WinSCP
Contents
WinSCP
WinSCP (Windows Secure Copy) is a free and open-source SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol), FTP, SCP, and WebDAV client for Microsoft Windows. It allows users to securely transfer files between a local Windows computer and a remote server using encrypted connections over SSH.
WinSCP is widely used for managing files on web servers, seedboxes, VPS servers, and other remote Linux-based systems.
Key Features
- **Graphical user interface (GUI)** – Easy-to-use file explorer interface for browsing remote and local files
- **Secure file transfer** – Supports SFTP and SCP protocols over SSH
- **FTP and FTPS support** – Supports plain and encrypted FTP connections
- **Integrated text editor** – Edit remote files directly within the program
- **Session manager** – Save login profiles for frequent connections
- **Drag-and-drop support** – Easy file uploads and downloads via mouse
- **Command-line interface** – Automate file transfers with scripts or batch files
- **Directory synchronization** – Keep folders in sync between local and remote systems
- **PuTTY integration** – Launch PuTTY from within WinSCP for SSH terminal access
Supported Protocols
- **SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol)**
- **SCP (Secure Copy Protocol)**
- **FTP (File Transfer Protocol)**
- **FTPS (FTP over TLS/SSL)**
- **WebDAV**
Typical Use Cases
- Uploading website files to a remote web server
- Managing seedbox files securely via SFTP
- Transferring logs, media, or backups from a remote Linux system
- Editing configuration files on a server via SSH
- Automating backups or file deployment via WinSCP scripting
Installation
WinSCP can be downloaded from the official website:
<syntaxhighlight lang="text"> https://winscp.net/ </syntaxhighlight>
Available as a setup installer or a portable executable.
Connecting to a Server
1. Launch WinSCP 2. Select your protocol (e.g., SFTP) 3. Enter the **hostname**, **port** (default for SFTP: 22), **username**, and **password** 4. Click **Login** to connect 5. Once connected, the interface displays a two-pane file browser (local on the left, remote on the right)
Integration with PuTTY
WinSCP can launch PuTTY directly from a session, allowing for easy transition between file management and terminal control.
To enable this:
- Install PuTTY on your system
- Configure the path in **Preferences → Integration → Applications**
Then, click the **terminal icon** in the WinSCP toolbar to open a session in PuTTY using the same credentials.
Scripting and Automation
WinSCP includes a powerful command-line and scripting interface. Example batch file:
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash"> winscp.com /script=upload.txt </syntaxhighlight>
Example script file (`upload.txt`):
<syntaxhighlight lang="text"> open sftp://user:password@host put myfile.txt /remote/path/ exit </syntaxhighlight>
Useful for cron jobs, scheduled backups, or automatic deployments.
Alternatives
- FileZilla – Popular FTP/SFTP client
- Cyberduck – Cross-platform GUI client with cloud storage support
- MobaXterm – SSH client with file transfer features
- pscp – SCP command-line tool (part of PuTTY)
