To access an FTP server from Windows, open Command Prompt and run ftp ftp.example.com. Enter the account credentials, use dir and cd to navigate the remote server, choose binary for non-text files, then transfer data with get, mget, put, or mput. Exit with bye. This built-in client works for straightforward, trusted FTP connections, but Windows ftp.exe does not encrypt traffic and cannot use passive FTP, so it often fails on modern firewalled or NAT networks.
What Windows ftp.exe does—and when to use it
ftp.exe is the command-line client included with Windows 10, Windows 11, and current Windows Server releases. It transfers files to and from a server running the File Transfer Protocol service. You can use it interactively, one command at a time, or run a repeatable command file with the -s option.
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The client is suitable when all of the following are true:
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- The files and credentials are allowed to travel without encryption.
- The network permits FTP’s control and data connections.
- You need a simple session or a basic scheduled script rather than advanced retry, resume, or credential-management features.
Do not treat a successful login as proof that transfers will work. FTP separates control traffic from the data connection used for directory listings and file contents, so a firewall can allow authentication while blocking every listing or transfer.
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Connect from Command Prompt
Start a session with a host name
- Open Command Prompt. Press the Windows key, type Command Prompt, and open it. Use an account with access to the local folders involved in the transfer.
- Connect directly by entering
ftp ftp.example.com, replacing the host name with the server’s DNS name or IP address. - At the
Userprompt, type the FTP username and press Enter. - Type the password when prompted. Windows does not display password characters while you type.
- Wait for the server’s confirmation. A prompt such as
ftp>indicates that the client is ready for FTP commands.
Open a server after starting ftp.exe
You can also start the client without a host and connect later:
- Run
ftp. - At the
ftp>prompt, enteropen ftp.example.com. - Provide the username and password when requested.
This second form is useful if you need to change servers during one command-line session. The server must permit the account you use; anonymous access works only when the administrator has enabled it. Never assume that entering anonymous will succeed or that an anonymous account has permission to upload.
Choose local and remote folders
FTP maintains two working locations: the remote directory on the server and the local directory on your Windows computer. Set both before transferring so that a short file name refers to the intended locations.
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| Command | What it changes or displays | Example |
|---|---|---|
dir |
Lists files and folders in the current remote directory. | dir |
cd folder |
Changes the remote working directory. | cd /backups |
pwd |
Shows the current remote path. | pwd |
lcd path |
Changes the local Windows working directory. | lcd C:Backups |
! command |
Runs a local Command Prompt command without ending the FTP session. | ! dir |
Use pwd and dir to verify the server location, then use lcd to select a local folder that already exists. If a path contains spaces, enclose it in quotation marks, for example lcd "C:UsersAlexMy Files". The local directory is independent of the directory shown by a normal Command Prompt before you started ftp.exe.
Set the correct transfer type
Run binary before moving anything that is not plain text. Binary mode preserves every byte and is required for ZIP archives, images, PDFs, executables, database files, disk images, and most backups.
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ASCII mode performs line-ending conversion intended for text files. That conversion can damage a binary file even when the transfer reports success. If you intentionally transfer a text file and need text conversion, use ascii; otherwise, make binary part of every session and script. Set the mode before the first get, put, mget, or mput.
Download files from the server
Download one file
After selecting the remote directory and local folder, run:
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get site-backup.zipget copies one remote file to the local directory. To give the local copy a different name, provide a second name when prompted by the client, or use the command’s local-name form where supported by the server and client. Confirm the resulting file locally before deleting or replacing the server copy.
Download several files
Use a wildcard pattern with mget:
binary
mget *.zipBy default, the client asks you to confirm each matching file. Enter prompt once to turn those per-file questions off, then run the multi-file command:
prompt
mget *.zipRun prompt again to restore confirmations. Patterns are evaluated by the FTP server, so the files matched depend on that server’s implementation and current directory.
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Upload files to the server
Upload one file
Set the local directory with lcd, change to the desired remote directory with cd, select binary mode, and run:
lcd C:Backups
cd /incoming
binary
put site-backup.zipThe account must have write permission in the remote directory. Many servers allow downloads but deliberately reject uploads, so a 550-style permission response is a server policy issue rather than a Windows syntax error.
Upload multiple files
Use mput with a pattern:
prompt
mput *.zipWith prompting disabled, every matching local file is sent without an individual confirmation. Check the local pattern carefully first; a broad pattern such as *.* can upload more data than intended.
End the session safely
Use bye or quit to close the FTP connection and return to the normal Command Prompt. Closing the window also ends the process, but the explicit command lets the server receive a clean logout and makes scripts easier to audit.
Automate a repeatable transfer
Microsoft documents the -s:filename option for executing FTP commands from a text file. Create a file such as commands.txt with one FTP command per line:
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binary
cd /backups
lcd C:Backups
get site-backup.zip
byeRun it from Command Prompt with:
ftp -s:commands.txt ftp.example.com- Save the command file in a folder you can protect from other users.
- Use a least-privilege FTP account that can access only the required directories.
- Test the commands interactively before scheduling them.
- Run the script from the directory containing the file, or provide a full path such as
ftp -s:C:Scriptscommands.txt ftp.example.com. - Review the command output and verify the downloaded or uploaded file after each run.
On Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 or later, the command file must be UTF-8. Save it as UTF-8 rather than a legacy code page when it contains non-ASCII characters or when you want to meet the documented encoding requirement.
Protect credentials in scripts
A script can include login and transfer commands, but putting a username and password in a shared text file creates a credential risk. Anyone who can read the file may be able to use the account, and ordinary FTP sends those credentials across the network without encryption. Keep credentials out of shared scripts where possible, restrict file permissions, avoid storing scripts in public folders, and use an account limited to the exact operation required. For sensitive or unattended jobs, use a separately installed client that supports encrypted authentication and a safer credential store.
FTP commands worth knowing
| Command | Use | Typical example |
|---|---|---|
open host |
Connects to a server from an existing FTP prompt. | open ftp.example.com |
user |
Supplies or changes the login identity. | user backupuser |
dir |
Requests a detailed remote listing. | dir |
ls |
Requests a shorter remote listing when supported. | ls |
cd |
Moves to a remote directory. | cd /daily |
cdup |
Moves to the remote parent directory. | cdup |
pwd |
Displays the remote working path. | pwd |
lcd |
Changes the local Windows path. | lcd C:Downloads |
binary |
Uses byte-for-byte binary transfer. | binary |
ascii |
Uses text transfer with line-ending conversion. | ascii |
get |
Downloads one remote file. | get report.pdf |
mget |
Downloads files matching a pattern. | mget *.csv |
put |
Uploads one local file. | put report.pdf |
mput |
Uploads local files matching a pattern. | mput *.csv |
prompt |
Toggles confirmation for multi-file commands. | prompt |
status |
Shows the current FTP client settings and connection state. | status |
bye or quit |
Closes the session. | bye |
Why login works but dir or get hangs
FTP uses two connections
The control channel normally uses TCP port 21 for commands and authentication. Directory listings and file transfers use a separate data channel. Opening port 21 alone can therefore produce a successful login followed by a stalled dir, get, or put.
Active and passive FTP
In active mode, the server connects back to a listening port on the client for the data channel. In passive mode, the client connects outward to a server-selected data port. Passive mode is generally better for Internet users behind NAT devices and firewalls because inbound connections to the client are avoided.
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Practical fixes
- Ask the server administrator which FTP mode and port policy the service requires.
- Allow the required active-mode return traffic through the client firewall only when the network policy permits it.
- On an IIS FTP server, configure a defined passive data-port range and allow that range through the server firewall when passive-capable clients are used.
- Ensure the server-side and client-side firewall rules match the selected mode; a rule for port 21 does not automatically permit the data range.
- Switch to a separately installed FTP client with passive-mode support when the network uses NAT or blocks active callbacks.
Do not repeatedly retry a stalled transfer without checking the data-channel design. Retries cannot solve a port-direction mismatch.
Security limits and protocol choices
Built-in ftp.exe supports plain FTP only. It has no FTPS or SFTP support, and it sends login credentials and file contents without encryption. Anyone able to observe the network path may be able to read the username, password, and transferred data.
Use a secure-capable client when the server requires:
- SFTP: file transfer over SSH, with encrypted authentication and data.
- FTPS: FTP protected with TLS, provided the server and client agree on certificates and encryption settings.
- Passive FTP: needed when the built-in client’s active-only behavior conflicts with NAT or firewall policy.
- Reliable unattended jobs: advanced clients may offer retries, resume support, scheduling, logging, and protected credential storage that
ftp.exedoes not provide.
For a trusted legacy network and non-sensitive files, the built-in client can be adequate. For credentials, personal data, production backups, or any transfer across an untrusted network, choose an encrypted protocol instead of trying to make plain FTP safe with a stronger password.
Diagnose common errors
“Connection timed out” before login
- Check the host name or IP address and verify that the server is listening on the expected FTP port.
- Confirm that DNS resolves the name from the same Windows computer.
- Ask whether a firewall, VPN, proxy, or network policy blocks outbound FTP.
Login rejected
- Re-enter the username and password carefully; passwords are case-sensitive on many servers.
- Confirm that the account is enabled for FTP and has not expired or been locked.
- Do not assume anonymous access is enabled.
dir shows no listing or freezes
- Suspect the data channel rather than the credentials.
- Check active-mode firewall rules and NAT behavior.
- Use a passive-capable client or have the administrator align the server’s passive port range and firewall rules.
Upload fails but download works
- Verify write permission on the remote directory.
- Check whether the server has a quota, filename policy, or read-only account.
- Confirm that the local file exists in the path selected by
lcd.
The downloaded archive will not open
- Repeat the transfer with
binaryset beforegetormget. - Compare the local file size with the server copy when the server provides that information.
- Delete the damaged local copy before retrying so that an old partial file is not mistaken for a successful transfer.
Complete example session
The following sequence connects, checks the remote path, selects a local destination, downloads a backup, uploads a report, and logs out:
C:> ftp ftp.example.com
User: backupuser
Password:
ftp> pwd
ftp> dir
ftp> cd /backups
ftp> lcd C:Backups
ftp> binary
ftp> get site-backup.zip
ftp> lcd C:Reports
ftp> cd /incoming
ftp> put status-report.pdf
ftp> byeReplace every host name, directory, and file name with values supplied by the server administrator. Verify the remote and local paths after each cd or lcd; a successful command does not mean you selected the directory you intended.
When to move beyond ftp.exe
Choose another client when encryption, passive mode, robust automation, or operational visibility matters. Compare candidates by protocol support (plain FTP, FTPS, and SFTP), passive-mode behavior, command-line and scripting quality, retry and resume functions, credential handling, scheduling, and logging. Keep ftp.exe for simple, trusted legacy sessions where its active-only and unencrypted design is an explicit, acceptable constraint.
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