~2 min read • Updated Mar 1, 2026
1. How to Change the Admin Email Address
To update the Admin email address, simply modify the E-mail field in the Admin user’s configuration. This can be done directly through the DirectAdmin interface:
- Log in as Admin
- Open the Admin’s User Data page
- Edit the E-mail field
Alternatively, you can update it via SSH:
vim /usr/local/directadmin/data/users/admin/user.conf
---
2. Adding More Files to the Admin File Editor
The Admin File Editor (Admin Level → File Editor) displays only predefined files. To add more files to this list:
cd /usr/local/directadmin/data/templates/custom
cp ../edit_files.txt .
Now edit the copied edit_files.txt file and add any additional file paths you want to make editable.
For syntax details, refer to the official documentation:
http://www.directadmin.com/features.php?id=576---
3. Adding Your Own Service to DirectAdmin Monitoring
DirectAdmin uses the dataskq process to monitor system services and restart them if they stop. The list of monitored services is stored in:
/usr/local/directadmin/data/admin/services.status
Each entry follows this format:
servicename=ON
Meaning:
- ON → DirectAdmin monitors the service
- OFF → DirectAdmin ignores the service
You can add your own service by simply appending a new line with the service name.
Behavior inside DirectAdmin:
- Clicking “Stop” sets the service to OFF so dataskq won’t restart it.
- Clicking “Start” sets it to ON and adds it to monitoring.
---
4. Adding More Log Files to the Admin Log Viewer
The Admin Log Viewer displays logs defined in:
/usr/local/directadmin/data/templates/logs.list
To customize this list:
mkdir -p /usr/local/directadmin/data/templates/custom
cd /usr/local/directadmin/data/templates/custom
cp -p ../logs.list .
Now edit the copied logs.list file to add new log files or remove existing ones.
This is useful for exposing custom service logs or hiding logs you don’t need.
Written & researched by Dr. Shahin Siami