As of cPanel version 120, the legacy HTML Editor in File Manager (based on CodeMirror and WYSIWYG features) has been removed due to outdated technology and lack of ongoing support.
Here are some alternative options you can use instead: TinyMCE, CKEditor, and GrapesJS. Here is a comparison chart focusing on key features and how easily they can be integrated and used within cPanel:
Quick Comparison Table
| Feature / Tool | TinyMCE | CKEditor | GrapesJS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | WYSIWYG Rich Text Editor | WYSIWYG Rich Text Editor | Drag-and-Drop Page Builder |
| Target Users | Bloggers, CMS users, developers | Enterprises, CMS users, developers | Designers, Developers building full pages |
| Output Format | HTML content | HTML content | Full HTML/CSS layout with inline styling |
| Ease of Use | Easy – minimal setup | Easy – slightly more complex config | Moderate – heavier setup, visual builder |
| File Editing | Yes (load/save HTML files via code) | Yes (similar to TinyMCE) | Yes (can load/save HTML files with custom code) |
| Live Preview | Yes (inline preview as you type) | Yes | Yes (visual drag-and-drop builder) |
| Customization | High – plugins, themes, toolbar config | High – plugins, UI themes, frameworks | Very High – full page structure control |
| Mobile Friendly | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free Version | ✅ (basic features) | ✅ (basic features) | ✅ (MIT licensed) |
| Integration with cPanel | ✅ Upload as HTML page, or embed in PHP | ✅ Similar process | ✅ Heavier assets but works on static page |
| Good For | Inline editing, blog CMS, small tools | Enterprise apps, advanced text editing | Email builders, page templates, prototyping |
cPanel Integration Summary
| Step | TinyMCE | CKEditor | GrapesJS |
|---|---|---|---|
Upload to public_html/ |
✅ Just upload ZIP contents | ✅ Same as TinyMCE | ✅ May need additional folders |
| Use in File Manager HTML | ✅ Add <script> to HTML page |
✅ Similar setup | ✅ More assets; heavier load |
| File Save/Load | Requires simple PHP or JS logic | Same as TinyMCE | Needs custom save/load handler |
| Best Use Case | Text content editing | Formatted documents or emails | Visual website/email template design |
Example Use Cases
-
TinyMCE: You want to edit an HTML file’s body content (like a blog post or help article) through a simple rich text area.
-
CKEditor: You need advanced formatting, tables, image uploads, and are okay with slightly more configuration.
-
GrapesJS: You’re designing full pages or emails visually — like a newsletter builder — with complete layout control.
Recommendation for cPanel Users
| If you want... | Use |
|---|---|
| A simple WYSIWYG editor to replace cPanel's HTML Editor | TinyMCE |
| More formatting tools or enterprise integration | CKEditor |
| A full drag-and-drop visual page/email builder | GrapesJS |
Please note that these tools are used at your own risk. EntirelyDigital cannot take responsibility on their use, the impact on your site, or the tool's functionality, stability or security.
It you wish to use TinyMCE to re-produce the cPanel built-in HTML Editor, we have posted the following article on how to do so: Using TinyMCE to Edit HTML files, as a Replacement to cPanel's HTML Editor