FTP

Apr 21, 2023

Domantas G.

3min Read

How to Connect to Notepad++ FTP and How to Edit Server Files Using It

If you’re a web developer or planning to be one, Notepad++ is an indispensable tool for your workflow. It provides a quicker way to modify code on your server than using an FTP client. As such, in this article, we’ll be showing you how to establish a Notepad++ FTP connection and get remote access to your server.

Getting to Know Notepad++

Notepad++ is an open-source text editing software available for Microsoft Windows users. It has been a top choice for many developers due to its extensive features, including syntax highlighting and folding, text search and replace features, and multi-document view.

Various plugins are available to enhance the software’s functionality, and one of them is NppFTP. The tool allows you to use Notepad++ to connect to your server files via an FTP connection, so you can edit the web files and make changes to your website.

Establishing a Notepad++ FTP Connection

Perform the following steps to enable the FTP function in Notepad++:

Step 1. Getting FTP Details

  1. Download and install Notepad++ on your computer.
  2. Get your FTP details by logging in to your hPanel. Then, scroll down to the Files section and select the FTP Account menu. You’ll see the details under the FTP Access section.
Hostinger FTP Accounts panel, showing the FTP Access details

The hostname, port, username, and password will be used to connect your server to Notepad++.

Step 2. Connecting to Notepad++ via FTP

  1. Open Notepad++ and navigate to Plugins → Plugins Admin…
  2. Once a dialog box has popped up, tick the NppFTP box that is under the Available tab. Press Install, and the application will restart.
Notepad++ Plugins Admin window, with highlighted NppFTP option and Install button
  1. Head over to Plugins → NppFTP → Show NppFTP Window. A configuration window will appear on the right side of the app.
Notepad++ Plugins Admin window, with highlighted NppFTP option and Install button
  1. Create a new profile to start using the plugin. To do so, click the gear icon in the NppFTP menu bar and select Profile settings.
Profile settings option on Notepad++
  1. Select the Add New button, enter the profile name, and press OK.
Profile settings window showing the Adding profile pop-up to enter the new profile name
  1. After that, input the FTP details into the Connection tab.
Profile settings window on Notepad++, showing the Connection tab
  1. Navigate to the Transfers tab. Then, set the Connection mode as Active and the Transfer mode as ASCII.
Profile settings window on Notepad++, showing the Transfer tab
  1. Click on the Close button to save your configuration.

Pro Tip

The above settings will ensure that your permissions remain the same after making any changes. Using a different setup may potentially affect your website.

  1. To establish a connection, press the (Dis)connect button (the first one in the NppFTP menu bar), and choose your newly created FTP profile.
(Dis)connect button on the NppFTP menu bar
  1. Finally, you will see a folder icon beside the (Dis)connect button. To access a directory, select the Open Directory button, type the Directory Name, and press OK. In the example below, we’re going to open the public_html folder.
Open Directory button on the NppFTP menu bar

Editing Server Files through Notepad++

After establishing an FTP connection in Notepad++, it’s time to edit the files within your directory. All you need to do is:

  1. Double click on any files that you want to edit.
  2. Once you are done, press the Save button to apply the changes.
Editing a wp-config.php file in Notepad++, with the Save button highlighted

Pro Tip

It’s recommended to create a backup before making any changes to prevent any errors like data loss or corrupted files.

Conclusion

Notepad++ can replace the traditional FTP client. Simply establish a Notepad++ FTP connection, then you can start modifying your server files. Here’s how you can do it:

  1. Download and install Notepad++ on your computer. Then, get your FTP details from your hPanel.
  2. Install the NppFTP plugin and create a new profile.
  3. Connect to your server and access the desired directory.
  4. Select the file you want to edit and save the changes.

Congratulations! You have successfully learned to access and manage your web files via Notepad++.

Author
The author

Domantas G.

Domantas leads the content and SEO teams forward with fresh ideas and out of the box approaches. Armed with extensive SEO and marketing knowledge, he aims to spread the word of Hostinger to every corner of the world. During his free time, Domantas likes to hone his web development skills and travel to exotic places.

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