Use "Connect to Server" to connect via SFTP to access a folder in a remote server

Question

How do I connect to my remote sftp account using ubuntu's "Connect to Server" option? When I have the "Connect to Server" dialog box on my screen, the "Service type" only shows:

FTP (with login)
Public FTP

Those are the only FTP options I can see in the dropdown. No SFTP option?

See the bottom part of this answer: How to share files using a wireless network? — user68186, Sep 25 '13 at 12:41
Here are provided more ideas: Filezilla or WinSCP alternative for Ubuntu. — pa4080, Jan 15 '18 at 13:18

David Foerster · Accepted Answer · 2018-01-15T13:06:42.323

The easiest way to connect to an SFTP server with Ubuntu is with the sftp:// scheme of the file managers with GVFS support (Nautilus, Nemo, Thunar) or KIO support (Dolphin, Konqueror):

Open a file manager window.
Show or focus the address bar e. g. with Ctrl+L.

(If this doesn't work your file manager may have an equivalent, alternative menu entry called “Go to…” or “Connect to…”. Some window manager require you to press Alt to show the menu bar.)
Enter the server address into the address bar:
```
sftp://example.org[:port]/
```
You can even supply username, password, and a path in the address:
```
sftp://[user[:password]@]example.org[:port]/[path/to/directory/]
```
If you don't and the SFTP account requires a password, a password dialogue will pop up.

You can do this for FTPS too btw (ftps://example.com). Interestingly, even though this works, the "connect to server" dialog does not offer FTPS as an option. And im wondering if that is what the OP is actually asking about (since people often confuse SFTP as FTPS). — dhaupin, Oct 28 '16 at 18:53

score 8 · Answer 2 · edited Nov 18 '16 at 15:52

8

Do you see an SSH option in the dropdown? That is effectively the SFTP option, you should see it listed as such on the left pane once it connects.

Or you can skip the File → Connect to Server… sequence altogether and instead do Go → Location (or Ctrl+L) and then typing sftp://user@host/initial/dir in the address bar.

edited Nov 18 '16 at 15:52

David Foerster

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answered Sep 25 '13 at 12:31

steeldriver

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score 1 · Answer 3 · edited Feb 01 '19 at 14:55

1

Ubuntu doesn't have ssh installed by default, so you have to install ssh on Ubuntu in order to connect to a remote SFTP account.

sudo apt install ssh

edited Feb 01 '19 at 14:55

karel

114,770

answered Feb 01 '19 at 13:58

Josef Klotzner

216

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 30 '19 at 00:40

As others have pointed out, it's pretty darn easy:

Open any folder in your local system.
press Ctrl + L , which will select the text in the address bar
clear that text and enter the following command in the address bar

sftp://username@contact.server.de

That should get you through. However, you might have to enter the passphrase if you have protected your SSH key with one.

Note: small letter L works, there's no need to use a capital letter.

Use "Connect to Server" to connect via SFTP to access a folder in a remote server

4 Answers4