How to Set Up and Access Your Own FTP Server on Windows 11

Introduction: Why Choose FTP for File Transfers

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a simple yet powerful way to share files between multiple devices or team members. Whether you want to transfer large files in a local network or set up a small internal file server, FTP offers a no-frills, reliable solution. This guide will walk you through setting up your own FTP server using the free FileZilla Server and connecting to it with the WinSCP client.

Step 1: Installing FileZilla Server — Build Your FTP Foundation

1. Download the FileZilla Server installer from the official website.
2. Double-click to run it. Choose “Yes” when prompted by UAC.
3. Agree to the license, and repeatedly click “Next” until the “Install” button appears.
4. Click “Install”, and then “Close” once installation finishes.
5. The server interface should launch. Click “Connect to Server” and then “OK” to open the Administration Interface.

Step 2: Configuring Your FTP Server — User and Folder Setup

1. In the FileZilla Server interface, go to “Server” → “Configure”.
2. Under “Server Listener”, set the port to 21.
3. Select both “Explicit FTP over TLS” and “insecure plain FTP” for compatibility.
4. Go to the “Users” section and add a new user named `hello`, then set a password (e.g., `888888`).
5. Click “Add” to assign a folder: set the Virtual Path (e.g., `/`) and Native Path (e.g., `C:\Users\hello`).
6. Click “Apply” and then “OK” to finalize the server configuration.

Step 3: Installing WinSCP — Prepare the Client Side

1. Run the WinSCP installer. Choose “Install for all users” and accept the agreement.
2. Follow the steps to complete the installation and launch the application.
3. In the main window, click “New Site” to begin the FTP configuration.

Step 4: Connecting to the FTP Server via WinSCP

1. Select “FTP” as the protocol and choose “No encryption” for now.
2. Set the hostname as `127.0.0.1` (local machine) and port as `21`.
3. Enter the username `hello`. You can leave the password blank; it will prompt you upon login.
4. Click “Advanced”, go to “Directories”, and set the local folder (e.g., `C:\Users`).
5. Disable “Passive mode” to ensure direct communication.
6. Save the session, then click “Login”. When prompted, enter the password and proceed.

Step 5: Transfer Files — Simple Drag and Drop Between Local and Server

Once connected, the WinSCP interface displays two panes: the left for local files, the right for the server directory. You can drag files back and forth seamlessly. Note: These transfers are unencrypted, so avoid sending sensitive data unless you enable FTP over TLS.

Conclusion: Empower Your Workflow with a Local FTP Server

Setting up your own FTP server might sound complicated, but with tools like FileZilla and WinSCP, it becomes straightforward even for beginners. This setup enables you to manage files across devices easily and securely (within trusted environments), making it an excellent choice for home, office, or team use.

Demo Video

You can watch the following demo video by select the subtitle to your preferred subtitle language.