# How to check the number of inodes in your hosting account

> Find out what inodes are and how to check your inode usage in cPanel, broken down folder by folder.

Source: https://www.kualo.com/knowledgebase/cpanel-account/how-to-check-the-number-of-inodes-in-your-hosting-account
Updated: 2026-06-11

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An inode (short for 'index node') represents a single object in a Unix filesystem - every file, folder, email, and similar object in your hosting account counts as one inode.

## Why inodes matter

To keep our servers fast and ensure backups complete in good time, each hosting account is allocated a set number of inodes, as outlined in our [resource usage policy](https://www.kualo.com/webhosting/resource-usage-policy).

If you reach your inode limit, your account can no longer write new objects to disk. In practice this means:

- New emails may not be delivered.
- You will not be able to upload new files.
- Your website may return errors.

We provide generous inode limits, but if you do hit yours you will need to either reduce usage or upgrade to a plan with a higher allowance.

High inode counts are often caused by an application error rather than genuine growth - a plugin writing too many files, a cache directory that is never cleared, or an unused mailbox quietly collecting spam are common culprits.

## Checking your overall inode usage

For a quick overview, the **File Usage** figure is shown in the **Statistics** sidebar on the cPanel home screen - it shows how many inodes you are using against your plan's limit.

![The File Usage figure in the cPanel Statistics sidebar](https://kb-cdn.kualo.com/d1/35/d1354fbaeac3fa1b1de37581ea9fcf291daceb62.png)

## Using the Inode Usage tool

The **Inode Usage** tool (in the **Metrics** section) shows a folder-by-folder breakdown so you can pinpoint exactly where inodes are being consumed.

![The Inode Usage tool showing a folder-by-folder breakdown](https://kb-cdn.kualo.com/ad/15/ad15aaca3e30df06aa8e5f1e696d57caa247d572.png)

- The bar at the top shows your current usage, your plan limit, and the percentage consumed.
- The **Current path** breadcrumb shows which folder you are viewing (it starts at your home directory).
- The breakdown table lists each subfolder and how many inodes it contains. Click the **Inodes** or **Folder** column header to sort, and click a **folder name** (or the magnifying glass beside it) to drill into a subfolder. Use the **Current path** breadcrumb to navigate back up.

## Acting on what you find

### Files and folders

If a particular directory is using a large number of inodes, review and delete files using the cPanel [File Manager](/knowledgebase/cpanel-how-tos/how-to-use-file-manager-in-cpanel).

### Mail folders

If the `mail` folder is the biggest consumer, use webmail to review and delete messages. See our guide on [how to log in to webmail](/knowledgebase/email/getting-started-with-webmail).

To identify which mailbox a mail subfolder belongs to, check the **Current path**:

- A path such as `/home/youruser/mail/youruser` is the default cPanel inbox, accessible via **Email Accounts > Default Email Account**.
- A path such as `/home/youruser/mail/yourdomain.com/someuser` is the inbox for `someuser@yourdomain.com`, accessible via **Email Accounts**.

:::tip
If your default inbox is filling with spam, go to **Default Address** in cPanel and set it to discard messages with no matching recipient. This stops the default address acting as a catch-all.
:::


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_Source: Kualo Knowledgebase — https://www.kualo.com/knowledgebase/cpanel-account/how-to-check-the-number-of-inodes-in-your-hosting-account · © Kualo Ltd._