FileZilla normally is not hiding /var/www. The usual cause is that the account is logged into a restricted or provider-mapped namespace, so the server’s filesystem root is not visible. First verify the Site Manager connection and read the Message Log. Then determine the account’s actual remote root, check traversal permissions, and ask the server administrator to expose the correct document root when the directory is outside your account. Hidden-file settings affect names such as .htaccess, not an ordinary /var/www directory.
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What FileZilla is actually showing
A successful FileZilla session displays the directories granted to the authenticated account. It does not promise a view of the machine’s entire Unix filesystem. An administrator account might begin at /, while a hosting or deployment account may begin at /home/user, /public_html, /www, or a provider-defined virtual root.
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If the account is jailed with a chroot, mapped to a virtual root, or limited by the hosting plan, /var/www can exist on the server while being unreachable from that login. No FileZilla display option can reveal a directory outside the account’s namespace. The provider or server administrator must supply the document-root path, change the account mapping, or create an appropriately privileged deployment account.
Run these checks in order
1. Read the Message Log before changing permissions
In FileZilla, inspect the status and Message Log panes immediately after connecting. Look for the server greeting, authentication result, current remote directory, directory-listing response, and any permission or connection error. WordPress’s FileZilla guidance specifically recommends the log when there is no connection, credentials fail, or the client cannot retrieve a directory listing.
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Open File > Site Manager and confirm every connection field:
- Host: use the hostname or IP supplied by the hosting provider or administrator.
- Protocol: select the protocol the server actually supports. Prefer SFTP – SSH File Transfer Protocol or FTPS instead of unencrypted FTP whenever available.
- Port: SFTP commonly uses
22; FTP commonly uses21. A provider may use a different port. - Logon type and user: check whether the account requires a password, an SSH key, or another method.
- Password or key: re-enter the current credential and verify that the selected key is the one authorized for this account.
A login that succeeds but opens an unexpected folder is different from a failed login. The former usually indicates account mapping or permissions; the latter requires correcting the connection details first.
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2. Identify the remote root and current directory
After login, note the path shown in FileZilla’s remote directory field. Try entering the path supplied by the administrator rather than assuming that the server root is visible. For example, the web root may be /home/example/public_html or /srv/www/site instead of /var/www.
If entering /var or /var/www returns “No such file or directory,” “Permission denied,” or an empty listing, record the exact response. “No such file” can mean the path is outside a virtual namespace, not that the directory is absent from the physical server.
Hosting documentation commonly gives the server address, login, and port, then exposes only the directories permitted for that account. Ask support for the account’s document root, remote home, or SFTP starting directory. Those terms are more useful than asking only whether /var/www exists.
3. Rule out hidden-file confusion
FTP clients commonly hide names beginning with a period by default. This affects .htaccess, .well-known, and similar dot-files. It does not hide var or www.
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4. Check traversal rights on every parent directory
Unix access is evaluated one directory at a time. To reach /var/www, the account needs execute (traverse) permission on /, /var, and /var/www; listing the contents also requires read permission on the directory being listed. A user can therefore have permission on the final folder but still be blocked by a parent.
With shell access or help from an administrator, run:
id
pwd
ls -ld /var /var/www
namei -l /var/wwwid shows the account and groups, while pwd confirms the shell’s starting namespace. ls -ld reports ownership and mode bits for the two directories. namei -l expands the complete path so an administrator can see exactly which component denies traversal.
Also check:
- the directory owner and group;
- whether the SFTP user belongs to the required group;
- POSIX ACL entries, if ACLs are in use;
- SELinux or another mandatory access-control policy;
- whether the account is confined by a chroot, container, or provider control panel.
FileZilla’s troubleshooting guidance identifies permissions, locks, and protected or system directories as common causes of failed remote operations. A client-side refresh cannot override any of these controls.
FTP, FTPS, and SFTP: choose the protocol that matches the server
| Protocol | Typical port | Encryption | Authentication and access implications | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTP | 21 | None unless protected by a separate arrangement | Uses the FTP service’s account rules; passive-mode and firewall settings can affect listings. | Only when the provider requires it and the transfer is otherwise protected. |
| FTPS | Usually 21 for explicit TLS, but provider-specific | TLS encryption | Requires the server’s certificate and FTP/TLS configuration; the account still sees only its assigned namespace. | When the provider offers FTP with TLS. |
| SFTP | 22 by default | Encrypted through SSH | Uses SSH users, keys or passwords, groups, ACLs, and any SSH chroot or virtual-root rules. | Usually the preferred option for administration or deployment when enabled. |
WordPress’s documentation states: “Whenever possible, use SFTP or FTPS instead of plain FTP so your connection is encrypted.” This appears in its Using FileZilla guidance, published March 28, 2023 and updated October 14, 2026. Switching from FTP to SFTP can fix a protocol mismatch or listing problem, but it does not automatically grant access to /var/www. The SFTP account may be jailed to exactly the same site directory.
If FTP connects but cannot retrieve a listing, try FileZilla’s passive transfer mode as recommended in WordPress’s troubleshooting guidance. If the provider supports SFTP, use the exact SFTP port and authentication method shown in its control panel instead of guessing.
How to access /var/www/html safely
When the account already has access
- Connect with the approved SFTP or FTPS profile.
- In the remote path field, enter
/var/www/htmlexactly, including the leading slash. - Press Enter or refresh the remote pane.
- Confirm that the listing belongs to the intended virtual host or site before uploading anything.
If this works, bookmark the directory in the Site Manager or save it as the default remote directory. Do not assume that every site on the server uses the same path; multi-site servers frequently assign separate document roots.
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When the account starts in a home or provider folder
Do not try to escape the account by editing the FileZilla path or by changing hidden-file preferences. Ask the administrator which of these supported arrangements applies:
- the site is deployed to a provider path such as
/public_htmland should be managed there; - the SFTP account should be mapped directly to the site’s document root;
- a separate deployment account should be created with access through a group or ACL;
- an administrative SSH/SFTP account is required for server-wide paths.
A mapped deployment account is often safer than exposing the entire server root. It limits accidental changes to the intended site and leaves the operating-system directories outside the user’s view.
Account-root remapping versus permission changes
These remedies solve different problems. Remapping changes what the account considers its root; a permission change leaves the namespace the same but grants access to a path within it. If /var/www is outside a chroot, changing its mode bits will not help because the user cannot traverse to it at all. If the account can already reach the directory but receives “Permission denied,” ownership, group membership, an ACL, or a security policy may be the relevant control.
| Approach | Best fit | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
Provider path such as /public_html |
Shared hosting where the provider has selected the document root. | Simple and usually supported, but the physical path may remain hidden. |
| Map SFTP directly to one document root | Deployments that need a predictable starting directory. | Restricts visibility and reduces accidental access, but requires administrator setup. |
| Group or narrowly scoped ACL | Several approved users or services need the same site directory. | Flexible, but membership and ACL entries must be maintained and audited. |
| Administrative SSH/SFTP account | Server maintenance across multiple sites or system directories. | Provides broad control and therefore carries the greatest impact if credentials are misused. |
Ask for the smallest arrangement that meets the task. A user who only uploads a site does not normally need visibility of every virtual host, system log, or operating-system directory.
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Provider-managed hosting versus self-administered SSH
On provider-managed hosting, support controls the server address, account root, available protocols, chroot rules, and often the web-server document root. The fastest resolution is usually to request the correct SFTP starting directory or a deployment account, then follow the provider’s permission model. Support can confirm whether the visible /home, /www, or /public_html path is the intended location.
On a self-administered VPS or dedicated server, the administrator can inspect id, namei -l, group membership, ACLs, SSH configuration, chroot settings, and SELinux policy. That control also creates responsibility: changes should be limited to the site, documented, and reversible. Do not disable SELinux or remove a chroot merely to make a FileZilla pane look familiar.
Managed VPS hosting or hosting with SFTP access can be appropriate when you need an administrator to maintain account mapping and permissions. Compare providers by whether they offer SFTP, allow a dedicated deployment user, document the web-root path, and provide support for directory-listing failures. The important feature is a supported, least-privilege mapping—not simply access to a larger filesystem.
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Permissions: fix the narrowest control, not the whole server
Use FileZilla’s File permissions… command only when you are authorized to change the affected directory and know the server’s policy. Change ownership, group membership, ACLs, or the account mapping when those are the actual problem; do not make a system web directory globally writable merely because FileZilla cannot list it.
| Change | What it can solve | Security scope |
|---|---|---|
| Correct user/group or add a narrowly scoped ACL | Allows the deployment account to traverse or modify the required site directory. | Usually the most targeted option when managed properly. |
| Map or chroot the account to the document root | Lets the user start in the correct site namespace without exposing unrelated system paths. | Limits visibility and reduces accidental access. |
| Change directory mode bits | May add read, write, or traverse access where ownership and policy permit. | Can expose data broadly if applied to parents or recursively. |
| Change the server security policy | May be required when SELinux or another mandatory policy blocks access. | Requires administrator review and audit; do not disable protection casually. |
OVHcloud’s FileZilla guidance warns against chmod 000, which removes management access, and against chmod 777, which allows anyone to edit the folders or files and creates a serious security vulnerability. That documentation gives examples such as 705 for folders and 604 for files in its hosting context, but those values are not universal defaults. Follow the administrator’s policy and the application’s documented requirements.
If a provider proposes a permission change, ask which user and group need access, whether the change applies only to the site directory, and how it will be reversed. Avoid recursive, world-writable changes such as chmod -R 777 /var/www.
Common symptoms and the correct response
“FileZilla only shows my home folder”
This normally indicates a home-directory jail or virtual root. Confirm the path shown after login, then ask for the document root or a mapped SFTP account. Changing the local view will not reveal directories outside that namespace.
“The remote directory is empty”
First refresh and read the Message Log. Verify that the account is in the expected directory and that it has read permission on that directory. If the listing succeeds but contains no files, the account may be pointed at a newly created site root, the wrong virtual host, or a directory whose contents are hidden by server policy. Have the administrator compare the path and ownership on the server.
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For FTP, test passive transfer mode and check firewall or NAT requirements. Reconfirm the FTP port and data-channel settings. For SFTP, verify the SSH port, key or password, and the account’s shell or chroot configuration. The log’s response is more useful than repeatedly reconnecting.
“Permission denied” when opening or uploading
Check traversal rights on every parent and write permission on the destination directory. The account may be able to list a folder without being allowed to create files there. Have an administrator inspect ownership, groups, ACLs, and SELinux or equivalent policy before changing modes.
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“I can see .htaccess but not /var/www”
Those are different issues. Enable Force show hidden files for dot-files, but treat the missing absolute path as an account-root or permission problem.
What to give your hosting provider or administrator
A precise support request avoids unsafe trial-and-error. Include:
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- the hostname, protocol, and port used;
- the SFTP/FTP username and whether authentication uses a key or password (never send the secret itself);
- the exact remote path shown after login;
- the full Message Log error and the time it occurred;
- whether you need read-only access, uploads, deletes, or deployment automation;
- the site or virtual host that should correspond to the document root.
Ask: “What is this account’s document root, and is /var/www outside its chroot or virtual root?” If access is required, request a least-privilege group, ACL, or deployment account rather than unrestricted root access. The administrator can then verify the path with namei -l, inspect the account mapping, and apply the smallest policy change.
A practical decision tree
- Cannot authenticate: correct host, protocol, port, username, password, or SSH key in Site Manager.
- Authenticates but starts in a home/provider folder: identify the document root; assume a jail or mapping until the administrator confirms otherwise.
- Path exists but listing fails: inspect traversal permissions, ACLs, ownership, security policy, and (for FTP) passive mode.
- Only dot-files are missing: use Server > Force show hidden files.
- Administrator confirms the path is outside the account: use the provider’s intended document-root path or request a mapped/deployment account.
- Permission changes are proposed: apply the narrowest authorized change and avoid
000,777, or broad recursive commands.
Key points to remember
- FileZilla shows the namespace granted to the logged-in account, not necessarily the server’s filesystem root.
/var/wwwis not a hidden-file name; hidden-file controls are for names beginning with a period.- Correct connection details and authentication are prerequisites for a usable remote tree.
- Traversal, ownership, ACLs, chroot rules, and security policy are enforced server-side.
- Use SFTP or FTPS when available, and prefer account mapping or least-privilege access over making a system web directory world-writable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t I see /var/www in FileZilla even though the folder exists?
Your login may start in a chroot, virtual root, home directory, or provider-defined namespace. FileZilla can show only paths granted to that account. Ask the administrator for the document root or a mapped SFTP/deployment account.
Can Force show hidden files reveal /var/www?
No. That option reveals dot-files such as .htaccess and .well-known. It does not bypass permissions, chroot restrictions, ACLs, or security policy.
How do I open /var/www/html over SFTP?
Use the provider’s exact SFTP host, port, username, and password or SSH key. Enter /var/www/html in the remote path field only if the account is allowed to traverse that path. Otherwise request the correct document-root path or account mapping.
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Refresh the pane and read the Message Log. Confirm the current remote path, then have an administrator check read and traverse permissions, ownership, ACLs, virtual-host mapping, and whether you were placed in a new or incorrect site root.
What should I do when FileZilla says it cannot retrieve the directory listing?
Verify the host, protocol, port, and authentication first. For FTP, try passive transfer mode and check firewall or NAT requirements. For SFTP, confirm the SSH port, key or password, and chroot or shell configuration.
Is chmod 777 /var/www a safe fix?
No. OVHcloud warns that mode 777 allows anyone to edit hosted folders or files and creates a serious security vulnerability. Use the provider’s policy and request a narrow group, ACL, ownership, or account-mapping change instead.
The Bottom Line
FileZilla is usually showing the account’s permitted namespace, not hiding /var/www. Verify the Site Manager profile and Message Log, identify the real document root, and distinguish dot-files from server-side access controls. If the path is outside the account’s root, use the provider’s intended directory or request a least-privilege SFTP mapping; do not try to solve a namespace problem with broad chmod changes.
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