How to Use FTP

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I told you how to access your file manager to upload a single file, but sometimes you need to upload many files at once. To do this, you'll need to know how to use FTP (File Transfer Protocol).

For some reason, the term "FTP" strikes fear into many, but as you'll see, once you've got an FTP client set up, it's simple. (And the process of getting an FTP client isn't a big deal either.)

As I mentioned in How to Set Up Hosting and WordPress, one of the reasons I like Bluehost is because there's an FTP client (Unlimited FTP) right in my cPanel. If you don't have this option, you will have to get yourself an FTP client (again, not a big deal).

There are many free FTP clients available. Filezilla is a popular choice (here are some others as well). Simply download the client and follow the instructions for setup.

Regardless of which FTP client you use, the process should look and feel very similar to what I outline below (especially in steps 3 & 4). I highly recommend becoming familiar with FTP use, as it is another one of those really-helpful-to-have skills. Tomorrow, I will show you exactly how.

How to Access Unlimited FTP

1. Login to your cPanel at Bluehost.

2. Scroll down until you find the "Unlimited FTP" icon.

3. This is where all FTP clients look and function basically the same. A side-by-side screen will appear with your computer files on the left and your server files on the right.

4. Transferring files is simply a matter of:

• Selecting the folder/file you want to transfer from on one side.
• Highlighting the location you want that folder/file to go into on the other side.
• Clicking the respective arrow, depending on whether your folder/files are being transferred from your computer to your server or vice versa.

See? Simple. Check back tomorrow to see a common application: How to Install a Plugin or Theme Via FTP.

Disclosure: The links to Bluehost.com in this post are affiliate links, meaning, if you click on one of them and purchase your hosting there, they will give me a portion of that sale…at absolutely no cost to you of course. I like to think of it as a win-win situation. I’d be grateful for a click through my affiliate link, but that is completely up to you.

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