Uploading files to your VPS (SFTP)

What this is#

Moving files between your computer and your VPS. The answer is SFTP, and the pleasant surprise is that it's already set up: SFTP is part of SSH, so if you can connect over SSH, you can transfer files right now with nothing to install on the server.

Don't install FTP#

Skip plain FTP entirely. It sends your password and files unencrypted, it needs an extra server (attack surface) installed and configured, and SFTP does the same job securely with zero setup. Any client that "wants FTP details" almost certainly speaks SFTP too.

With FileZilla (or WinSCP)#

FileZilla (Windows/macOS/Linux) and WinSCP (Windows) both speak SFTP out of the box. In FileZilla's Quickconnect bar:

1. Host: sftp://YOUR.VPS.IP (the sftp:// prefix picks the right protocol)
2. Username: root
3. Password: your root password
4. Port: 22 (or blank)
5. Click Quickconnect, and accept the host-key prompt the first time, same as SSH.

You'll see your computer on the left, the VPS on the right; drag and drop either way. WinSCP is the same idea with an explorer-style layout.

From the command line#

• Copy a file up: scp mysite.zip [email protected]:/var/www/
• Sync a whole folder (repeatable, only transfers changes): rsync -av ./site/ [email protected]:/var/www/mysite/

rsync is the tool to reach for when you'll be updating the same files repeatedly.

Things worth knowing#

• Where website files go: by convention under /var/www/, but it's wherever your web server is configured to look. See Hosting a website.
• Use keys here too. SFTP authenticates exactly like SSH, so once you set up SSH keys, FileZilla and WinSCP can use the key instead of a password.
• A separate upload user is a good idea when someone other than you needs file access: adduser deploy, give it ownership of the site folder, and hand out that login instead of root.
• Wrong passwords count. Failed SFTP logins are failed SSH logins, so hammering a wrong password can get your IP banned on port 22, the same as SSH.

Troubleshooting#

• "Connection refused" or it tries port 21: your client is in FTP mode. Make sure the host starts with sftp:// or the protocol dropdown says SFTP, and the port is 22.
• Login works in SSH but not SFTP: almost always a typo'd password or the client stuck in FTP mode; the credentials are identical by definition.
• Permission denied when uploading: the folder belongs to another user (web files often belong to www-data). Upload as root, or change the folder's ownership to your upload user. Unsure of the right ownership? Tell an AI chatbot which user uploads and which folder it is, and it hands you the exact chown.

Still need help?#

You can open a support ticket. So we can help on the first reply, it's worth mentioning:

• the VPS hostname or IP,
• the client you're using (FileZilla, WinSCP, scp) and the exact error.

Related questions#

• "How do I upload files to my VPS?"
• "Do you support FTP?"
• "How do I use FileZilla with my VPS?"
• "What are my SFTP login details?"
• "How do I copy files from the command line?"