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How to Find File URL

Understanding how to find a file URL is crucial for efficient digital management and sharing. This guide offers a straightforward approach to locating the web address of any file, simplifying sharing and organization. Let's take a look at how to do it in our step-by-step guide.

  • Finding the URL of a File
  • URLs with Addon Domains and Subdomains
  • Related Articles
  • Summary

Finding the URL of a File​

  1. Access your site via FTP or File Manager, then identify the main directory where your file resides. This is usually the public_html folder.
  2. Locate and open the correct folder by double-clicking its icon to access the contents of the public_html directory. If you are unfamiliar with the File Manager, please look at our Navigating the File Manager article.
  3. If the file is visible in this location, your search is complete. Otherwise, proceed through the folder structure and carefully track each directory name, paying close attention to spelling and capitalization, as they are case-sensitive.
  4. After finding your file, make sure you've recorded the complete directory path—that is, the sequence of folders you navigated through to reach it.
  5. Include the file name at the end of the full path, using the precise spelling and letter case shown—accuracy is important since file names are case-sensitive. ``` Here are some examples: public_html/My_Book.pdf public_html/images/banner25x120.JPG public_html/blog/includes/Movies/bigjump.avi

6. Now replace "**public_html** " with http and your primary domain name (example.com in the examples below). ```
**Some examples:**
http://example.com/My_Book.pdf
http://example.com/images/banner25x120.JPG
http://example.com/blog/includes/Movies/bigjump.avi
  1. Try to browse these URLs, and you will see the file you uploaded.

URLs with Addon Domains and Subdomains​

This can even be done for addon domains and subdomains. Just replace the public_html/subfolder/. For example, if the addon domain is myblogdomain.com, the document root for that domain is the subfolder /myblogdomain/ (inside public_html, of course). A path like public_html/myblogdomain/includes/Movies/bigjump.avi would become http://myblogdomain.com/includes/Movies/bigjump.avi.

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Summary​

Need to share a file hosted on Bluehost? This article walks you through the process of finding its exact location in your hosting folders and turning that path into a working URL—perfect for linking or distributing content online.