FileZilla is a free, open source file transfer program for moving files between a local computer and a remote server. The flagship FileZilla Client runs on Windows, Linux, *BSD and macOS, including Apple Silicon machines. It is distributed under the GNU General Public License. A separate FileZilla Server provides the other side of the connection, and a paid FileZilla Pro edition extends the client to cloud storage services.
Protocols and connections
The FileZilla Client connects over plain FTP, FTP over SSL/TLS (FTPS) and the SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP). FTPS and SFTP encrypt the session, so login details and file contents are not sent in the clear. Connections work over IPv6 as well as IPv4. The client can reach servers through HTTP/1.1, SOCKS5 and FTP proxies. A network configuration wizard helps set up these connections. Keep-alive signals hold an idle session open so the server does not drop it mid-task.
Interface and the Site Manager
The client uses a two-pane graphical interface. The local pane shows files on your machine, and the remote pane shows the server’s directories. You change folders by typing a path, clicking through the directory tree, or double-clicking a folder in the file list. Several servers can be open at once in a tabbed interface, and FileZilla is translated into many languages.
Two tools handle connections. The Quick Connect bar takes a host, optional protocol prefix such as sftp://, port, user name and password for quick one-off logins. It keeps the last ten entries and is meant for testing credentials before saving them. The Site Manager stores permanent server entries with their full configuration. Its Transfer Settings can cap the number of simultaneous connections for servers that limit them. You can copy a working Quick Connect session straight into the Site Manager.
Managing transfers
Double-clicking a file adds it to the transfer queue and begins moving it immediately. Selecting several items and choosing Upload or Download, or dragging files between panes, does the same. You can instead add files to the queue and hold them, then start them together with the Process Queue button. Because FileZilla runs separate sessions for browsing and for transferring, you can keep navigating the server while files are still moving. Interrupted transfers can resume rather than restart, and FileZilla supports files larger than 4 GB. A configurable speed limit keeps transfers from saturating a connection. Filename filters control which files are shown or transferred, and a remote file search locates files on the server.
Comparing and syncing directories
Directory comparison, under the View menu, checks the local and remote folders against each other by file size or by modification time. It color-codes the differences across both panes, with an option to hide identical files. You enable synchronized browsing per site on the Advanced tab when both sides share the same folder structure. It mirrors navigation between the two panes, so opening a folder on one side opens the matching folder on the other.
Remote editing
FileZilla can open a file stored on the server in a local editor and save changes back to the remote copy. This suits small edits to configuration or web files without a manual download and re-upload.
FileZilla Pro and cloud storage
FileZilla Pro keeps every feature of the free client. It adds protocols for cloud and object storage: WebDAV, Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft Azure Blob Storage and Azure File Storage, Google Cloud Storage, Google Drive, OpenStack Swift and Box. The same client supports these services alongside FTP, FTPS and SFTP.
FileZilla Server
FileZilla Server is a separate open source program that makes files on a machine available to others over FTP and FTPS. You administer it through its own admin interface. The server can obtain and renew TLS certificates through Let’s Encrypt, with an option to turn automatic renewal off. It tests a user-supplied certificate before applying it so a bad certificate does not take the service down.
