An FTP client is a piece of software on your local computer (i.e. your laptop) that allows you to access files on a remote computer (i.e. your web server). FileZilla is one of of those, but there are several others which all work with the same information.
FileZilla needs 3 pieces of information to connect to your site:
- your FTP host (similar to this ftp.yourwebsite.com)
- your FTP user name
- and your FTP password
Only your current host can give you those details. Contact them if you need them.
Once you’re connected you will likely want to add or remove some files to your current directory. Depending on your host and their servers, your root directory (i.e. the first one you’ll land in once you’re connected) will have a folder called www or htdocs ot httpdocs. That’s the one that contains the files needed for your website.
Now you can drag and drop files over from your computer to your web server or vice versa, just like in Windows Explorer or Finder.
Finding your WordPress Folder
Often WordPress is installed in the web directory, but sometimes it has its own separate folder. Only your host will know this or whoever else installed WordPress for you. On WP Hosting it’s always the web directory called httpdocs.
You’ll spot this folder because it has lots of files starting with “wp” in it, plus three folders called
- wp-admin
- wp-content
- wp-includes
If you see those, you’re in the right place 😉