Software
The Windows client, in context
WinSCP is a free Windows application for transferring files. Winsaip explains the work and does not publish the installer.
SFTPfiles.example.com22example-userleave blank on this siteWhat the application is
The program connects a Windows PC to a remote file service. Public documentation lists five transfer protocols: SFTP, FTP, SCP, WebDAV, and S3. FTPS is FTP with TLS, selected after you choose FTP and then an explicit or implicit encryption method. WebDAV and S3 can be used with or without transport security; Amazon S3 itself does not support the unsecured option.
During installation you choose one of two interfaces. Commander shows a local folder and a remote folder side by side, in the style of an orthodox file manager, and it is built for keyboard use. Explorer shows the remote folder in a layout closer to Windows File Explorer. Both interfaces can transfer files. You can change the choice later in preferences; the official interfaces page describes them if a label in your version is unfamiliar.
The Login dialog is where a session starts. File protocol, Hostname, Port number, Username, and Password are the main fields. Hostname is the only box that must be filled before a session can open. For S3, the Username box takes an access key ID and the Password box takes a secret access key. FTP has an Anonymous login option for public servers that ask for it.
What people use it for
- Opening a remote directory and uploading or downloading files.
- Saving a site so the hostname and username do not have to be retyped. The documentation advises against storing the password with that site unless you explicitly confirm password storage.
- Synchronizing a local directory with a remote one from Commands > Synchronize, including a preview of changes.
- Repeating a transfer from
winscp.comwith a script, or from the .NET assembly documented for developers. - Authenticating to SSH servers with a password, a PuTTY-format private key, Pageant or ssh-agent, keyboard-interactive prompts, or GSSAPI.
What this site will not do
Winsaip does not distribute installers, host update files, or proxy your login. Nothing on these pages opens a socket to your server. If you need the application, get it from the developer. The buttons on that site are theirs. A link below is a text reference to their website, not a Winsaip download.
Official website (opens winscp.net in a new tab)
Documentation home (opens winscp.net in a new tab)
How the guides use it
When a guide names a dialog, the name comes from the public documentation: the Login dialog, Advanced Site Settings, the Authentication page, the FTP page, and Commands > Synchronize. Menu labels can change between versions. If a control is not where a page says it is, use the Help button on that dialog rather than hunting for an invented setting.
The same concepts exist in other clients. A hostname, a port, a protocol, and a remote path do not belong to one vendor. The examples use this application because its dialogs are documented in enough detail to describe without guessing.
Names and independence
Winsaip is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the developers of WinSCP.
WinSCP is the name of that project. Winsaip is a separate educational site. There is no partnership, endorsement, or support authorization to claim, and this page does not imply one.