SFTP on Windows: transfer and edit remote files

Connect and check the destination

Open the SSH connection and the SFTP panel. Check the remote directory before uploading: similarly named folders can exist on different servers. The account must have permission to read or write the destination.

Transfer and select multiple items

Use Ctrl or Shift to select multiple items. Download files and folders, or drag them from your PC and between remote directories or sessions. Cross-session transfers use a temporary local copy; Shift + drag within one session moves items after confirmation. To drag to Windows Explorer, use Prepare drag to PC first. Delete selection asks for one confirmation; folders must be empty.

Learn how to compare files, folders and JARs →

Preview before editing

Select a file to open its preview, search the contents and resize the panel as needed. For a large log, use a targeted command in the terminal rather than expecting an unlimited preview. These commands read data without modifying the file.

tail -n 100 /path/to/application.log
grep -n -- "ERROR" /path/to/application.log

Edit XML and JSON

The remote editing action opens a local working copy in the included portable Notepad++. Tools for JSON, XML and comparison help you inspect structured data. Saving can transfer changes back to the server: check the selected file and keep a backup before modifying a working configuration. Formatting is not a validation of application behaviour.

Understand permissions

Typing sudo in a terminal does not automatically change the identity of a separate SFTP channel. If saving fails, check the SFTP user, directory permissions and the server’s approved access method. A client cannot override a server-side permission denial.