FTP publishing
Site Designer includes a built-in FTP client, so you can publish your project directly to any web host without leaving the app. Both FTP and SFTP are supported.
Setting up FTP
-
Open publish settings
Go to Settings → Publish and select FTP from the publishing method dropdown.
-
Enter your FTP credentials
Fill in the following fields. You’ll find these in your hosting account’s control panel:
Field What to enter Host Your FTP hostname (e.g., ftp.yourdomain.comor your host’s IP address)Username Your FTP username Password Your FTP password Remote path The folder on the server where files should go (e.g., /public_html/or/www/)Port 21 for FTP, 22 for SFTP Protocol FTP or SFTP — check your host’s requirements -
Test the connection
Click Test Connection. Site Designer attempts to connect to your host using the credentials you entered. A green checkmark confirms success. A red error indicates a credentials problem, incorrect host, or firewall issue.
Publishing via FTP
Once your connection is configured:
- Go to Settings → Publish.
- Click Publish via FTP.
- A page selector appears — choose which pages to publish (all pages by default).
- Click Publish. Site Designer exports your project and uploads the files to your server. A progress indicator shows the transfer status.
- When complete, click the link in the success banner to open your live site.
SFTP support
SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) is a secure alternative to FTP. Many modern hosts require SFTP and disable plain FTP entirely. To use SFTP:
- Set Protocol to SFTP.
- Set Port to 22 (default for SFTP).
- Your username and password are usually the same as for FTP, but some hosts use SSH key authentication. If your host requires an SSH key, consult your host’s documentation.
Transferring to root vs. a subdirectory
- Root of the domain (e.g.,
yourdomain.com): Set remote path to/public_html/(or/www/,/htdocs/— varies by host). - Subdirectory (e.g.,
yourdomain.com/project/): Set remote path to/public_html/project/. Create the folder on your server first if it doesn’t exist.
Common FTP errors
| Error | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| ”Connection refused” | Wrong host, port, or protocol | Check credentials; confirm FTP vs. SFTP |
| ”Login incorrect” | Wrong username or password | Reset FTP password in your host control panel |
| ”Permission denied” on upload | Wrong remote path or file permissions | Confirm the remote path exists and is writable |
| Upload is very slow | Large images, slow connection | Enable minification; optimize images before importing |
| Passive mode timeout | Firewall blocking passive FTP data ports | Switch to active mode in Settings → Publish → FTP → Advanced |
