Overview
WinSCP is a free application (for Windows) that allows you to make connections to remote computers for transferring files. This tutorial uses the SFTP protocol when connecting as that is what is always recommended you use. FTP can be used but is insecure and outdated, therefore it's not recommended.
View the following article for details on how to install this software:
Once you've successfully connected, you'll see this window:
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- In the left hand window, you'll see your local computer's drives, directories, and files.
- In the right hand window, you'll see the directories and files on the remote server.
Double-clicking on any of the directories expands them. Directories are typically listed at the top and files below (but you can change the sort order if you like). Double-click on the top folder (with the up-turned arrow) to go up to the parent directory. You can also use the drop-downs above to move between directories.
At this point, you can Drag & Drop directories and/or files between panels which will upload or download content.
The lock icon in the lower right hand corner indicates the type of encryption you're using for this connection:
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- YELLOW = ENCRYPTED
- GREY = INSECURE
You can click on that icon for more information.
Uploading data
As stated above, to upload a file to your server, drag it from the left window to the right.
- After you drag a file over to upload, an 'Upload' dialog box appears:
Review the information to confirm you're uploading the correct file, and then click the OK button to continue with the upload.
If you check the Transfer in background checkbox, you can continue working while the transfer proceeds in the background. Otherwise, you'll see the dialog box showing the actual transfer progress in the foreground.
