Changing Cpanel Theme and Style

This article originally described moving accounts from x3 to Paper Lantern on a cPanel 74 server. The useful lesson was that a hosting package and an existing account have separate settings. Those old theme names are no longer a suitable target for a current installation, so start by checking the installed version and available theme.

Do not reuse the old style command

cPanel removed Paper Lantern and its associated styles in version 108, moving accounts to Jupiter. The historical --theme=paper_lantern --style=basic example is not a current migration recipe. Jupiter is not a continuation of the old Change Style interface. See the cPanel deprecation plan.

If a theme option is missing, check account permissions and the options offered by the hosting provider. Shared-hosting customers should ask their provider to inspect the account setting; the root commands below are for server administrators.

Change one selected account first

Record the affected accounts and their current theme settings before making changes. Have a backup and recovery plan. In WHM, open a test account through Modify an Account and inspect the cPanel Theme field. Missing controls may reflect version or permission differences rather than a broken account.

When Jupiter is installed, this example targets one account:

/usr/local/cpanel/scripts/modify_accounts --theme=jupiter --users=exampleuser

Replace exampleuser with the actual cPanel username. This command modifies configuration; it is not a read-only check. The modify_accounts documentation describes account selection. Avoid starting with --all-users, which expands the change to every account.

Update the package separately

A package theme change is not proof that all existing accounts have changed. Inspect both settings. To target a specific package:

/usr/local/cpanel/scripts/modify_packages --theme=jupiter --packages=examplepackage

Use its actual WHM name, including any reseller prefix. The modify_packages documentation explicitly directs administrators to the account script for existing users. Prefer the supported tool to broad search-and-replace operations on package files.

Verify the interface, not just a setting

• Sign in again to the selected account rather than checking only the WHM listing.
• Open File Manager, email-account management and any third-party plugins in use.
• Check reseller branding and the visibility of permitted tools.
• After a successful test, process the remaining accounts in small, recorded batches.

This changes the cPanel management interface, not the website's own theme. A broken-looking plugin is not a reason to delete and recreate a hosting account. Record the failing screen, cPanel version and plugin compatibility, then investigate that specific combination.