> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.hosting.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Changing the default directory index via .htaccess

> Learn to change the default directory index page using an .htaccess file with this concise guide.

This article describes how to use the **DirectoryIndex** directive in an *.htaccess* file to specify which page is displayed when a visitor requests a directory.

## Changing the default directory index page

By default on hosting.com servers, when visitors go to a URL that requests a directory, such as *[http://example.com/products](http://example.com/products)*, the web server looks for a file in the *products* directory named *index.html*. If the *index.html* file does not exist, the web server looks for *index.htm* and other similar filenames. If none of these files are found, the web server either lists the files in the current directory (if directory index listings are enabled), or displays a "403 Forbidden" error message (if directory index listings are disabled).

You can use the **DirectoryIndex** directive in an *.htaccess* file to specify a custom file or files that the web server looks for when a visitor requests a directory. To enable the **DirectoryIndex** directive, use a text editor to modify the *.htaccess* file as follows. Replace *filename* with the file that you want to display whenever a user requests the directory:

```
DirectoryIndex filename
```

You can also specify multiple filenames, and the web server will search for each file until it finds a match. Consider this example directive:

```
DirectoryIndex index.php index.html index.htm
```

In this directive, when a visitor requests the directory name, the web server looks first for an *index.php* file. If it does not find an *index.php* file, it looks for an *index.html* file, and so on until it finds a match or runs out of files to search.

<Note>
  If you want the directory *index page* setting to apply to your entire web site, add the **DirectoryIndex** directive to the *.htaccess* file in the public *html directory. All subdirectories beneath it that do not have their own*.htaccess\_ file will inherit the setting.
</Note>

## More information

For more information about the **DirectoryIndex** directive, please visit [http://httpd.apache.org/docs/current/mod/mod\_dir.html#directoryindex](http://httpd.apache.org/docs/current/mod/mod_dir.html#directoryindex).

## Related articles

* [Using .htaccess files](/docs/using-htaccess-files)

* [Directory index listings](/docs/directory-index-listings)