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What file displays when someone browses to my domain name?

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Last Updated: June 19, 2015 9:36 AM

When a visitor types your domain name in to their browser they are automatically directed to your website's default file. For example, to go to Yahoo!, you type yahoo.com. It doesn't show up in your browser, but you're actually looking at the index.html page. Try it yourself, type yahoo.com/index.html in your browser.

You might have guessed, index.html file is a default file. If it's the only default file in the root directory, it automatically displays when someone goes to your domain name.

If you have more than one default file in a directory, the server decides which one takes priority, and then displays that file. Understanding the order the files are served is key to making sure the correct page displays on your website.

Valid default file names depend on which type of hosting account you have. For more information, see What type of hosting account do I have?

Windows

  1. default.asp
  2. default.html
  3. default.htm
  4. default.aspx
  5. default.php
  6. default.shtml
  7. default.shtm
  8. index.html
  9. index.htm
  10. index.asp
  11. index.php
  12. index.shtml
  13. index.shtm
  14. home.html
  15. home.htm
  16. home.shtml
  17. home.shtm
  18. welcome.html
  19. welcome.asp

You can also change your hosting account's default file (more info).

NOTE: PHP files are not supported on IIS6 shared hosting account (more info).

Linux

  1. default.html
  2. default.htm
  3. index.php
  4. index.shtml
  5. index.html
  6. index.htm
  7. home.html
  8. home.htm
  9. index.php5
  10. welcome.html
  11. welcome.htm

NOTE: Linux hosting file structures are case sensitive.