Connect to an SFTP server on your Mac with KongFTP

1. Get your server connection details

To use SFTP on a Mac, you need a server that supports the protocol, a hostname, a username and either a password or a private key. Your hosting provider or server administrator supplies these details. Having an FTP account does not necessarily mean SFTP is available.

SFTP transfers files over SSH. It is separate from FTPS, which uses TLS. In KongFTP, select the protocol specified by your hosting provider.

2. Install KongFTP and create your vault

KongFTP 1.0.0 for Mac requires an Apple silicon Mac running macOS 13 or later. It does not include an Intel Mac build.

1. Download the official DMG, open it and drag KongFTP into Applications.
2. Open the app. This release has no Developer ID signature or Apple notarization. If macOS blocks it, consult Apple’s instructions for opening an app you trust. An organization-managed Mac may not allow this exception.
3. Create a vault password of at least 10 characters, or use Touch ID on a compatible Mac. If you create your vault with Touch ID, keep the recovery code displayed.

The vault password protects the connections saved on your Mac. It is separate from your SFTP server password.

3. Add your SFTP connection

1. Click Add a site. Give the connection a name and an optional group.
2. Select SFTP, then enter the host, port, username and remote folder.
3. For password authentication, save the password in the vault or leave it blank to enter it when connecting. For a private key, select that authentication method and enter its local path, such as ~/.ssh/id_ed25519. The matching public key must already be authorized on the server.
4. Click Save site, then select the site in the sidebar to connect.

To try a connection without saving a profile, use Quickconnect with SFTP, the host, username and password. Private keys are configured in saved sites. If your connections are already in FileZilla, you can also import them from XML.

4. Verify the server fingerprint

On the first connection, KongFTP displays the server’s SSH host key fingerprint. Before accepting it, compare it with the fingerprint supplied by your provider through its control panel or another trusted channel. This check helps identify the server you are connecting to.

For a saved site, KongFTP can remember the accepted key. A different key on a later connection blocks access: ask the administrator to confirm the change. With Quickconnect, acceptance applies only to that connection.

5. Upload and download your first file

Once connected, My computer is on the left and Remote server on the right. Open the local and remote folders you want to use before starting.

• To upload: select a small local file, then click Upload →.
• To download: select a remote file, then click ← Download. It will be saved in the folder displayed on the left.
• You can also drag files between the panels. Replacing an existing file requires confirmation.

Start with an unimportant test file and check that it appears at its destination. The current release handles multiple selected files, but does not transfer folders recursively or resume interrupted transfers.

If the connection fails

Connection refused or timed out

Check the hostname, port and whether SFTP is enabled by your provider. On a company network, ask your IT team whether the connection is allowed.

Authentication failed

Check the username and authentication method. With key authentication, make sure your private key matches the public key installed on the server.

Connected, but unable to upload

Check the remote folder, write permissions and account quota. Read access does not necessarily include permission to write.