How to Configure FileZilla Pro Defaults File fzdefaults.xml

5743 November 14, 2023

The file fzdefaults.xml is used to store system-wide default settings for FileZilla Pro.

Below you find a step by step guide, if you prefer you can watch our Setting FileZilla defaults file fzdefaults.xml video tutorial.

fzdefaults.xml can contain any setting from filezilla.xml. FileZilla Pro loads the settings from fzdefaults.xml. Then, it loads the settings from filezilla.xml.

For example, suppose you have the following settings in fzdefaults.xml:


<FileZilla3>
<Settings>
<Setting name="Proxy type">1</Setting>
<Setting name="Proxy host">192.168.0.11</Setting>
<Setting name="Proxy port">1892</Setting>
</Settings>
</FileZilla3>

And the following settings in filezilla.xml:


<Settings>
<Setting name="Proxy port">9834</Setting>
</Settings>

FileZilla Pro reads both files and uses the following settings:

  • proxy type: 1 – HTTP/1.1 using CONNECT method (from fzdefaults.xml)
    fzdefaults.xml 210

  • proxy host: 192.168.0.11 (from fzdefaults.xml)

  • proxy port: 9834 (from filezilla.xml)

The application uses the internal defaults for settings that are missing from both files.
The Config Location setting can only be set in fzdefaults.xml.

The Kiosk Mode setting, if set in both files, is not overridden by the value in filezilla.xml. The value in fzdefaults.xml has priority.

FileZilla Pro does not modify fzdefaults.xml.

Note: fzdefaults.xml cannot be used with the MacOS AppStore version.

Usage

  • Windows: put the file fzdefaults.xml into the same directory as filezilla.exe.

  • MacOS: modify the app bundle, put fzdefaults.xml into Contents/SharedSupport/subdirectory

  • Other: put the file fzdefaults.xml into one of the following directories (in order of precedence):

    • $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/filezilla

    • ~/.config/filezilla

    • ~/.filezilla

    • /etc/filezilla

    • shared/filezilla subdirectory of install prefix

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Default site manager entries

Create some new Site Manager entries and export the list of sites. See Export Configuration Settings on how to export them. Rename the resulting XML file to fzdefaults.xml or copy the <Server> block in it into fzdefaults.xml.

Global configuration settings

Config Location

By default, FileZilla Pro stores its settings in the user’s home directory. If you want to change the location, modify the Config Location setting.

Config Location either accepts absolute paths or paths relative to the location of fzdefaults.
xml.

You can also use environment variables by preceding them with the dollar sign, e.g. $HOME/
foo. Use $$ to denote a path containing dollar signs, e.g. c:\$$foobar\ if settings should
be located in c:\$foobar.

A single dot denotes the directory containing fzdefaults.xml.

Kiosk Mode

If the Kiosk mode setting is set to 1, FileZilla Pro does not write any passwords to disk. If
set to 2, FileZilla Pro does not write to any configuration file. The latter is useful if FileZilla
Pro gets executed from read-only media. This option has priority over the password saving
options in Settings.

Disable update check

If the Disable update check setting is set to 1, the capability to check for new FileZilla Pro
versions will be completely disabled.

Cache directory

Use the Cache directory setting to override where FileZilla Pro places its resource cache.
Same rule applies for environment variables and relative paths as for the Config Location
setting.

Sample

A sample fzdefaults.xml file can found under docs subdirectory in the FileZilla Pro installation directory:


<FileZilla3>

    <Settings>
    <Setting name="Config Location">$SOMEDIR/filezilla/</Setting>
    <Setting name="Kiosk mode">0</Setting>
    <Setting name="Disable update check">0</Setting>
    <Setting name="Cache directory">$USERPROFILE/Documents</Setting>

</Settings>
<Servers>

    <Server>
    <Host>ftp.gnu.org</Host>
    <Port>21</Port>
    <Protocol>0</Protocol>
    <Type>0</Type>
    <Logontype>0</Logontype>
    <User>anonymous</User>
    <Pass>someone@example.com</Pass>
    <TimezoneOffset>0</TimezoneOffset>
    <PasvMode>MODE_DEFAULT</PasvMode>
    <MaximumMultipleConnections>0</MaximumMultipleConnections>
    <EncodingType>Auto</EncodingType>
    <Comments></Comments>
    <LocalDir></LocalDir>
    <RemoteDir></RemoteDir>
    <Name>Primary GNU download server</Name>
    </Server>
    </Servers>
    </FileZilla3>

The video tutorial below shows how to configure FileZilla Pro defaults file fzdefaults.xml

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Video tutorial: Setting FileZilla defaults file fzdefaults.xml

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