Connect to a Minecraft server with SFTP

SFTP lets you move files to and from your Minecraft server with a normal file-transfer app. It is the quickest way to upload a big world, replace a folder of plugins, or download your whole server to keep a copy.

SFTP, FTP and FTPS are not the same

FTP sends your password as plain text. Avoid it. FTPS is FTP wrapped in encryption and is awkward to set up. SFTP runs over SSH, is encrypted from the first byte, and is what almost every modern app speaks. When a Minecraft host says "FTP access", it usually means SFTP.

Connect on Saryno

Saryno has an SFTP address for every server. You need four things, and the Files tab shows all of them:

Host: your server address, like my-server.play.saryno.com
Port: 2022
User name: your server id, for example srv-1a2b3c4d5e
Password: an access token, or sign in with an SSH key

Make a token on your account page, under Access tokens, and give it a name like "FileZilla". It starts with sry_. It is shown once, so copy it then. Your normal account password is never accepted over SFTP, which is deliberate: a token can be removed without changing your password.

If you would rather not type anything, add your SSH public key on the same page. Paste the contents of the .pub file, the one that starts with ssh-ed25519. If you have no key yet, make one:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519

FileZilla

Open File, Site Manager, New site.
Set Protocol to SFTP - SSH File Transfer Protocol.
Fill in the host, port 2022, and the user name.
Set Logon Type to Normal and paste the token as the password, or choose Key file and pick your private key.
Press Connect, and accept the host key the first time.

WinSCP and the command line

In WinSCP choose SFTP, enter the same four values and press Login. On a Mac or Linux terminal:

sftp -P 2022 [email protected]

Then use ls, cd, put plugin.jar and get server.properties.

What happens when the server is asleep

A sleeping server keeps its files inside it, so connecting wakes it. The first connection can take half a minute while it wakes. After that, transfers run at the speed of your connection.

Common problems

Permission denied. The token was typed wrongly, was removed, or the user name is not the server id. Check the Files tab for the exact id.
Connection timed out. A firewall or school network may block port 2022. Try another network.
Host key changed. This should not happen. If your app warns about it, do not continue, and tell us.
A folder looks empty. Press refresh. The listing is cached for a few seconds.

Safety

Everything you do over SFTP is written to the server's activity list, the same as in the file manager. Edit configuration files while the server is stopped, or restart afterwards, or the game may overwrite your change on shutdown. If you are unsure, take a backup first.