index.php
• index.html
• index.htm

If the file is missing, restore it from a backup or upload it again.

The files were uploaded to the wrong folder

A website may display an “Index of” page if the files were uploaded into a subdirectory instead of the website’s document root.

For example:

public_html/
└── website/
    ├── index.php
    └── images/

In this situation, visiting the main domain may show a directory listing because the homepage is stored inside the website folder rather than in the correct location.

The website installation is incomplete

This issue can occur after:

• A website migration.
• A failed backup restore.
• A manual file upload.
• An interrupted installation.

Check whether all website files have been transferred successfully.

Directory listing is enabled

Some servers are configured to display a list of files when no index file is present. This feature is known as directory listing.

Although it can be useful in some situations, directory listing is usually disabled on public websites because it may expose files that visitors should not see.

How to investigate the issue

If your website unexpectedly shows an “Index of” page:

1. Open your file manager or connect through FTP.
2. Locate the folder used by your website.
3. Check whether an index file exists.
4. Verify that the website files are stored in the correct directory.
5. Confirm that the installation completed successfully.

If the issue appeared immediately after migrating or restoring the website, compare the current files with your backup.

What to expect

Once the correct index file is restored or moved into the appropriate directory, visitors should see the website normally again.

If the website continues to display “Index of” even though the files appear to be present, support may ask for additional information, such as the affected domain, recent changes, or screenshots of the file structure.