Upgrade or downgrade an account in WHM

October 27, 2026 · 2 min read · Markdown

When a client outgrows their current plan, or asks to move down to something smaller, you change the package assigned to their account rather than rebuilding the account. The files, databases, email and domains all stay where they are. Only the limits and features change.

This guide assumes you are logged in to WHM with your reseller login. You will need the account's username or primary domain, and the name of the package you want to move it to.

Check the target package first

Before you move anyone, confirm the package you are moving them to has the limits you expect.

1. In the WHM sidebar, search for Packages and open Edit a Package.
2. Choose the package from the list and click Edit.
3. Review the disk quota, monthly bandwidth, and the number of addon domains, subdomains, databases and email accounts it allows.
4. Close the page without saving if you are only checking.

If no package fits, create one first. Our guide on creating and editing hosting packages in WHM covers that, and it is listed in the knowledgebase.

Change the package on the account

1. In the WHM sidebar, search for Upgrade and open Upgrade/Downgrade an Account.
2. Find the account in the list. You can search by username or by domain.
3. Select it and click Modify.
4. Choose the new package from the dropdown.
5. Click Upgrade/Downgrade to apply it.

WHM writes the new limits to the account right away. There is no migration step and no downtime. If the client is logged in to cPanel at the time, they may need to sign out and back in before the new quotas show on their screen.

Confirm the change

1. Open List Accounts in WHM and find the account.
2. Check that the package name shown beside it is the new one.
3. If you want to see the applied numbers, open Modify an Account for that user and review the quota and feature settings.

One thing worth watching on a downgrade: moving an account to a smaller disk quota does not delete anything. The account simply sits over its limit, which blocks new uploads and can stop mail delivery. Ask the client to clear space first, or do it with them before you apply the smaller package.

If it didn't work

• The package is not in the dropdown. Resellers only see packages they own. If the package was created by the server administrator for a different reseller, it will not appear for you.
• WHM refuses the change. Your own reseller account has limits on total disk, bandwidth and account count. A package that would push you past one of those is rejected.
• The client says nothing changed. Features such as added subdomains or databases appear in cPanel only after a fresh login, and some browsers hold onto the old cPanel page. Ask them to log out, then back in.

If the package will not apply or the account looks wrong afterwards, open a ticket through support with the username and the package name and we will take a look.

Stuck partway through? Support is answered by the engineers who run the servers, around the clock.

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