# phpMyAdmin

> Canonical: https://jethost.com/kb/phpmyadmin/ · Last modified: 2026-10-21T21:52:22+00:00

**phpMyAdmin** is a free, web-based tool for managing your MySQL databases straight from the browser – no software to install. It’s built into cPanel, and it’s where you go to view your data, run queries, and back up or restore a database. This guide shows how to open it and what you can do once you’re in. phpMyAdmin comes with every [JetHost web hosting plan](https://jethost.com/web-hosting/).

## What phpMyAdmin is for

Your database stores everything behind your site – posts, orders, users, settings. phpMyAdmin gives that database a friendly interface, so you can look inside without typing commands. It’s the right tool for a quick look at your data, a one-off fix, or a manual backup. Day-to-day, your website talks to the database on its own; you only open phpMyAdmin when you need to work with the data by hand.

## Open phpMyAdmin in cPanel

![Access phpMyAdmin](https://jethost.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/access-phpmyadmin.png)1. Log in to cPanel.
2. In the **Databases** section, click **phpMyAdmin**.
3. It opens in a new tab, already signed in – no separate password needed.

Your databases are listed down the left sidebar. Click one to expand its tables and start working with it.

## What you can do inside

- **Browse and edit data** – open any table to view, search, add, or change rows.
- **Run SQL** – use the **SQL** tab to [run your own queries](https://jethost.com/kb/mysql-single-double-backtick-quotes-explained/).
- [Export and import](https://jethost.com/kb/mysql-backup-restore/) – back a database up to a file, or restore one.
- [Repair and optimize](https://jethost.com/kb/how-to-repair-optimize-a-mysql-database/) – fix crashed tables and reclaim space.

Need to create the database itself first? Start with [creating a database and user](https://jethost.com/kb/creating-a-mysql-database-and-user-in-cpanel/), then come back to phpMyAdmin to manage its contents.

## JetHost Experts Tip

Always take a quick export before editing data or running an SQL query that changes rows. phpMyAdmin applies changes immediately and there’s no undo, so a fresh backup is your safety net if something doesn’t go as planned.

## Finding your way around

The layout is the same every time: databases and tables sit in the left sidebar, and the tabs along the top – **Browse**, **Structure**, **SQL**, **Search**, **Export**, and **Import** – change what you’re doing with whatever you’ve selected. Select a database first for whole-database actions like export, or open a single table first to browse or edit its rows. If a tab seems to act on the wrong thing, check what’s highlighted in the sidebar – that’s almost always the reason.

**Related:** [Use the MySQL Database Wizard](https://jethost.com/kb/how-to-use-mysql-database-wizard/), [Find MySQL database details](https://jethost.com/kb/how-to-find-your-mysql-database-details-on-cpanel/), [Manage MySQL user privileges](https://jethost.com/kb/how-to-manage-mysql-user-privileges/).

## Need more help?

Not sure which option you need in phpMyAdmin? Open a ticket through **Client Area → Support Tickets** and our team will guide you.