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📁 SFTP Access with FileZilla

SFTP lets you transfer files directly to and from your server using a desktop client like FileZilla. It is the fastest way to upload large files, edit configs locally, or take backups.

🔒 Owner only. SFTP credentials belong to the server owner. Sub-users manage files through the in-panel file manager instead.

Your Connection Details

Find these on your server's Files tab in the right column:

Protocol SFTP - SSH File Transfer Protocol
Host zomboid.ddns.net
Port See your Files tab
Username See your Files tab
Password Set via Files tab → Set SFTP Password

🚨 First time? You must set an SFTP password before connecting. Go to your server's Files tab, click Set SFTP Password, and use the Generate button for a strong password. Copy it before closing the popup.

Connecting with FileZilla

Download FileZilla Client (free, Windows/Mac/Linux). Always download from the official site.

Quick Connect method

  1. Open FileZilla.
  2. In the toolbar at the top, fill in:
    • Host: sftp://zomboid.ddns.net
    • Username: your username from the Files tab
    • Password: the SFTP password you set
    • Port: the port shown on your Files tab
  3. Click Quickconnect.
  4. If prompted about an unknown host key, verify the hostname is zomboid.ddns.net and click OK / Trust.

Site Manager method (recommended - saves credentials)

  1. In FileZilla go to File → Site Manager (or press Ctrl+S).
  2. Click New Site and give it a name (e.g. ZomboidHost).
  3. Set the following on the General tab:
    • Protocol: SFTP - SSH File Transfer Protocol
    • Host: zomboid.ddns.net
    • Port: the port shown on your Files tab
    • Logon Type: Normal
    • User: your username from the Files tab
    • Password: your SFTP password
  4. Click Connect.

💡 Important: Make sure Protocol is set to SFTP, not plain FTP or FTPS. They use different ports and ZomboidHost only supports SFTP.

Navigating Your Server Files

Once connected you will land in your server's home directory. Key locations:

Path Contents
/.cache/Server/ Server config .ini files (main settings file is here)
/.cache/Saves/Multiplayer/YourServerName/ World save data, player data, map chunks
/home/container/ Server installation files (game build, mods folder)
/home/container/steamapps/workshop/ Downloaded Workshop mod files

Common Tasks

Uploading a saved world

  1. Stop your server first (power off from the Overview tab).
  2. In FileZilla navigate to /.cache/Saves/Multiplayer/.
  3. Drag your local save folder into that directory.
  4. Start the server. Make sure your server name in Settings matches the save folder name.

Downloading a backup

  1. Stop the server to ensure no files are locked mid-write.
  2. Navigate to /.cache/Saves/Multiplayer/YourServerName/.
  3. Select all files (Ctrl+A), right-click → Download.

💡 Pro tip: Before downloading, go to the Files tab in your server dashboard, check the box next to the save folder, and click Compress to .zip. This zips the entire directory server-side in seconds. Then connect via SFTP and download the single zip file — this is significantly faster than downloading thousands of small chunk files individually and avoids partial-transfer issues.

Editing the server config manually

  1. Navigate to /.cache/Server/.
  2. Right-click the .ini file → View/Edit.
  3. FileZilla opens it in your default text editor. Save the file - FileZilla will offer to re-upload it automatically.

💡 If you edit the .ini directly via SFTP and have Apply settings to server config enabled in the Settings tab, saving via the panel will overwrite your manual edits. However, only settings that appear in the Settings tab are written — any extra options you add manually (such as advanced zombie or loot configs) are safe and will be preserved. Use one method consistently for the settings the panel does manage.

Resetting Your SFTP Password

If you forget your SFTP password or want to rotate it:

  1. Go to your server's Files tab.
  2. Click Set SFTP Password in the right column.
  3. Enter a new password (or click Generate for a random one).
  4. Copy the generated password from the popup if using Generate.
  5. Click Update Password to apply it.
  6. Update your saved credentials in FileZilla's Site Manager.

Troubleshooting

Authentication failed

This is the most common error. Causes:

  • Wrong password - SFTP uses a separate password from your ZomboidHost login. Set it via Files tab → Set SFTP Password.
  • Wrong username - Copy the exact username from the Files tab (format: username.xxxxxxxx). Do not use your email address.
  • Password not yet set - If you have never set an SFTP password, authentication will fail. Set one first.

Could not connect / Connection refused

  • Make sure Port is the one shown on your Files tab, not 22 (the standard SSH port).
  • Make sure Protocol is SFTP not FTP.
  • Make sure Host starts with sftp:// in Quick Connect, or is just zomboid.ddns.net in Site Manager.

Host key unknown / changed

On first connect FileZilla will warn about an unknown host key. Verify the hostname matches zomboid.ddns.net and click OK to trust it. If the key changes unexpectedly, this could indicate a server infrastructure change - check the panel status page before accepting.

FileZilla shows files but they look wrong

Make sure you are navigating to the right path. The root on connect is your user home; config .ini files are under /.cache/Server/ and world save data is under /.cache/Saves/Multiplayer/. Use Server → Force showing hidden files in FileZilla's menu if .cache does not appear (it starts with a dot).