How to Update your Blog with FileZilla/FileZilla Pro
To upload or download files to your WordPress blog you need a login for your web server. We recommend connecting with SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol), which encrypts your password and your files.
Below you find a step by step guide, if you prefer you can watch our How to Update your Blog video tutorial.
Choose a secure protocol
- SFTP (recommended): encrypts your login and all transferred data. Most hosting providers support it.
- FTP over TLS (FTPS): use it if your host doesn’t offer SFTP. It also encrypts your login and data.
- Plain FTP (not recommended): sends your username, password and files unencrypted, so anyone on the network path can read them. Use it only if neither option above is available.
Get your login details
You can find or create your login details in your hosting control panel. Depending on your host, SFTP may use your main hosting account (SSH) login or a dedicated account. If you’re not sure, contact your hosting provider.
If your host only offers FTP/FTPS, create an FTP account:
- Choose FTP accounts.
- Enter the new account id.
- Enter and repeat the password.
- Click on Create an FTP account.
Note: In the directory enter the path to your blog installation, in this case it is the standard WordPress installation path. Contact your hosting provider or system administrator if you don’t know the path.
Connect with the Site Manager
- Open File > Site Manager.
- Select New Site and provide a title for your website.
- In Protocol, select SFTP – SSH File Transfer Protocol.
If your host doesn’t support SFTP, select FTP – File Transfer Protocol and set Encryption to Require explicit FTP over TLS. Avoid Only use plain FTP (insecure). - Fill the host name with user and password. Leave the port empty to use the default (22 for SFTP, 21 for FTP over TLS), unless your host gives you a different one.
- Click Connect.
After the successful connection you will see on the right side your WordPress files, you can now edit your files.
The video tutorial below shows how to update your WordPress Site with FileZilla/FileZilla Pro.
Video tutorial: How to Update your Blog with FileZilla and FileZilla Pro
What next
Moving your WordPress site to a new hosting provider? Our step-by-step guide shows the best settings for transferring thousands of files, how to check that every file arrived, and how to resume failed transfers: How to Migrate a WordPress Site to a New Host with FileZilla Pro.