How to Install or Uninstall the cPanel Meridian Theme (Complete Guide)

Introduction

cPanel Meridian is a modern interface designed to make website and hosting account management more intuitive. It organizes common tasks into dedicated sections and offers a different navigation experience from the traditional Jupiter theme.

On supported cPanel & WHM servers, Meridian is distributed as a separate package named cpanel-meridian-plugin. If the theme is missing after a cPanel upgrade, you may need to install the package manually. If you have already installed Meridian and want to return to Jupiter, you can uninstall the plugin or simply switch the theme for individual accounts.

In this guide, we will explain how to install, configure, verify, and uninstall the cPanel Meridian theme safely.

Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:

• Root SSH access to your cPanel & WHM server.
• A supported cPanel & WHM version that includes Meridian support.
• Access to the server’s package manager, such as dnf or yum.
• A recent backup or recovery plan for your production server.

Important: Meridian is available on cPanel 138 and later according to the installation scenario covered in this guide. Confirm your installed cPanel version before proceeding.

1. Check Your cPanel Version

Connect to your server through SSH as the root user and run:

/usr/local/cpanel/cpanel -V

Review the output to confirm your installed version.

You can also check whether the Meridian package is already installed:

rpm -q cpanel-meridian-plugin

If the package is installed, you may only need to configure the theme in WHM rather than reinstall it.

2. Install the cPanel Meridian Theme

To install Meridian, run the following command as root:

dnf install cpanel-meridian-plugin

On systems using yum, you can use:

yum install cpanel-meridian-plugin

Review the proposed package changes and confirm the installation only if the dependency resolution is safe.

The package manager will attempt to install the Meridian plugin and its required dependencies.

After installation, verify the package:

rpm -q cpanel-meridian-plugin

If the command returns an installed package version, the Meridian plugin is installed.

What if the installation fails?

One possible cause is a conflict between Docker CE and the Podman packages required by Meridian. The dependency chain can include cpanel-webapp-plugin, ea-podman, and podman-docker.

Check whether Docker CE is installed:

rpm -q docker-ce

If Docker CE is installed, do not immediately remove it. First check whether any containers or applications depend on it:

docker ps -a
docker volume ls

Removing Docker packages can interrupt running containers, and their data is not automatically migrated to Podman.

If Docker is required on your server, consider keeping Jupiter or migrating the Docker workloads to a separate server. Do not force the installation or remove dependencies without understanding the impact.

For the original installation scenario and dependency details, refer to the Meridian installation troubleshooting guide.

3. Enable Meridian in WHM

Installing the plugin does not automatically switch every hosting account to Meridian. You must configure the theme for the relevant packages or accounts.

Set Meridian for a hosting package

1. Log in to WHM as root.
2. Navigate to Packages → Edit a Package.
3. Select the hosting package you want to modify.
4. Locate the cPanel theme setting.
5. Select meridian, if available.
6. Save the changes.

New accounts created using that package can then use the configured theme.

Change the theme for an existing account

1. Open WHM.
2. Navigate to Account Functions → Modify an Account.
3. Select the required cPanel account.
4. Locate its theme setting.
5. Select Meridian and save the changes.

Changing a package does not necessarily change the theme of accounts that already exist, so configure existing accounts separately when required.

4. Verify That Meridian Is Working

After installing the plugin:

1. Log out of WHM and log in again if the theme does not appear.
2. Open the relevant account in cPanel.
3. Confirm that Meridian is available in the theme selector or through the configured account theme.
4. Check that the dashboard and navigation load correctly.

If the plugin is installed but Meridian is not listed, review the cPanel version, package status, and installation logs before attempting another installation.

5. How to Uninstall the cPanel Meridian Theme

If you no longer want to use Meridian, you can remove the plugin through SSH. However, if your goal is only to return to the classic interface, you do not need to uninstall the package.

Option A: Switch back to Jupiter without uninstalling

This is the simplest option if you want to keep Meridian available for future use.

For an individual account:

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. Look for Classic cPanel Theme in the Meridian interface, if your account is permitted to switch.
3. Select the option to return to Jupiter.

Alternatively, a server administrator can change the account’s theme through WHM under Account Functions → Modify an Account.

This changes the interface without removing the Meridian plugin or its dependencies.

Option B: Remove the Meridian plugin completely

If you want to uninstall the plugin from your server, connect through SSH as root.

First, check the installed package:

rpm -q cpanel-meridian-plugin

Then remove it:

dnf remove cpanel-meridian-plugin

On servers using yum, run:

yum remove cpanel-meridian-plugin

Review the package manager’s proposed changes carefully before confirming.

Verify the result:

rpm -q cpanel-meridian-plugin

If the output says that the package is not installed, the Meridian plugin has been removed.

Important: Do not remove dependencies blindly

Meridian can depend on cpanel-webapp-plugin, ea-podman, and podman-docker. Removing the main plugin does not necessarily mean these additional packages will be removed.

Do not manually remove the dependencies just to clean up the server. Other software may use them, and Docker-related changes can affect running containers.

For most hosting servers, removing cpanel-meridian-plugin alone is the safer starting point.

6. Common Installation and Uninstallation Problems

Meridian does not appear in WHM

Check the cPanel version:

/usr/local/cpanel/cpanel -V

Then check the package:

rpm -q cpanel-meridian-plugin

If the package is installed, log out of WHM and log back in. Also verify the theme setting for the specific package or account.

Installation reports a dependency conflict

If the installation fails with an error involving docker-ce and podman-docker, investigate the conflict before making changes.

rpm -q docker-ce cpanel-meridian-plugin

Do not use options such as --skip-broken or force package removal to bypass the conflict. If Docker is required, staying with Jupiter is a reasonable solution.

The theme is still assigned to an account after uninstalling

Check the account’s theme setting in WHM. Change it to Jupiter where available, and review the themes assigned to your hosting packages.

Do not manually delete files from cPanel’s system directories to remove the theme. Use the package manager instead.

7. Frequently Asked Questions

Is Meridian a replacement for Jupiter?

Meridian offers a different interface, but Jupiter remains an available option. You can continue using Jupiter if you prefer the traditional cPanel layout.

Does installing Meridian change all hosting accounts automatically?

No. Installing the plugin makes the theme available; you must configure the relevant packages or existing accounts separately.

Can I uninstall Meridian without affecting websites?

Removing the theme plugin is intended to remove the interface, not hosted website content. However, you should review the package manager’s proposed changes and make sure accounts are configured to use an available theme.

Can I use Meridian with Docker CE installed?

The documented dependency conflict between Docker CE and podman-docker can prevent installation. Do not remove Docker if your applications depend on it; consider staying with Jupiter or planning a tested migration.

Can I reinstall Meridian after uninstalling it?

Yes, provided your cPanel version supports Meridian and its package dependencies can be installed successfully. Run:

dnf install cpanel-meridian-plugin

Conclusion

The cPanel Meridian theme can be installed using the cpanel-meridian-plugin package on supported cPanel & WHM servers. After installation, configure the theme in WHM for the relevant hosting packages and accounts.

If you want to return to Jupiter, you can switch the theme without uninstalling Meridian. If you want to remove it entirely, use the system package manager and review its proposed changes before proceeding.

For production hosting servers, always check package dependencies first and avoid removing Docker or other supporting packages unless you have confirmed that doing so will not disrupt your services.

Reference: Meridian Theme Installation and Troubleshooting Guide.