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Use sftp for encrypted file transfers over SSH. Run sftp user@host from your Linux shell to start an interactive session, then use commands such as get to download, put to upload, ls and cd for the remote server, and lls and lcd for your local computer. The 15 examples below label exactly where each command runs and explain the options that commonly cause mistakes.
These forms follow the OpenSSH client documented by the Ubuntu Noble and Debian testing manuals. Options and server extensions can vary by distribution, so check man sftp on the machine you will use.
Before you start
- Install the OpenSSH client package (often called
openssh-client). - Have an SSH account, hostname or IP address, and the correct authentication method.
- Know whether a path is remote (on the server) or local (on your Linux computer).
At the normal shell prompt, commands begin with sftp. After you connect, the prompt changes to sftp>; commands entered there are SFTP commands, not ordinary shell commands.
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1. Connect interactively
Run at your Linux shell:
sftp user@hostReplace user and host with your account and server. After host-key verification and authentication, you receive an sftp> prompt. Type exit or press Ctrl-D to disconnect.
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2. Connect on a non-default port
Run at the shell:
sftp -P 2222 user@hostCapital -P selects the SFTP/SSH port. The default is normally 22; use the port supplied by your administrator. Do not confuse this with lower-case -p, which preserves metadata during a transfer.
3. Select an identity file
Run at the shell:
sftp -i ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 user@host-i tells the client which private key to offer. Protect the key with suitable permissions and use its matching public key in the server account’s authorized_keys. If the key has a passphrase, SFTP may ask for it unless an SSH agent is providing it.
4. List the remote directory
Run at the sftp> prompt:
ls -lahThis lists the current remote directory, including hidden entries, in a long, human-readable format. The output is from the server, not your local filesystem.
5. Show the remote working directory
Run at the sftp> prompt:
pwdpwd prints the remote directory that SFTP currently treats as its working location. It is useful before a relative get or put, especially when the server starts you in a directory different from the one you expected.
6. Change the remote directory
Run at the sftp> prompt:
cd /remote/pathUse an absolute path or a path relative to the remote working directory. Confirm the result with pwd. A failed cd normally means the directory does not exist or your account lacks permission.
7. List a local directory
Run at the sftp> prompt:
lls -lah /local/pathlls runs a local listing while you remain inside SFTP. Without a path, it lists the local working directory. This is the local counterpart to remote ls.
8. Change the local directory
Run at the sftp> prompt:
lcd /local/pathlcd changes where relative local destinations are created. Check it with:
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9. Download one file
Run at the sftp> prompt:
get /remote/path/report.csvget copies from remote to local. If you omit a local destination, SFTP uses the current local directory and the source filename. You can specify a different filename:
get /remote/path/report.csv ./latest-report.csv10. Upload one file
Run at the sftp> prompt:
put ./report.csv /remote/path/report.csvput copies from local to remote. Ensure the remote account can write to the destination directory. When a wildcard matches several files, the destination you provide must be a directory, for example put ./logs/*.gz /remote/path/logs/.
11. Download while preserving permissions and times
Run at the sftp> prompt:
get -p /remote/path/archive.tarLower-case -p preserves the file’s permissions and access times when possible. It does not preserve ownership. The corresponding upload form is put -p local-file remote-file.
12. Download a directory recursively
Run at the sftp> prompt:
get -R /remote/path/project ./project-copy-R traverses directories and transfers their contents. Recursive SFTP does not follow symbolic links encountered during traversal, so linked files or directories will not be copied as their targets. Use put -R for the reverse direction.
13. Resume an interrupted download
Run at the sftp> prompt:
reget /remote/path/archive.tarreget resumes a local partial file and is equivalent to get -a. Resume only when the existing partial copy came from the same source version. If the remote file changed, the resulting file can be corrupt; delete the partial file and perform a fresh get when in doubt.
14. Resume an interrupted upload
Run at the sftp> prompt:
reput ./archive.tar /remote/path/archive.tarreput resumes an upload and is equivalent to put -a. Verify that the remote partial file belongs to the same local source before continuing. Otherwise, remove or rename the partial remote file and upload again.
15. Run a batch file
Create commands.sftp locally:
cd /remote/incoming
put ./report.csv
get /remote/out/status.txt ./status.txt
byeRun at the shell:
sftp -b ./commands.sftp user@hostBatch mode reads SFTP commands without interactive input. Configure key-based or another non-interactive authentication method; a password prompt cannot be answered by the batch file. A batch file can be - to read standard input. By default, an error in a specified command stops the batch. Prefix one command with a hyphen to suppress that command’s abort-on-error behavior, such as -rm /remote/old.txt.
Useful options beyond the 15 examples
Preserve metadata on uploads
Use put -p when remote permissions and access times should match the local file. Ownership is not included.
Ask for a disk flush
The -f option requests a flush after an upload. Actual remote durability depends on server support for the [email protected] extension, so do not treat it as universally available.
Copy between remote paths
Some servers provide a remote-side copy (also called cp) command through the copy-data extension. It can avoid downloading and re-uploading a file, but it is conditional on that server capability.
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Inspect remote filesystem usage
The df SFTP command depends on the server’s [email protected] extension. If unsupported, use the server’s normal shell or administration tools instead.
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Control bandwidth and compression
At the shell, -l limit caps transfer bandwidth in Kbit/s, while -C enables SSH compression:
sftp -C -l 8000 user@hostCompression can help text-heavy data on a constrained link and hurt already-compressed files or CPU-limited systems. The bandwidth limit is a ceiling, not a guaranteed transfer rate.
Interactive versus batch operation
| Mode | Best for | Authentication | Failure behavior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive | Exploring directories, checking results, and making one-off transfers | Can accept prompts such as a key passphrase | You decide what to run next |
Batch (-b) |
Repeatable deployments, scheduled jobs, and predefined transfer sets | Must work without interactive input | Specified command errors normally stop the batch; prefix a command with - to ignore its error |
Common errors and fixes
“Could not resolve hostname”
Check spelling, DNS, VPN access, and whether the host is reachable from this network. Try the server’s IP address only if your administrator supports it.
“Connection refused” or a timeout
Confirm the port with your administrator and use capital -P. A firewall, security group, VPN requirement, or stopped SSH service can cause the same symptom.
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For downloads, verify read permission on the remote file and execute permission on each parent directory. For uploads, verify write permission on the remote directory and check disk quota.
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“No such file or directory”
Run pwd, lpwd, and ls/lls to determine which side has the wrong path. Remember that a path beginning with / is interpreted on the relevant filesystem, not automatically on your local machine.
A wildcard transfer fails
When multiple files match, the destination must be a directory. Create it first and include a trailing directory path, for example put ./data/*.csv /remote/data/.
A resumed file is invalid
reget and reput assume the partial file and source are identical up to the resume point. Remove the partial copy and restart if the source may have changed.
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Batch mode stops unexpectedly
Run the same commands interactively to find the failing line, verify key-based authentication, and prefix an intentionally optional command with -. Keep logs from the surrounding scheduler because SFTP itself may only report the immediate command error.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use SFTP without opening a shell on the server?
Yes. SFTP provides file-transfer operations over SSH; you need an SSH service and account, but not necessarily shell access to perform permitted transfers.
How do I leave an SFTP session safely?
Enter bye, exit, or quit at the sftp> prompt, or press Ctrl-D.
Why are my local and remote directories different?
SFTP maintains separate working directories. Use pwd/cd for the server and lpwd/lcd for your computer.
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