How to Use FileZilla: A Step-by-Step Guide

One of the most common tasks for WordPress website owners is accessing files and folders using Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP). In fact, it’s also one of the most daunting aspects of running a website. After all, you’re working on your website in the most direct way possible. Therefore, you need a good SFTP; and since it’s one of the most popular solutions on the market, learning how to use FileZilla is a fantastic idea.

Download FileZilla

If this is your first time using FileZilla, you should watch the free video tutorial provided by Bluehost . The configuration is the same for most cPanel hosting. If not, you will need to get the FTP login information for your server and use FileZilla.

There are a handful of other free FTP tools out there. For most platforms, I recommend FileZilla. However, CyberDuck is another good option.

This is an often-recommended SFTP client that's packed with features. You can quickly log into your server, get instant feedback on your connection status, and log out again. Plus, you can perform all the basic tasks you want to do in just one window.

In this post, we'll give you a complete tutorial on how to use FileZilla. We'll show you what everything in the interface means, and how to perform some basic tasks with the client. First, we'll talk more about what FileZilla does and where it fits in among other solutions.

FileZilla Introduction

For those who don't know, FileZilla is an excellent SFTP client for Windows, macOS, and Linux machines. It allows you to establish a remote connection to any server for which you have credentials and work with the files and folders within it.

Since SFTP is a secure and fast way to access a server, it is the typical standard for many website owners. However, to make the process as smooth as possible, you need to have the right client. FileZilla uses a graphical user interface (GUI) to help you navigate between two machines - your own and the remote server.

If you think such a solution will cost a fortune, think again! FileZilla is open source and can be downloaded for free. Therefore, you can use the full functionality of the client without spending too much money.

There are many more reasons to use FileZilla. In the next section, we'll look at those reasons and why you might want to use it instead of other SFTP clients.

Why Use FileZilla

We can get right to the main reason you'd want to use FileZilla: it's the standard by which almost all other available SFTP clients are ranked. Many other similar threads (including WordPress.org's own post) point to FileZilla as a recommended tool.

However, while other solutions can (and do ) rival the FileZilla experience, using it as your primary client does have the following benefits:

• You'll use one window to complete 95% of your tasks, which is great for working quickly and reducing the "fear factor."
• The user interface (UI) is familiar, especially if you're a Windows user, which means you probably won't need to consult the documentation.
• FileZilla is cross-platform, so no matter what computer you use, you can use the same features, functions, and interface.
• It's worth pointing out again that this client is free to use, as some clients are not free to use (despite being very capable).

This last point raises an important question: Why use FileZilla instead of other available SFTP solutions? In the next section, we'll answer this question.

Why You Should Use FileZilla Instead of Other SFTP Clients

If you read some of the articles on the subject, you'll wonder if FileZilla is the only SFTP client available. This post will show you why so many people rave about it. However, there are other tools you can use as well. The most popular tools are:

• Cyber​​duck . This is another open source and free SFTP client that works differently than FileZilla. However, it produces the same results and many people prefer it over other applications.
• Transmit . The developer (Panic) makes some beautiful tools for macOS machines - the Nova code editor is one of our favorites. This is an advanced SFTP client, although for a native app it's worth the money.

As for why you would choose to use FileZilla over any of these, there are a lot of subjective reasons involved in this decision. It’s worth noting that, objectively speaking, all of these applications are capable of helping you perform everyday tasks on your server. As for why you would choose FileZila in the first place:

• Cyberduck and Transmit both use multiple screens or require you to transfer files to the server from a Finder window. Unlike FileZilla, everything you need is visible on the screen.
• Cyberduck is free (but offers a license after donation), while Transmit requires payment. FileZilla is completely free, which means you never have to think about " what if I upgrade?"
• There are many tutorials on FileZilla and many articles will use it to show you how to fix WordPress errors.

At SidelinPlay we use Cyberduck a lot, so you'll see it instead of FileZilla in some cases. Overall, cost aside, any of the leading SFTP clients are great.

How to Use FileZilla (5 Key Aspects)

There are five different aspects of using FileZilla on a daily basis. Here are them and what we'll cover in our guide:

1. Download and installation process.
2. The interface shows you what and how to use FileZilla.
3. What you need to do to move files and folders from your computer to the server.
4. How to change file permissions in FileZilla.
5. How to create, delete, and edit files in the client.

After reading this article, you will have the basic skills you need to use FileZilla. In addition, you can use these skills to learn more about the features available to you, or move to another SFTP client without having to relearn.

1. Download and install FileZilla

Of course, before you can use FileZilla, you need to download it first. You can download it from the official website .

If you've ever downloaded a file from the internet, this will be as easy as breathing. The installer can be downloaded in just two clicks. You may find that you need to select a specific version of FileZilla:

The choice, however, is to download the client with the manual or without it. The option for FileZilla Pro is a premium version of the client that comes with its own website. This brings it in line with other solutions we've mentioned elsewhere. Even so, you don't need it for this tutorial or any day-to-day work on your server.

Once you are ready, you can install the software depending on your operating system (OS). The last step is to turn it on and start learning the interface.

2. Browse the interface

When you open FileZilla, the interface looks pretty basic. That's because you don't have any server files to browse yet (although we'll fix that next).

The layout looks complicated, but it's actually quite simple. Across the top is a series of icons in the toolbar. These icons will help you navigate through the various options in FileZilla. In our experience, you won't need these icons too much, but they are handy.

Below that is the Quick Connect bar. Your login credentials go here, and you can also select a previous connection from the Quick Connect buttons:

Below this is the Activity panel, which will show you the status and progress of any actions you perform (such as logging into the server, any errors that occurred, and so on):

The four quadrants that make up the bulk of the FileZilla interface are where you manage the files on your computers and servers:

On the left is your computer, on the right is your server. The upper quadrant is the directory tree, and the lower quadrant will display your files and directories in the form of an explorer.

At the bottom is the transfer queue. As you upload or download files from the server, this screen will show the progress. Unlike the Activities panel, this panel is specific to files and folders, as it will show the file size, exact progress, and more:

That's all there is to the FileZilla interface. In the rest of this article, we'll show you some basic tasks you can perform using FileZilla and SFTP.

3. Move files and folders between servers

Once you understand what the interface can do for you, you'll start using FileZilla. Even so, we can show you a few tasks that will give you a big boost.

One of the common tasks you'll want to perform is moving files and folders between servers. The good news is that this is very simple in FileZilla. First, log into your server. Next, on the left side of the interface (or "Local"), select the file you want to upload and right-click. Here you'll see an Upload option:

Once you select that option, the files will be transferred. To download files from the server, select them on the right (or "Remote") and choose Download :

Again, FileZilla will perform the necessary actions and you will see the progress in the transfer queue.

4. Change file permissions

File permissions play a vital role on almost every WordPress website. They help keep your site secure at a core level, but they’re also crucial if you need to fix some site errors.

To change them in FileZilla, right-click the file on the remote side and select File Permissions... :

From here, you can manage file permissions individually:

The nature of file permissions is beyond the scope of this article, although we cover the basics you need elsewhere on the SidelinPlay blog. However, there are a few considerations you should be aware of when working with file permissions:

• Changes take effect immediately, so make sure you have a reliable backup of your server.
• The permissions you set can have a serious impact on your site and its security. The rule of thumb is to make each file and folder as "strict" as possible and relax these permissions only when necessary.

In most cases, you won't need to change file permissions unless something unexpected happens to your site. While this is rare, it happens often enough that changing file permissions is a common SFTP task.

5. Create, delete and edit files

While you may not often need to create files in FileZilla, knowing how to do it means you can perform a few other tasks as well. The option you need will be under the right-click context menu, and you can do this on the remote side:

Here you'll find options to "Create New File , " "Create Directory," and "Create Directory and Enter ." The latter takes you into the directory so you can start working in it and saves you a few clicks.

You'll also see that there are options for deleting and renaming files or folders. So this menu gives you a standard range of tools to help manage your server's files. However, there is an option here that lets you edit files from within FileZilla itself: View/Edit .

If you right-click a specific file and select this, you may need to select the appropriate application first:

Once this is done, you will see some activity in the transfer queue , the file will open in your editor, and you will be able to work on it:

Once you are done, you can save your changes and FileZilla will upload the file again. That's it!

In conclusion

If you have to log into your site's server (and you most likely will at some point ), using a top-notch SFTP client can make things hassle-free. While there are several to choose from, FileZilla is the leading solution. It offers many advantages in terms of features, ease of use, and price.

This article explains how to use FileZilla, and the process couldn't be easier. You'll use a single window to work with local and remote files, divided into sections. From there, you can check activity at the top of the screen. If you can use your computer's Finder or File Explorer, you can use FileZilla.

Do you need to know more about how to use FileZilla? Ask your questions in the comments section below!

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