Uploading your website files via SFTP

Uploading your website files via SFTP

What you'll learn: how to use a desktop app to upload files to your hosting — faster and more reliable than the browser File Manager for big uploads.

What's SFTP?

SFTP is a standard, secure way for your computer to talk to your server and move files back and forth. You install a free app, fill in a few details, and you can drag files between your computer and your hosting just like local folders.

Pick an app

Free apps that work great:

  • FileZilla (Windows, Mac, Linux) — the classic
  • Cyberduck (Mac, Windows) — friendly interface
  • Transmit (Mac) — paid, polished
  • WinSCP (Windows) — solid

Install one of those.

What you'll need

From your hosting provider:

  • Host (server) — usually your domain or sftp.yourdomain.com
  • Username — your hosting account username
  • Password — your hosting account password (or an SSH key — see below)
  • Port — 22
  • Protocol — SFTP (not "FTP")

Connect

In your SFTP app:

  1. Click Add new site / connection.
  2. Fill in the host, username, password, and port.
  3. Choose SFTP as the protocol.
  4. Click Connect.

You'll see two panes — your computer's files on one side, your server's on the other. Drag files between them.

[screenshot here: SFTP app with both panes]

Where to put files

Look for a folder called public_html, www, htdocs, or named after your domain. That's where website files go.

For example, yourbusiness.com's files probably go in ~/public_html/yourbusiness.com/ (the exact path depends on your hosting setup — your provider can tell you).

Passwords are fine, but SSH keys are more secure and more convenient (no password prompts). See Generating an SSH key for secure access — once you've added a key, paste it into your SFTP app's "Authentication" or "Key file" field instead of a password.

Tips

  • Save the connection. Most apps remember it as a "site" so you can reconnect with one click.
  • Don't upload .DS_Store, Thumbs.db, or node_modules/. These are local junk that shouldn't be on your server. Most apps can be configured to skip them.
  • Resume interrupted uploads. If a big upload fails, the app will usually offer to resume.
  • Drop binary mode worries. SFTP handles binary files (images, zips) automatically — unlike old FTP.

If something goes wrong

  • "Connection refused" — wrong port (must be 22), wrong host, or your SFTP isn't enabled. Confirm with your provider.
  • "Authentication failed" — wrong username or password. Try logging into the panel with the same credentials to confirm.
  • Files upload but website doesn't change — make sure you're uploading to the right folder (often public_html/).
  • "Permission denied" — you're trying to write to a folder you don't own. Stick to your home directory.

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