To transfer a local file to a remote server using PuTTY, use PSCP for a one-off or scripted copy, or PSFTP for an interactive session with repeated uploads and directory browsing. PuTTY itself is the Windows Telnet and SSH client; PSCP and PSFTP are the companion utilities that perform file transfers.
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This guide shows the exact Windows commands, explains the destination syntax, and covers the permission, authentication, path, and protocol problems that commonly stop an upload.
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Choose the right PuTTY file-transfer utility
PuTTY’s terminal program does not upload files by itself. File transfer is handled by two programs included in the PuTTY suite:
- PSCP (PuTTY Secure Copy) copies files over SSH from a command prompt. It is the shortest route for one file, a group selected by a wildcard, or a repeatable script.
- PSFTP (PuTTY SFTP) opens an interactive SFTP session over SSH-2. It is useful when you need to browse remote directories, change the local working directory, and issue several
putorgetcommands during one session.
| What you need to do | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Copy one file or run a simple script | PSCP | One command performs the local-to-remote copy and then exits. |
| Select several files interactively | PSFTP | You can repeat put commands and inspect directories. |
| Browse the server like a file-manager shell | PSFTP | It provides remote directory commands and SFTP transfers. |
| Connect to a broad range of SSH servers with a command-line copy | PSCP | PuTTY documentation describes PSCP as working with virtually every SSH server. |
Before you start
You need a Windows installation of the PuTTY package, an SSH-enabled remote server, and an account that can write to the destination directory. A successful SSH login does not automatically mean that the account may create files in every directory.
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- Install PuTTY and locate
pscp.exeandpsftp.exe. - Either open Command Prompt in the directory containing the executable you will use, or add that directory to the Windows
PATH. - Have the remote username and server name or IP address ready.
- Know the remote directory in which the account is allowed to write.
- Have the password or configured SSH key required by the server.
- Confirm that the server accepts SSH connections and, for PSFTP, supports SSH-2/SFTP.
Use an absolute Windows path when you want to remove ambiguity about which local file is being selected. Put double quotes around a Windows path whenever it contains spaces.
Transfer one local file with PSCP
PSCP takes a local source followed by a remote destination in the form [user@]host:target. Open Command Prompt and run:
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Step 1: Open the correct Command Prompt
- Open Windows Command Prompt.
- If
pscp.exeis not onPATH, change to the folder that contains it before running the command. Alternatively, add that folder toPATHand open a new Command Prompt. - Use an absolute path to the local file, especially when the command will be reused in a script.
Step 2: Supply the remote account and directory
Replace user, example.com, and /home/user/uploads/ with the account, host, and writable directory for your server. The account must have write permission there. If it can log in but cannot write to that location, PSCP will not complete the upload.
Step 3: Authenticate and check the result
After you submit the command, PSCP connects to the SSH server and requests the configured authentication details. Provide the required password or use the configured key. A completed command indicates that the transfer operation finished; an error should be read together with the destination and account you supplied, because a login can succeed while the write operation is denied.
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Choose the remote filename explicitly
When the destination ends with a directory, PSCP places the source file in that directory using its existing name. To specify a different remote filename, include the filename after the directory:
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pscp "C:UsersNameDocumentsreport.txt" [email protected]:/home/user/uploads/report.txtThis form is useful when the server-side name must be predictable or differs from the Windows filename. The remote account still needs write permission for the directory and the target file location.
Upload several local files with a wildcard
PSCP supports wildcards for selecting multiple local files. For example, this command selects every CSV file in the local reports folder:
pscp "C:UsersNameDocumentsreports*.csv" [email protected]:/home/user/uploads/Keep the wildcard inside the quoted Windows path so that the local source expression is passed as one command argument. The destination remains a remote directory. Use this approach when the files share a predictable extension or naming pattern and a single command is preferable to an interactive session.
Use PSFTP for an interactive upload session
PSFTP is the better fit when you need to upload several files, inspect the server’s directories, or alternate between uploads and downloads. Start it from Command Prompt with the remote account and host:
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psftp [email protected]After authentication, PSFTP presents the psftp> prompt. The following sequence changes the local working directory, lists the current remote directory, uploads a file, and exits:
dir
lcd C:UsersNameDocuments
put report.txt
quitUnderstand the interactive commands
dirinspects the current remote location so you can confirm where the session is operating.lcd C:UsersNameDocumentschanges PSFTP’s local working directory. Once it is set, you can refer to a local file by name instead of repeating its full path.put report.txtuploads the named local file to the current remote directory.quitcloses the PSFTP session.
You can issue additional put commands before quit, and PSFTP also supports get for downloads. This repeated-command workflow is the main practical difference from PSCP, which is designed to perform a copy and terminate.
A practical multi-file session
For a folder of reports, start PSFTP once, set the local directory with lcd, use dir to verify the remote location, and then upload each required file:
psftp [email protected]
dir
lcd C:UsersNameDocumentsreports
put january.csv
put february.csv
put march.csv
quitThe filenames in the put commands are resolved from the local directory selected by lcd. If you need a different remote location, use the available remote-directory operations to move to it before uploading, then confirm the location with dir.
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PSCP and PSFTP: protocol and workflow differences
Both utilities transfer files through an SSH connection, but they are built for different operating styles. PSCP is a direct copy command: one invocation identifies the source and destination. PSFTP opens a file-transfer shell based on SFTP, an SSH-2 feature, and keeps the session available for browsing and repeated operations.
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| Characteristic | PSCP | PSFTP |
|---|---|---|
| Interaction style | One command, then the process ends | Interactive prompt for multiple commands |
| Typical upload command | pscp "local-file" user@host:/remote/path/ |
put local-file at the psftp> prompt |
| Local path handling | Place the source path directly in the command; quote paths containing spaces | Set a directory with lcd, then refer to files by name |
| Remote inspection | Best suited to a known target in a scripted command | Use dir and other remote operations while connected |
| Protocol note | Secure copy over SSH | SFTP over SSH-2 |
| Best use case | A single file, wildcard selection, or automation | Several uploads, downloads, and directory browsing |
PSFTP requires the server’s SSH service to provide SFTP support. If the server does not expose SFTP but its supported SSH transfer method works with PSCP, use PSCP for the copy instead.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot a PuTTY upload that fails
“pscp is not recognized”
Windows cannot find the executable. Run the command from the directory containing pscp.exe, or add that directory to PATH. Open a new Command Prompt after changing PATH so the updated setting is available.
Authentication fails
Check each connection detail rather than changing the file path first:
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- Check the server name or IP address for typing errors.
- Verify the port used by your SSH connection.
- Supply the correct password or confirm that the configured key is available and accepted.
- Make sure the server account is enabled.
PSCP and PSFTP cannot transfer a file until the SSH session authenticates successfully.
Login works but the upload says permission denied
This usually means the account can establish an SSH session but cannot write to the selected remote directory. Choose a destination where that account has write permission, or ask the server administrator to grant the required access. Do not treat a successful login as proof that every remote directory is writable.
The wrong local file is selected
Use the file’s full Windows path and quote it when the path contains spaces. For example:
pscp "C:UsersNameProject Filesreport.txt" [email protected]:/home/user/uploads/With PSFTP, use lcd to set the intended local folder and then check the filename used in put. A wildcard such as *.csv should be placed in the local source path when using PSCP to select multiple files.
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Switch from PSCP to PSFTP. Start psftp [email protected], use dir to inspect the remote location, use lcd to select the local folder, and issue one put command for each file.
SFTP is unavailable
PSFTP depends on SSH-2/SFTP support. If the server does not offer that service, PSFTP cannot provide its interactive SFTP workflow. Use PSCP when the server’s supported SSH transfer protocol is compatible with it, or ask the server administrator which SSH file-transfer method is enabled.
Reliable transfer checklist
Use this checklist before repeating a failed upload:
- Identify whether the task is a one-shot copy (PSCP) or an interactive session (PSFTP).
- Confirm that the PuTTY package is installed and that the chosen executable is in the current directory or on
PATH. - Verify the local filename, using an absolute path and double quotes around paths with spaces.
- Check the remote username, host, and destination directory.
- Confirm that the server accepts SSH connections and that the account is enabled.
- Verify the password or configured key and the SSH port.
- Confirm write permission for the remote directory.
- If using PSFTP, confirm that the server supports SSH-2/SFTP.
- For several files, decide whether a PSCP wildcard or a PSFTP session gives you better control.
Which command should you use?
For a single known file, use PSCP:
pscp "C:pathtofile.ext" user@host:/remote/directory/For an explicit remote filename, append that filename to the destination:
pscp "C:pathtofile.ext" user@host:/remote/directory/file.extFor an interactive sequence, use PSFTP:
psftp user@hostThen set the local directory and upload from the psftp> prompt:
lcd C:pathtofiles
dir
put file.ext
quitThose patterns cover the core “PuTTY pscp command” and “PuTTY psftp upload” cases: PSCP gives you a direct, script-friendly copy, while PSFTP gives you an SSH-2/SFTP shell for repeated transfers and browsing.
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