FileZilla FAQ

General

What is FileZilla?

FileZilla is a free, open source FTP client and server. The client supports FTP, FTPS (FTP over TLS) and SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol). It is available for Windows, macOS and Linux.

Is FileZilla really free?

Yes. FileZilla Client and FileZilla Server are free and open source software, licensed under the GNU General Public License. There is also a commercial FileZilla Pro version with additional cloud storage protocol support.

What is the difference between FileZilla and FileZilla Pro?

FileZilla supports FTP, FTPS and SFTP. FileZilla Pro adds support for cloud protocols including Amazon S3, Google Drive, Google Cloud Storage, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft Azure, Backblaze B2, Box, OpenStack Swift and WebDAV.

Download & Installation

Where can I download FileZilla?

You can download the latest version of FileZilla from our download page. Choose the version appropriate for your operating system.

How do I install FileZilla on Windows?

Download the installer from the download page, run the .exe file, and follow the installation wizard. You may decline any optional bundled offers during installation.

How do I install FileZilla on macOS?

Download the .app.tar.bz2 file, extract it, and drag the FileZilla application to your Applications folder.

How do I install FileZilla on Linux?

Download the .tar.xz archive, extract it, and run the FileZilla binary. On many distributions, FileZilla is also available through the package manager (e.g. apt install filezilla).

Connection

How do I connect to my FTP server?

Enter your server hostname, username, password and port in the Quickconnect bar at the top of the FileZilla window, then click Quickconnect. Use port 21 for FTP/FTPS and port 22 for SFTP.

What port should I use?

The default port for FTP and FTPS is 21. SFTP uses port 22. Your hosting provider may use a different port — check your hosting control panel for details.

Why does my connection time out?

Connection timeouts are usually caused by firewalls or NAT routers. Try switching between Active and Passive transfer mode in Edit → Settings → Connection → FTP. Most home users should use Passive mode.

Security

Is FileZilla secure?

FileZilla supports encrypted connections via FTPS (FTP over TLS) and SFTP (SSH). Always use FTPS or SFTP instead of plain FTP when possible to protect your credentials and data.

Does FileZilla store passwords securely?

FileZilla can protect saved passwords with a master password (Edit → Settings → Interface → Passwords). Without a master password, credentials are stored in a local XML file.

Have more questions? Visit the FileZilla forums or the wiki.