Can’t Login with Filezilla and Unable to Upload Files?

Filezilla is the most popular and loved FTP software, it works great without any technical settings. But sometimes, you want to upload your blog or files, and you see that you get red errors to tell you that can’t log in with Filezilla. So, you’re unable to upload files, and now you hate Filezilla for that reason.

Don’t worry, we will fix the issue together, there is some wrong information that you’ve used, or, in other cases you need to change some details for special situations.

Please make sure to read all the points below to be able to locate your issue. The problem is not the same, and it changes from a case to another.

Why Filezilla cannot connect to the server?

1. Using Filezilla to upload files before pointing the domain name

If you want to migrate your blog to a new web hosting or server, you should install and set your files, before migrating and just change the name servers, or, the IP address after making a copy of your website.

If you want to login with Filezilla before changing your domain name servers, you will get an error message because your FTP hostname that is in the format ftp.yourdomain.com, in general still linked to the old server. So, you mix the old FTP hostname with the new password and username, and that wrong combination will never work.

The solution is to use your new server IP address instead of the hostname, your IP will work because it’s unique and liked only to one server. So, change your ”host” in your Filezilla login with the new IP that you find in your new hosting email or directly in the control panel.

can't login with Filezilla

2. Wrong FTP login details

Your web hosting provider sends you all your website, server, and FTP information in the welcome e-mail, if you can’t find those emails, contact them to have a copy. Make sure that you have the correct login, and it will be better to use the copy-paste option. Thus, you avoid errors when typing your FTP login details.

3. Switch to Binary transfers type

Uploading files using Filezilla is not hard, but problems can happen many times, especially when the server configuration requires one type of transfer. It can be ”Binary” in most cases, Filezilla’s default setting is “Auto”. But, if your server requires only the binary mode, then you need to switch to it. All you have to do is to click ”Edit”, then ”Settings” in your Filezilla window, as below:

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Filezilla login problem

Now, you get a pop-up window, just locate binary under transfers and File types as below:

upload with Filezilla

If the binary mode can’t resolve the issue with uploading your files, then switch to ASCII. Normally the auto-transfer type is the best one, but as I said some servers won’t work properly.

Filezilla should work normally now, and you will be able to upload and download files. Remember to download a new version if you have an old Filezilla installation. The software’s size is a few megabytes, and you can reinstall it in a few moments. That will solve the problem if you have outdated software.

If you find other issues using Filezilla or you get other error messages, then, please add them in your comment, if we found the solution we will help the others.

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About Fathi Arfaoui

Fathi Arfaoui is a Physicist, Blogger and the founder of Trustiko.com. He shares Business, WordPress and Blogging tips to build a better blog and succeed online.

Disclosure: The recommendations on this page are my own based on my tests and analysis. We may earn a small commission from web hosts and other partners if you use my referral link to make a purchase. That’s what helps us to maintain the site and add fresh content, Thanks for your support.

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