Transfer Files via SFTP on iPhone and iPad

SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) lets you browse, upload, download, and edit files on a remote server — all over an encrypted SSH connection. WebSSH includes a full SFTP client, so you can manage files on any Linux server, NAS, or VPS directly from your iPhone or iPad.

What You Can Do with SFTP in WebSSH

Browse the remote filesystem
Download files to your iOS device (Files app / iCloud)
Upload files from your Photos library or Files app
Edit text files directly on the server with the built-in editor
Create, rename, and delete files and directories

Prerequisites

SFTP uses the same connection as SSH — if SSH works, SFTP works. You need:

A server with SSH/SFTP enabled (Linux, macOS, Synology NAS, Raspberry Pi, VPS...)
A user account with filesystem access
WebSSH installed on your iPhone or iPad

Create an SFTP Connection

Open WebSSH and tap +
Switch the connection type from SSH to SFTP
Fill in the fields:
- Host: your server's IP or hostname
- Port: 22 (default)
- Username: your account on the server
- Authentication: password or private key
Tap Save, then tap the connection to connect

Downloading Files to Your iPhone or iPad

Connect to the server via SFTP
Navigate to the file you want to download
Tap the file to select it
Tap the Download icon
Choose where to save it — the iOS Files app, iCloud Drive, or another app

Files are saved locally and accessible offline through the Files app.

Uploading Files from Your iPhone or iPad

Connect to the server via SFTP
Navigate to the destination folder on the server
Tap the Upload button (arrow up icon)
Choose from: Files app (any document, including iCloud Drive files)
The file is transferred immediately

Editing Files Directly on the Server

For quick edits — a config file, a script, a text file — you don't need to download, edit, and re-upload. WebSSH's built-in text editor lets you edit files in place:

Connect via SFTP
Navigate to the file
Tap the file to open it in the editor
Make your changes
Tap Save — the file is written back to the server

Search and replace

The built-in editor supports search and replace. See Search and Replace in the Text Editor.

Use Both SSH and SFTP Together

WebSSH lets you run SSH and SFTP sessions at the same time. A common workflow:

Open your SFTP connection to browse and edit files
Open a second tab with an SSH connection to run commands
Switch between them without losing either session

See Launching Multiple Terminals for how to manage multiple sessions.

Authenticate with a Private Key

For regular SFTP access, a private key is more convenient than typing a password every time — and more secure.

Go to Settings → SSH Keys → + → Generate and create an ED25519 key
Copy the public key and append it to ~/.ssh/authorized_keys on the server
Edit your SFTP connection in WebSSH and set authentication to Private Key

See Create or Import a Public/Private Key Pair for the step-by-step.

Sync Connections Across Devices with iCloud

If you use WebSSH on both iPhone and iPad (or a Mac), iCloud Sync keeps all your SFTP connections in sync automatically — no need to re-enter them on each device.

See iCloud Sync.

Troubleshooting

SFTP connects but I can't see files

Check the user's home directory permissions on the server. If you set a startup folder, make sure the path exists and the user has read access.

Upload fails with permission denied

The user account doesn't have write permission on the destination folder. Use SSH to run ls -la and check ownership, then chmod or chown as needed.

Can't download a whole folder

WebSSH currently supports downloading individual files. For folder downloads, zip the folder first via SSH (zip -r archive.zip folder/), then download the archive.

I get 'Must first connect to the SSH server' error

See this error guide for the explanation and fix.

The interpreter error appears when opening a file

See bad interpreter: no such file or directory — this is a line ending issue with scripts created on Windows.

Last update: March 15, 2026