FTP and SFTP

Transfer files securely with SFTP using the account login or SSH keys, or create extra FTP accounts over TLS, each limited to one folder and an optional quota.

Updated Oct 7, 2026 · 3 min read

Every hosting account can transfer files with SFTP, using the same username and password as the panel. For developers or designers who should only see one folder, you can add separate FTP accounts on the FTP / SFTP page.

SFTP with the account login

SFTP is always available when the account's package allows it (the package's SFTP option, "Allow chrooted SFTP access").

The session is chrooted to the account's home directory: you see your own domains/, backups/ and other folders, and nothing of other accounts. Websites live in domains/<domain>/public_html (or the website's document root).

Files uploaded over SFTP belong to the hosting account, so PHP can read them with the right permissions. If an application reports "permission denied" after an upload with another tool, re-upload over SFTP or fix permissions in the File Manager (files 640, folders 750).

Note that My account → Change password changes the panel password; ask your provider to change the SFTP password.

Sign in with an SSH key

Keys are safer than passwords and work with FileZilla, WinSCP, rsync over SFTP and similar tools.

1. Open My account and find SFTP & SSH keys.

2. Paste your public key, one per line, for example:

   ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAA… you@laptop
   

3. Click Add key.

4. Once the key works, turn on Keys only to disable password login for this account.

Accepted key types are Ed25519, ECDSA (P-256, P-384, P-521), RSA of at least 2048 bits, and security-key types (sk-ssh-ed25519@openssh.com, sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256@openssh.com).

The card also shows the Server fingerprints (check on first connection). Compare them with what your client displays the first time you connect, to make sure you are talking to your server.

To create a key on your computer:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "you@laptop"
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub   # paste this line into the panel
sftp alice@server.example.com

FTP accounts

FTP is optional. The administrator installs the FTP server (Pure-FTPd with TLS) with Install FTP server on the FTP / SFTP page, or from Components. The installer opens port 21 and the passive port range 30000-30100 in the firewall.

Create an FTP account

1. On FTP / SFTP, click New FTP account.
2. Enter the Username. It is always prefixed with the account name, for example alice_designer.
3. Enter or generate a Password (8 to 128 characters).
4. Choose the Directory the account is limited to:
   • domains/ (all websites);
   • domains/<domain> or domains/<domain>/public_html for a single website;
   • for Git or app websites, domains/<domain>/shared or domains/<domain>/source.
5. Set a Quota (MB) if you want to limit how much it can store (0 = unlimited).
6. Click Create and copy the login details.

The FTP account cannot leave its directory, and files it uploads belong to the hosting account. The number of FTP accounts is limited by the package (10 by default in new packages). Edit an account to change its password, directory or quota; leave the password empty to keep it.

Client settings

FTP requires TLS (explicit FTPS); plain-text logins are refused.

In FileZilla, choose Require explicit FTP over TLS as the encryption. FTPS uses the panel's certificate: set Settings → Panel domain & SSL so clients see a trusted certificate instead of a warning.

Each client IP may open up to 10 connections, and the server accepts up to 100 FTP connections in total.

Which one should I use?

Troubleshooting