Connect with FileZilla (SFTP)

SFTP lets you move many files at once, like a whole world, a folder of plugins or a modpack's configs. You use a free app like FileZilla, WinSCP or VS Code. You only ever see your own server's folder.

1. Get your SFTP details#

  1. In the dashboard, open your server and go to Settings.
  2. Find the SFTP card. It shows your Host, Port and Username. Click any of them to copy it.
  3. Press Set SFTP password. Copy the password right away: it's shown only once.

Your username is your Tree Host username, a dot, and the server's ID, for example steve.my-smp-1a2b. Each server has its own username, but one SFTP password works for every server you can open.

Note: the SFTP password is separate from your Tree Host password on purpose. Accounts that sign in with Google have no password, and two-factor codes can't be typed into FileZilla. Forgot it? Press New SFTP password for a new one. The old one stops working.

2. Connect with FileZilla#

  1. Get FileZilla: press Download FileZilla on the SFTP card. It's the official FileZilla, straight from Tree Host, with no ads or extra offers. Install it like any other app.
    • Mac: open the downloaded file, then drag FileZilla into Applications.
    • Linux: most distributions have it already (sudo apt install filezilla).
    • No button on the card? Get it from filezilla-project.org, and pick the plain download, not the one with extra offers.
  2. Open File → Site Manager and press New site.
  3. Fill it in:
BoxWhat to put
ProtocolSFTP - SSH File Transfer Protocol
Hostthe Host from the card, e.g. sftp.treehost.online
Portthe Port from the card: 2022
Logon TypeNormal
Userthe Username from the card
Passwordyour SFTP password
  1. Press Connect.
  2. The first time, FileZilla asks if you trust the server's key ("Unknown host key"). Tick Always trust this host and press OK.

Your server's files show on the right, and your PC's on the left. Drag files across to upload or download them.

Tip: the Quickconnect bar works too. Put sftp://sftp.treehost.online in Host, your username and password, and 2022 in Port.

Upload a world#

  1. Stop the server first. A running server keeps rewriting its world and can overwrite what you upload.
  2. On the right, delete or rename the old world folder (and world_nether / world_the_end on Paper and Spigot).
  3. Drag your world folder in. It must be called world, or match level-name in server.properties. Open it and check that level.dat is directly inside.
  4. Start the server.

WinSCP and VS Code#

  • WinSCP: File protocol SFTP, then the same host, port, username and password.
  • VS Code: the "SFTP" extension by Natizyskunk. Set "protocol": "sftp", "host", "port": 2022, "username" and "password" in its sftp.json.

Who can do what#

  • The owner and Co-owners can upload, download, rename and delete.
  • Helpers and Viewers can only download, the same as in the Files tab.
  • If the owner removes you from a server, your next login is refused.
  • Suspended servers, and servers whose plan is unpaid or canceled, can't be opened over SFTP until that's sorted out.
  • Everything you upload, delete or rename shows in the server's Activity.

If it doesn't work#

  • "Authentication failed": check the username. It has the server ID at the end, so copy it from the card. If you're not sure of the password, make a new one.
  • Blocked after wrong passwords: five wrong passwords in 10 minutes block your internet address for an hour. That's to stop people guessing passwords. Wait, or ask support to lift it.
  • "Connection timed out": make sure the Port is 2022, not 21 or 22, and the Protocol is SFTP, not FTP. Some school and work networks block port 2022.
  • "Quota exceeded" while uploading: your server is using all the disk space in its plan. Delete old worlds, backups or logs, or move to a bigger plan.
  • A file can't be opened: Tree Host never follows links (symlinks) inside a server folder, for safety. Upload the real file instead.