Introduction
cPanel provides multiple webmail applications such as Horde, Roundcube, and SquirrelMail. In some cases, administrators may want to restrict users to a specific webmail client and disable others for simplicity or security reasons.
Prerequisites
Before proceeding, ensure the following:
- Root or SSH access to the server
- WHM access (for server-wide changes)
- Basic knowledge of Linux command line
- cPanel/WHM installed and running
Implementation
Option 1: Enable/Disable Webmail for a Specific User
Step 1: Login via SSH
Access your server using SSH.
Step 2: Navigate to User Configuration Directory
cd /var/cpanel/users/
Step 3: Edit the User File
Replace testuser with the actual cPanel username:
vi testuser
Step 4: Add or Modify the Following Lines
skiphorde=0
skipsqmail=1
skiprcmail=1
0= Enable1= Disable
Example:
- Horde → Enabled
- SquirrelMail → Disabled
- Roundcube → Disabled
Step 5: Restart cPanel Service
/etc/init.d/cpanel restart
Option 2: Enable/Disable Webmail Server-Wide
Step 1: Login to WHM
Step 2: Navigate to Settings
- Go to Server Configuration
- Click on Tweak Settings
Step 3: Configure Mail Options
- Switch to the Mail tab
- Disable:
- Roundcube
- SquirrelMail
Step 4: Save Changes
Click Save to apply the configuration.
Notes
- These changes affect only the webmail interface visibility, not email functionality
- SquirrelMail is deprecated in newer cPanel versions and may not be available
- Restarting cPanel is required for user-level changes to take effect
- Always take a backup before editing system files
Conclusion
By configuring user-level or server-wide settings, administrators can control which webmail applications are available in cPanel. This helps standardise the user experience and simplify email access for clients.