How To Create An FTP Account: A Step-by-Step Guide

To manage files on your website, a game-changer is creating a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) account. An FTP account lets you connect directly to your website’s files, including images, code, and documents, from your computer. With it, you can upload, download, or edit files without accessing your website’s dashboard.

FTP is helpful for anyone managing a website, from beginners to developers, because it offers a fast, organized way to handle files. This tutorial takes you through an FTP account, why it’s useful, and how to create one step-by-step. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to set up and use an FTP to keep your website running smoothly!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. FTP accounts help you manage website files directly and securely.
2. Each account needs a username, password, and host for access.
3. Limit access for each FTP account to only the necessary directories.
4. Secure your FTP with strong passwords and limited access.
5. Use FTP clients like CoreFTP for easy file transfer and connection.
6. Delete unused accounts to maintain website security.
7. Setting up and managing FTP accounts can streamline file management, helping keep your website organized and safe.

What is an FTP Account?

A File Transfer Protocol (FTP) account is a user account created specifically to access FTP services. It lets you transfer files between your local machine and a remote server. Whether updating website files or backing up data, an FTP account makes it easy to communicate with the server and move files securely.

Web Hosting providers typically offer FTP accounts as a way for users to access and manage their website files on the server. When you sign up with a hosting provider, they usually provide one or more FTP accounts linked to your server space.

This access is important because it gives you control over your website’s files and even provides limited access to team members for specific tasks. Without an FTP account, managing web files on the server would be much harder and less secure.

Components of an FTP Account

An FTP account has 3 main components that work together to give you access:

1. FTP Host: This is the location of the server you are connecting to, often provided as an IP address or domain name. It directs your FTP client to the correct server.
2. Username: A unique identifier that tells the server who you are. Hosting providers assign each FTP account a username, often based on your account name or website.
3. Password: A security key is needed to verify your identity when accessing the server. It keeps your files secure by ensuring only authorized users can log in.

These three elements comprise the basic structure of an FTP account usually linked to a specific website, network, or FTP server. This setup allows you to securely manage your files, ensuring only those with the right credentials have access.

Why You Need an FTP Account

You can access your website’s files using your hosting provider’s File Manager feature. However, the FTP connection is much better and more secure when managing multiple website files.

It lets you manage files directly, meaning you can upload, update, or delete files quickly without needing to access the hosting control panel each time. This direct control over files is faster and adds a layer of security.

Another benefit is to create multiple FTP accounts for team members. This way, you can provide controlled access—meaning each person can have their own FTP account with specific permissions. This is especially helpful if you have developers, designers, or collaborators who only need access to certain files.

Prerequisites

Before setting up an FTP account, ensure you have access to cPanel or your web hosting account. This is where you’ll create and manage your FTP account. If you have basic knowledge of your FTP client—like FileZilla or Cyberduck—it’s easy to connect.

While it’s not required, knowing how to navigate an FTP client will make it easier to transfer files smoothly once your account is set up.

How to Create an FTP Account

Creating an FTP account may sound tricky, but it’s quite simple if broken down into steps. Let’s look at creating an FTP account in the cPanel in Hosted.com.

Open your web browser. In the address bar, type your domain followed by /cpanel. It should look like this:

yourdomain.com/cpanel

Replace yourdomain.com with your actual website domain name.

A cPanel login page will appear. Enter the username and password provided by your hosting provider. This is usually sent in your welcome email when you sign up for web hosting. After entering your credentials, click Log In to access your cPanel dashboard.

Important:

If you’re unsure about your login details or encounter issues, contact your hosting provider’s support team for help with your cPanel credentials.

Once in cPanel, you’ll see several options for managing different parts of your website. Navigate to Files → FTP Accounts. This is where you’ll create and manage all FTP accounts for your website. Click FTP Accounts to open the FTP account options.

Scroll down to Add FTP Account and enter the details for your FTP account:

First, fill the Log In field with a unique username. It’s a good idea to pick something descriptive, like “website_admin,” so you know what the account is for.

Remember, your FTP username combines the name you type in the Log In field and the domain name. In our example, it’s:

website_admin@domain.online

Then, create a strong password to protect your account. Use a mix of alphabets, numbers, and symbols to make it secure. Confirm your password by re-entering it in the Password (Again) field.

Alternatively, click Password Generator to create a strong password automatically. Note the password or save it somewhere safe so you don’t forget it.

Next, decide which folder or directory the FTP account should access. Leave the directory blank if you want full access to your website’s files. To access a certain part (like images or a specific project), specify a folder here. In our example we provide access to the WordPress installation’s root directory.

After that, set a storage limit for this account if needed. The quota limits how much space this FTP user can use. If you don’t want any limits, select Unlimited.

After entering all the details, review to ensure everything looks correct. Once you’re ready, click Create FTP Account.

Now, scroll down to FTP Accounts to see the account you created. From this, you may also change passwords and quotas, configure FTP clients, and delete any unused FTP accounts.

Configure FTP Client (Optional)

You need an FTP client to start using your FTP account. If you haven’t already, download and install CoreFTP or Cyberduck on your computer, as these are the only FTP clients that support auto-configuration with cPanel.

If you prefer a different client, manually set up the configuration. For example, if you’ve installed FileZilla, you may refer to our following guide to configure your site:

– Configure your site in FileZilla

For this tutorial we use CoreFTP, so let’s proceed. Navigate to cPanel → Files → FTP Accounts and click Configure FTP Client next to your desired FTP account.

In the Configuration Files section, select CoreFTP or Cyberduck by clicking FTP Configuration File beneath the respective logo.

Important:

The FTP credentials given in the Manual Settings of the above screenshot are required if you use an FTP client to connect to your server manually.

Open the configuration script file you downloaded. Your FTP client will launch automatically. Set up the configuration and connect to the FTP server. Once set up correctly, you’ll see a list of files and folders from your website server.

You may also test the connection by uploading or downloading a small file. If you have any issues, double-check your username, password, and server details to ensure they’re correct.

Best Practices for FTP Security

To keep your FTP account safe, it’s best to use strong passwords that are hard to guess and change regularly. This ensures that only authorized users can access your account. Limiting directory access is also important—give each FTP account access only to the files or folders it needs.

Finally, deactivate or delete any FTP accounts you no longer use to prevent unauthorized access to your site. Following these steps can help you secure your website and its files effectively.

FAQs

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