How to Upload Files to Hosting via FTP and File Manager

Once you have registered a domain and signed up for hosting, the next step is getting your website files onto the server. There are several ways to do this, each suited to a different situation — FTP for uploading many files at once, the File Manager in DirectAdmin for quick single-file edits, and SFTP for encrypted, high-security transfers. This guide explains all three methods and helps you choose the right one for the job.

Method 1: FTP via FileZilla (Best for Large Transfers)

1. Download FileZilla Client from filezilla-project.org (free)
2. Open FileZilla → File → Site Manager → New Site
3. Enter your connection details:
   • Host: your domain name or hosting IP address
   • Protocol: FTP – File Transfer Protocol
   • Logon Type: Normal
   • User / Password: your FTP credentials from DirectAdmin
4. Click Connect — the right panel shows your server files
5. Drag files from your local machine (left) into public_html (right)

Comparing the Three Upload Methods

Each method suits a different workflow. The table below helps you pick the right one at a glance:

Method 2: File Manager in DirectAdmin (Best for Quick Tasks)

1. Log in to DirectAdmin
2. Go to Files → File Manager
3. Navigate to the public_html folder
4. Click the Upload button at the top
5. Select files from your computer or drag and drop them
6. Wait for the upload to finish — files will appear in the directory

Method 3: SFTP (Encrypted — More Secure than FTP)

SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) encrypts all data in transit, making it more secure than standard FTP:

1. In FileZilla, set Protocol to SFTP – SSH File Transfer Protocol
2. Port: 22
3. Use the same username/password as your SSH credentials

Creating FTP Accounts in DirectAdmin

DirectAdmin lets you create multiple FTP accounts, each restricted to a specific directory. This is ideal when a designer or external developer needs access only to certain folders:

1. Log in to DirectAdmin and navigate to FTP Management
2. Click Create FTP Account
3. Set a Username, Password, and Home Directory (e.g., /domains/example.com/public_html/designs)
4. Click Create — the account is ready immediately

Separate FTP accounts limit access to only the assigned directory, eliminate the need to share your main DirectAdmin password, and can be deleted at any time without affecting other accounts.

Uploading Large Sites Using a ZIP Archive

When deploying a website with hundreds of files, compressing first is the most efficient approach:

1. Compress your website folder into a .zip archive on your local machine
2. Upload the .zip file to public_html via FTP or File Manager
3. In File Manager, right-click the ZIP file and select Extract
4. Delete the ZIP archive after extraction is complete

This method dramatically reduces upload time for sites with many small files, because each file that transfers individually incurs its own TCP connection overhead.

Correct File Permissions

After uploading, set the right permissions to avoid security issues:

• Files (.php, .html, .css): 644
• Folders: 755
• Config files with credentials (wp-config.php): 600

In FileZilla: right-click the file → File Permissions → enter the numeric value.

Troubleshooting Common Upload Issues

These are the problems most beginners encounter when uploading for the first time:

Cannot Connect via FTP

Work through these checks in order. First, verify that the hostname, username, and password are exactly correct. Second, confirm the port is 21 for FTP or 22 for SFTP. Third, switch the Transfer Mode in FileZilla from Active to Passive (Edit → Settings → Connection → FTP → Transfer Mode → Passive) — many ISP firewalls block Active mode connections.

Upload Succeeded But the Site Is Not Updating

The most common cause is browser caching. Try a hard refresh with Ctrl+Shift+R on Windows or Cmd+Shift+R on Mac. If the page still appears outdated, verify that the file was uploaded to the correct path inside public_html and that the filename matches what the URL references — Linux servers are case-sensitive, so Index.html and index.html are treated as different files.

Permission Denied When the Site Runs a Script

A 403 Forbidden or 500 Internal Server Error after uploading usually means incorrect file permissions. In FileZilla, right-click the file, select File Permissions, and set the numeric value to 644 for files and 755 for directories.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which folder do I upload files to?

Website files must go in the public_html folder — anything outside it won't appear on the web. Your homepage should be named index.html or index.php.

What's the difference between FTP and SFTP — which should I use?

SFTP transfers data encrypted, while plain FTP does not. Always use SFTP when your host supports it, so your password can't be intercepted in transit.

Can I upload many files through the File Manager?

You can, but it isn't ideal. The File Manager suits small numbers of files. For hundreds of files, compress them into a ZIP, upload via FTP, then extract.