{
  "schema": "https://storagestudio.us/schema/wiki-page.v1",
  "title": "SFTP and FTP servers",
  "slug": "sftp-and-ftp",
  "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/sftp-and-ftp",
  "markdown_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/sftp-and-ftp.md",
  "category": "Cloud accounts",
  "category_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/cloud-accounts/",
  "tags": [
    "cloud accounts",
    "sftp",
    "ftp",
    "servers"
  ],
  "summary": "Connect a file server with its address, port, username and a password or private key. SFTP is encrypted and is the one to choose; plain FTP is allowed only after you confirm you understand it isn't encrypted.",
  "published_at": "2026-10-01T06:19:13.000Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-01T05:32:09.000Z",
  "headings": [
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "Adding an SFTP server",
      "id": "adding-an-sftp-server"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "Adding an FTP server",
      "id": "adding-an-ftp-server"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "The password strength check",
      "id": "the-password-strength-check"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "When Test connection fails",
      "id": "when-test-connection-fails"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "Editing the account",
      "id": "editing-the-account"
    }
  ],
  "links_out": [
    {
      "slug": "testing-editing-and-removing-an-account",
      "label": "testing, editing and removing an account",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/testing-editing-and-removing-an-account"
    },
    {
      "slug": "cloud-accounts",
      "label": "Cloud accounts",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/cloud-accounts"
    },
    {
      "slug": "data-transfers",
      "label": "Data Transfers",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/data-transfers"
    },
    {
      "slug": "how-account-sign-ins-are-stored",
      "label": "How your account sign-ins are stored",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/how-account-sign-ins-are-stored"
    },
    {
      "slug": "s3-compatible-storage",
      "label": "S3-compatible storage",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/s3-compatible-storage"
    }
  ],
  "links_in": [
    {
      "slug": "accounts-we-dont-connect",
      "title": "Accounts Storage Studio doesn't connect",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/accounts-we-dont-connect"
    },
    {
      "slug": "cloud-accounts",
      "title": "Cloud accounts",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/cloud-accounts"
    },
    {
      "slug": "s3-compatible-storage",
      "title": "S3-compatible storage",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/s3-compatible-storage"
    },
    {
      "slug": "testing-editing-and-removing-an-account",
      "title": "Testing, editing and removing an account",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/testing-editing-and-removing-an-account"
    }
  ],
  "diagrams": [
    {
      "kind": "flowchart",
      "caption": "Choosing between SFTP and FTP, and what each form asks for",
      "outline": "- Does your server offer SFTP?\n  - Yes: leads to Choose SFTP\n  - No: leads to Choose FTP\n- Choose SFTP\n  - leads to How do you sign in?\n- Choose FTP\n  - leads to Read the warning, tick I understand the risks\n- How do you sign in?\n  - Password: leads to Password, Fair or better on the meter\n  - Key file: leads to Private key file, optional passphrase\n- Password, Fair or better on the meter\n  - leads to Save account\n- Private key file, optional passphrase\n  - leads to Save account\n- Read the warning, tick I understand the risks\n  - leads to Password, Fair or better on the meter\n",
      "source": "%% caption: Choosing between SFTP and FTP, and what each form asks for\nflowchart TD\n  A{Does your server offer SFTP?} -->|Yes| B[Choose SFTP]\n  A -->|No| C[Choose FTP]\n  B --> D{How do you sign in?}\n  D -->|Password| E[Password, Fair or better on the meter]\n  D -->|Key file| F[Private key file, optional passphrase]\n  C --> G[Read the warning, tick I understand the risks]\n  G --> E\n  E --> H[Save account]\n  F --> H"
    }
  ],
  "images": [],
  "screenshots_pending": [
    {
      "alt": "The Add Cloud Account sheet with SFTP selected, Sign in with set to Password, and the Server, Port, Username and Password fields filled in with a strength meter under the password",
      "caption": "Adding an SFTP server"
    }
  ],
  "faqs": [
    {
      "question": "Can I see all my cloud accounts in Finder on a Mac?",
      "answer": "Yes. Storage Studio adds a \"Storage Studio\" location to Finder's sidebar, with each connected cloud account and paired device as a folder inside, and a Finder button in the app's main window opens it. Files stay in the cloud until you open them. Folders you have visited open straight away and…",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/faq"
    }
  ],
  "text": "You can connect your own file servers — a NAS, a web host, a server at work — as SFTP or FTP accounts. Both use a server address, a port, a username and a password; SFTP can also use a private key. Choose SFTP whenever your server offers it: it's encrypted, while plain FTP sends your password and files across the network as readable text. Adding an SFTP server Choose Connect Accounts… from the More menu, then click Add Account . Select SFTP and type a Nickname . Fill in: Server — the host name or IP address only, such as files.example.com . If you paste name@server , Storage Studio points it out and offers a Fix button that moves the name into Username . Port — 22 unless your server uses another. Username . Sign in with — Password or Private key . For Password , type it in; for Private key , click Browse… and choose your key file, then add a Key passphrase if the key has one. Click Save account . Your key file stays where it is on your Mac — Storage Studio reads it each time it connects and never uploads it. Adding an FTP server Select FTP . The form starts with a red FTP is not encrypted warning that you can't dismiss. Fill in Server , Port ( 21 by default), Username and Password , then tick I understand the risks and want to add this FTP account anyway. Save account stays greyed out until you do. The Base path field on both forms is optional. You can leave it blank and pick the exact folder later, when you set up a transfer. The password strength check Passwords and key passphrases go through a strength meter. Very weak and Weak aren't accepted — the meter says Won't be accepted and why. Fair and above are accepted. A longer password with a mix of letters, numbers and symbols scores higher; common passwords, keyboard runs like qwerty , repeated characters and years count against it. The check applies to FTP too: a weak password sent as readable text is even riskier. Choosing between SFTP and FTP, and what each form asks for Flowchart outline: Choosing between SFTP and FTP, and what each form asks for Does your server offer SFTP? Yes: leads to Choose SFTP No: leads to Choose FTP Choose SFTP leads to How do you sign in? Choose FTP leads to Read the warning, tick I understand the risks How do you sign in? Password: leads to Password, Fair or better on the meter Key file: leads to Private key file, optional passphrase Password, Fair or better on the meter leads to Save account Private key file, optional passphrase leads to Save account Read the warning, tick I understand the risks leads to Password, Fair or better on the meter You can add up to 10 SFTP and 10 FTP accounts. When Test connection fails Select the account and click Test connection . For SFTP and FTP, Storage Studio turns the common network errors into plain advice: Nothing's listening on… — the server isn't running, it's on a different port from the one you entered, or a firewall is in the way. If the server is a Mac, turn on Remote Login in System Settings › General › Sharing . Couldn't reach… — the connection didn't complete. Check the server is switched on and reachable from your network. Authentication rejected by the SSH server or Authentication failed (SFTP) — check the username (it's case-sensitive), the password or key, and that the server allows that way of signing in. The SSH host key for this server has changed (SFTP) — this can be a harmless server reinstall, or a sign that something is pretending to be your server. Check with whoever runs the server before going further. Copy error copies the full message, so you can paste it into a support request. Editing the account Click Edit to change the server, port, username or password. Leave the password blank to keep the one you saved. The nickname can't be changed. See testing, editing and removing an account . Common questions Can I see all my cloud accounts in Finder on a Mac? Yes. Storage Studio adds a \"Storage Studio\" location to Finder's sidebar, with each connected cloud account and paired device as a folder inside, and a Finder button in the app's main window opens it. Files stay in the cloud until you open them. Folders you have visited open straight away and… See also: Cloud accounts · Data Transfers · How your account sign-ins are stored · S3-compatible storage",
  "markdown": "You can connect your own file servers — a NAS, a web host, a server at work — as **SFTP** or **FTP** accounts. Both use a server address, a port, a username and a password; SFTP can also use a private key. Choose **SFTP** whenever your server offers it: it's encrypted, while plain FTP sends your password and files across the network as readable text.\n\n## Adding an SFTP server\n\n1. Choose **Connect Accounts…** from the **More** menu, then click **Add Account**.\n2. Select **SFTP** and type a **Nickname**.\n3. Fill in:\n   - **Server** — the host name or IP address only, such as *files.example.com*. If you paste *name@server*, Storage Studio points it out and offers a **Fix** button that moves the name into **Username**.\n   - **Port** — `22` unless your server uses another.\n   - **Username**.\n   - **Sign in with** — **Password** or **Private key**.\n4. For **Password**, type it in; for **Private key**, click **Browse…** and choose your key file, then add a **Key passphrase** if the key has one.\n5. Click **Save account**.\n\nYour key file stays where it is on your Mac — Storage Studio reads it each time it connects and never uploads it.\n\n## Adding an FTP server\n\nSelect **FTP**. The form starts with a red **FTP is not encrypted** warning that you can't dismiss. Fill in **Server**, **Port** (`21` by default), **Username** and **Password**, then tick **I understand the risks and want to add this FTP account anyway.** **Save account** stays greyed out until you do.\n\nThe **Base path** field on both forms is optional. You can leave it blank and pick the exact folder later, when you set up a transfer.\n\n## The password strength check\n\nPasswords and key passphrases go through a strength meter. **Very weak** and **Weak** aren't accepted — the meter says **Won't be accepted** and why. **Fair** and above are accepted. A longer password with a mix of letters, numbers and symbols scores higher; common passwords, keyboard runs like *qwerty*, repeated characters and years count against it. The check applies to FTP too: a weak password sent as readable text is even riskier.\n\n```mermaid\n%% caption: Choosing between SFTP and FTP, and what each form asks for\nflowchart TD\n  A{Does your server offer SFTP?} -->|Yes| B[Choose SFTP]\n  A -->|No| C[Choose FTP]\n  B --> D{How do you sign in?}\n  D -->|Password| E[Password, Fair or better on the meter]\n  D -->|Key file| F[Private key file, optional passphrase]\n  C --> G[Read the warning, tick I understand the risks]\n  G --> E\n  E --> H[Save account]\n  F --> H\n```\n\n*Flowchart — Choosing between SFTP and FTP, and what each form asks for. Outline:*\n\n- Does your server offer SFTP?\n  - Yes: leads to Choose SFTP\n  - No: leads to Choose FTP\n- Choose SFTP\n  - leads to How do you sign in?\n- Choose FTP\n  - leads to Read the warning, tick I understand the risks\n- How do you sign in?\n  - Password: leads to Password, Fair or better on the meter\n  - Key file: leads to Private key file, optional passphrase\n- Password, Fair or better on the meter\n  - leads to Save account\n- Private key file, optional passphrase\n  - leads to Save account\n- Read the warning, tick I understand the risks\n  - leads to Password, Fair or better on the meter\n\nYou can add up to 10 SFTP and 10 FTP accounts.\n\n## When Test connection fails\n\nSelect the account and click **Test connection**. For SFTP and FTP, Storage Studio turns the common network errors into plain advice:\n\n- **Nothing's listening on…** — the server isn't running, it's on a different port from the one you entered, or a firewall is in the way. If the server is a Mac, turn on **Remote Login** in **System Settings › General › Sharing**.\n- **Couldn't reach…** — the connection didn't complete. Check the server is switched on and reachable from your network.\n- **Authentication rejected by the SSH server** or **Authentication failed** (SFTP) — check the username (it's case-sensitive), the password or key, and that the server allows that way of signing in.\n- **The SSH host key for this server has changed** (SFTP) — this can be a harmless server reinstall, or a sign that something is pretending to be your server. Check with whoever runs the server before going further.\n\n**Copy error** copies the full message, so you can paste it into a support request.\n\n## Editing the account\n\nClick **Edit** to change the server, port, username or password. Leave the password blank to keep the one you saved. The nickname can't be changed. See [testing, editing and removing an account](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/testing-editing-and-removing-an-account).\n\n- **Can I see all my cloud accounts in Finder on a Mac?** Yes. Storage Studio adds a \"Storage Studio\" location to Finder's sidebar, with each connected cloud account and paired device as a folder inside, and a Finder button in the app's main window opens it. Files stay in the cloud until you open them. Folders you have visited open straight away and… (https://storagestudio.us/faq)\n\nSee also: [Cloud accounts](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/cloud-accounts) · [Data Transfers](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/data-transfers) · [How your account sign-ins are stored](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/how-account-sign-ins-are-stored) · [S3-compatible storage](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/s3-compatible-storage)\n"
}