Storing Your Backup to SFTP/ FTP
Whether you’re a seasoned webmaster or new to website management, ensuring the safety of your website data is important. Duplicator simplifies the backup process, while FTP or SFTP offers a secure way to transfer your files to a remote server.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to set up Duplicator Pro with FTP or SFTP, ensuring your website backups are securely stored and easily accessible.
Storing Backup to SFTP/ FTP location
Begin with creating a new storage provider. Navigate to Duplicator Pro » Storage » and click on Add New:
Then, name the new storage. Using the Type dropdown menu, choose either FTP or SFTP, depending on which protocol your host supports:
Now, enter your FTP or SFTP credentials. If you’re setting up SFTP with a private key instead of a password, you’ll need the key file too. If you’re unsure about any of these details, reach out to your hosting provider.
Next, click the Save Provider button to save this storage endpoint.
Finally, click the Test Storage button to validate that data can be moved between systems:
FTP Settings
| Storage Folder | The folder on the FTP servers where backups will be stored. This should be unique for each website using Duplicator Pro. Note: This path must be setup ahead of time correctly for the storage connection to work. |
| Max Backups | Specify the number of backups to keep in ‘Storage Folder’. Setting 10 will keep the last 10 backups. Set to 0 for no limit. It is highly recommended to keep this number low. Storing too many backups can lead to space allocation issues. |
| Timeout | How long should Duplicator wait when trying to connect. |
| Explicit SSL | Whether the connection attempts to use FTPS to connect to the server. This needs to be supported and configured correctly on the FTP server first. |
| Passive Mode | Whether this connection uses FTP passive mode. |
| Transport Method | Whether Duplicator uses the PHP cURL extension or the PHP FTP extension for file transfers. Only one option is selectable if your server has just one of the two enabled. |
FTP storage requires either the PHP cURL extension or the PHP FTP extension to be enabled on your server. If FTP doesn’t appear as an available storage type, ask your host to enable one of these.
SFTP Settings
| Storage Folder | The absolute path on the SFTP server where backups will be stored. This should be unique for each website using Duplicator Pro. |
| Max Backups | Specify the number of backups to keep in the Storage Folder. Setting 10 keeps the last 10 backups. Set to 0 for no limit. |
| Timeout | How long Duplicator waits when trying to connect. |
| Private Key File | Optional. Upload a PuTTY-formatted key file (.ppk) to authenticate with a private key instead of a password. |
| Password | Your account password, or the private key’s passphrase if you’re authenticating with a key file instead. |
SFTP requires the PHP gmp extension to be enabled on your server. If SFTP doesn’t appear as an available storage type, ask your host to install it.
The Test Storage button mentioned earlier validates the connection the same way for both FTP and SFTP: it attempts to create and then delete a small test file at the configured Storage Folder.
For connection issues with either protocol, see Troubleshooting SFTP/FTP Storage Types.
That’s it. Your website backups will now be transferred to your FTP or SFTP server whenever a backup or schedule using this storage endpoint runs.
Looking for a different storage option? See A Complete Guide to Duplicator’s Storage Options.
