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File transferPATCH 2026.10.15

How to Connect to Your Server over SFTP with FileZilla

By VGSources Team 8 min read

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In FileZilla, open File > Site Manager, create a new site, choose SFTP – SSH File Transfer Protocol, then enter your server host, SFTP port (usually 22), username, and either a password or an authorized SSH private key. Click Connect, verify the server host-key fingerprint through a trusted channel on the first connection, and then transfer files between the local and remote panes.

What you need before connecting

FileZilla cannot create an SFTP account or authorize a key for you. Obtain the connection details from the server administrator or hosting provider before opening the client. Have these four items ready:

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  • Host: the server’s hostname or IP address.
  • Port: the SFTP listening port. Use 22 only when no different port has been supplied.
  • Username: the exact SFTP account name. It may not be the same as a hosting-panel or control-panel login.
  • Authentication: either the account password or an SSH private-key file whose matching public key is already authorized on the server.

Ask for the expected server host-key fingerprint as well. You should compare that fingerprint when FileZilla presents it during the first connection instead of accepting an unknown key blindly.

Connect with FileZilla Site Manager

Site Manager is the best default workflow because it stores a reusable profile instead of making you re-enter details for every session.

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  1. Open FileZilla and select File > Site Manager.
  2. Click New Site.
  3. In the Protocol field, select SFTP – SSH File Transfer Protocol. Do not leave the protocol on plain FTP or choose a different transfer method.
  4. Enter the server hostname or IP address in Host.
  5. Enter the supplied SFTP port in Port. If the administrator gave you no custom port, use 22. FileZilla’s private-key guidance also notes that leaving the port blank uses the default 22.
  6. Choose the login type that matches the server account. For a password, use the appropriate normal or ask-for-password option, then enter the username and password. For key authentication, choose Key file, enter the username, and browse to the private key.
  7. Click Connect.
  8. If this is the first connection, compare the displayed host-key fingerprint with the value supplied by the administrator or provider over a trusted channel. Accept and cache the key only after the values match.

After a successful login, FileZilla displays your computer in the local pane and the server in the remote pane. The Site Manager profile can be saved and reopened for future sessions.

What each Site Manager field does

Field What to enter Important qualification
Protocol SFTP – SSH File Transfer Protocol This selection is required for an SFTP connection.
Host Hostname or IP address supplied for the server A single incorrect character can stop FileZilla from making a connection attempt.
Port 22 unless the provider specifies another SFTP port Never guess a custom port; replace 22 with the supplied value.
Logon Type A password option or Key file The choice must match the authentication methods enabled for the account.
User The exact SFTP username It can differ from the username used to sign in to a hosting panel.
Password or key file Password, or the local path to the private key For key login, the corresponding public key must already be installed server-side.

Use Quickconnect for a one-off session

FileZilla’s Quickconnect bar is useful when you need a single temporary connection and do not want to create a saved profile. Enter the host, username, password, and port there, then start the connection. The same protocol requirement and host-key check still apply: select or invoke SFTP rather than FTP, use the provider’s port, and verify an unfamiliar host key before accepting it.

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Quickconnect is less convenient for recurring server work because it is not a carefully documented profile. For a game server, website, or development machine that you access repeatedly, Site Manager makes it easier to preserve the correct protocol, port, username, and authentication method and reduces typing mistakes.

Connect with a password

Password authentication is straightforward when the server account permits it:

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  1. Set Protocol to SFTP – SSH File Transfer Protocol.
  2. Enter the host and SFTP port.
  3. Select the normal password-based login type, or an ask-for-password option if you do not want the password stored in the profile.
  4. Enter the exact SFTP username and password.
  5. Click Connect and complete host-key verification if prompted.

A hosting-panel password may not work if it belongs to a different account or if the SFTP account has password login disabled. When a password is rejected despite apparently correct details, ask the administrator whether this account requires an SSH key instead.

Connect with an SSH private key

Key authentication uses a private key on your computer and a matching public key that the server administrator has authorized for your account. FileZilla is only the client side of that arrangement; selecting a private key in the application does not install its public counterpart on the server.

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FileZilla Pro’s documentation states: “To connect to an SFTP server with a private key in FileZilla, open Site Manager, set the Logon Type to ‘Key file,’ and browse to your private key.” Follow that sequence:

  1. Open File > Site Manager and select the relevant site, or create a new one.
  2. Set Protocol to SFTP – SSH File Transfer Protocol.
  3. Enter the host, the supplied port, and the SFTP username.
  4. Set Logon Type to Key file.
  5. Browse to the private key file. Select the private key, not the public-key file that commonly ends in .pub.
  6. Click Connect. If the key is protected by a passphrase, enter that passphrase when FileZilla asks for it.
  7. Verify the server host key if this is the first connection.

The server must already contain the matching public key in the account’s authorized-key configuration. If the public key is absent, belongs to another account, or was copied incorrectly, FileZilla cannot make key authentication succeed even when you selected the correct private file.

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Key formats and conversion prompts

FileZilla documentation covers common OpenSSH, PPK, and PEM situations. The client may offer a conversion when the selected key is in a format it cannot use directly. Preserve the original private key, follow the server administrator’s required format, and do not overwrite the only copy during conversion. A key-format error can also mean that you selected a public .pub file, an unrelated key, or a passphrase-protected file whose passphrase is unavailable.

Symptom Likely cause Action
FileZilla says the key file is invalid The selected file is a public key, unsupported format, damaged file, or wrong key Select the private key, confirm its format with the administrator, and keep the original before any conversion.
The key is accepted locally but login is denied The matching public key is not authorized for this server account Ask the administrator to verify the installed public key and account name.
A passphrase prompt appears The private key is passphrase-protected Enter the key’s passphrase; it is separate from the server account password.

Verify the SFTP host key safely

On a first SFTP connection, FileZilla may report that the server host key is unknown. This is an identity check: the key is how the SSH service identifies that server to your client.

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  1. Obtain the expected fingerprint from the server administrator or hosting provider through a trusted channel.
  2. Read the fingerprint shown in FileZilla’s warning dialog.
  3. Compare the values character by character, including the key type if one is displayed.
  4. Accept and cache the host key only when the fingerprints match.

If a previously trusted server suddenly presents a different key, do not accept the change merely to make the warning disappear. A legitimate server rebuild or migration can change a key, but the administrator should explain and confirm the new fingerprint first. An unexpected change can also indicate that you are connecting to the wrong host.

Browse and transfer files after login

The left side of FileZilla is your local computer; the right side is the remote server. Navigate to the intended folder in each pane before transferring anything. You can drag files or folders between panes, or use the transfer commands available in the context menus.

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  • Confirm the remote path before uploading a replacement file.
  • Download a backup of an existing file before overwriting it.
  • Wait for the transfer queue to report completion rather than closing FileZilla immediately after starting a copy.
  • If a directory appears empty or cannot be opened, treat that as a server-account permission or path issue, not proof that the files do not exist.

Save the Site Manager profile once the connection works. The next session should reuse the verified host, protocol, port, username, and authentication choice instead of relying on memory.

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Troubleshoot a failed connection

Use the stage at which the failure occurs to narrow the cause. The most common problems are configuration mismatches, not a fault in FileZilla’s file browser.

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FileZilla makes no connection attempt

Check the hostname or IP address, the protocol, and the port. One incorrect character in the host can prevent an attempt entirely. Confirm that the Protocol field says SFTP – SSH File Transfer Protocol and that a custom port has not been replaced with the default 22.

The server is reached but the login is rejected

Verify the exact SFTP username and authentication details. A hosting-panel credential may belong to a different service or account. If the password looks correct, ask whether password login is disabled and whether the account requires an SSH key. For key login, have the administrator confirm that the matching public key is installed for that exact username.

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The port is different from 22

Enter the provider-supplied custom port in Site Manager. SFTP normally uses port 22, but that convention does not override a server’s configured port. Do not cycle through guessed ports; obtain the correct value from the administrator.

The key-file error appears before authentication

Make sure you selected the private key rather than its .pub file. Confirm that the key format and passphrase are supported by your installed FileZilla version and match the server’s requirements. If FileZilla offers conversion, preserve the original and follow the administrator’s format guidance.

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Login succeeds but the remote folder is empty or inaccessible

Ask the administrator to check the account’s remote-directory permissions and its configured home or chroot path. SFTP can authenticate successfully while restricting the account to a different directory or denying access to particular folders.

The host-key warning does not match the value you were given

Cancel the connection and verify the hostname, port, and expected fingerprint. Do not accept an unexpected key change without an explanation and a new trusted fingerprint from the administrator.

Choose the right connection workflow

Decision Best choice Reason
One temporary session Quickconnect Fast entry with no saved profile.
Regular access to the same server Site Manager Stores the verified protocol, host, port, username, and login method for repeat use.
Server permits password login Password option Uses the account password, with an ask-for-password mode available when you do not want it stored.
Server requires or prefers key authentication Key file Uses a local private key; the matching public key must be authorized server-side.
No port supplied by the administrator Port 22 22 is the normal SFTP default.
A custom port is supplied That exact custom port The server’s configuration takes precedence over the default.

Final pre-transfer checklist

  • Protocol is SFTP – SSH File Transfer Protocol.
  • Host is copied exactly from the administrator or provider.
  • Port is 22 only when no custom value was supplied.
  • Username is the SFTP account name, not an assumed panel login.
  • Password login is enabled, or the selected private key’s matching public key is authorized.
  • The selected key is private, not the .pub file, and any passphrase is available.
  • The first host-key fingerprint matched a trusted value before acceptance.
  • The remote directory and permissions are appropriate for the files you need to transfer.

Once these checks pass, FileZilla provides a repeatable SFTP connection: Site Manager preserves the working settings, the host key protects server identity, and the local and remote panes give you a clear way to move files without switching to an unrelated FTP protocol.

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File transferFileZillaserver administrationSFTPSSH

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