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You can choose to install third-party applications to manage FTP such as FileZilla or CuteFTP, where FileZilla is free and CuteFTP is commercial, both have their own advantages and disadvantages. However, if the nature of your work or study requires frequent FTP usage, it's best to use File Explorer as a replacement. Below, Mytour will guide you on how to transform Windows File Explorer into an FTP Client for use.
Transform Windows File Explorer into an FTP Client
Since Windows XP, the feature of adding FTP server to File Explorer (formerly known as Windows Explorer) has been integrated and available on the Windows operating system. Previously, this feature was quite inconvenient, but it has gradually improved and become a 'reliable' option specifically for FTP clients.
When turning Windows File Explorer into an FTP Client, you can access the server just like you access any folder or drive on the system. Transferring files is quite simple, just drag and drop files or copy/paste files.
Step 1: Add Network Location
Press the Windows + E key combination to open File Explorer, then on the sidebar in the left frame, navigate to This PC.
At the top-left corner of the menu, next to File, you click on Computer to open the ribbon menu, then click on Add a network location.
Step 2: Navigate the Wizard
On the Welcome window, you click Next. When prompted to choose the location to create a Network Location, you select Choose a custom network location and then click Next.
Step 3: Enter the FTP server address
When prompted, you enter the IP address or domain name of the FTP server. If transferring files for web hosting, you'll receive the FTP address as part of the welcome email from your web hosting provider.
If connecting to other devices on the local network, you can use the private IP address.
Make sure you've added ftp:// to the beginning of the FTP server address so Windows knows you intend to use the FTP protocol.
If the FTP server uses a different port number, not the default port number (the default port for FTP is 21), ensure that the server address you enter includes the port number by adding a colon : + port number, like the example below:
Step 4: Enter username
Some FTP servers, such as file dumps or software distributors, allow public access without requiring a username or password and can connect anonymously. For personal FTP servers, such as web hosting, you'll need to enter a username.
If you want to connect anonymously, you can check the box next to Log on anonymously, if you need to enter an FTP username there. For web hosting, you'll need to enter the username on the Welcome window. If not, you can create FTP accounts through the web hosting control panel.
Step 5: FTP server name
Name the FTP server, and this name will be displayed in File Explorer. After completing, click Next and then select Finish.
Step 6: Connect to the FTP server
Return to File Explorer and navigate to This PC again. Then, under the Network Locations section, you'll see the name of the FTP server you just named. Double-click on that FTP server name to connect.
Enter your password and check Save password if you don't want to enter your password every time you connect, then click Log On to finish.
You can also browse the FTP server in the File Explorer sidebar. Expand This PC by clicking the arrow icon next to This PC, and you'll see the FTP server you just added. If you wish, you can also expand the FTP server by clicking the arrow icon. This is a convenient solution for transferring files without needing to open 2 File Explorers.
Step 7: Delete FTP server (optional)
Suppose for some reason or you no longer want to use the FTP server, you can delete the FTP server by right-clicking on the FTP server you want to delete, then select Delete.
Other ways to transfer files
While turning Windows File Explorer into an FTP Client can be a convenient solution (once everything is set up correctly) for transferring files between computers or between computers and mobile devices. However, this is not the only solution, there are still some solutions for transferring files between devices.
- Computer to computer: There are several ways to transfer files between computers, such as: using a portable hard drive (e.g., USB drive, ...), sharing over LAN, using USB cables, directly connecting drives, or using cloud storage services to synchronize.
- Computer to mobile devices: Depending on the type of computer and mobile device you have: use USB cables, use Bluetooth, WiFi Direct, transfer data to SD card, or use apps like AirDroid or PushBullet to synchronize.
- Between Windows user accounts: If you want to transfer files from one account to another on the same computer, you can use Homegroup or Workgroup features on the operating system or synchronize files, data with cloud storage services.
Here's how to turn Windows File Explorer into an FTP client for easier sharing and transferring files between computers or between computers and mobile devices. If what File Explorer provides you for managing FTP data is not enough, you can install a personal FTP server using FileZilla with many powerful features, and it's completely free.
