How to Set Up Mac as an SFTP Server

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January 27, 2025

SFTP is built into macOS and can be easily activated by enabling Remote Login in System Preferences, with no additional installations required. Once enabled, you can connect to your Mac from another computer via SSH (Secure Shell) or SFTP (Secure File Transfer). This allows you to access your Mac through the command line or using a third-party client. In this article, we’ll show you how to create an SFTP server on your device.

Set up Your Mac as an SFTP Server - Step-by-step Guide

To create SFTP server on Mac, enable Remote Login in the System Settings:

1

On your Mac, go to the Apple menu, select System Settings, click General, and then choose Sharing.

Sharing Section of the General - System Settings is shown
2

Scroll down to the Advanced section and click the Info icon next to Remote Login. Then, choose whether to allow access for all users or only selected ones.

"Remote Login" option of the "Sharing" Settings is highlighted
3

Next, check the box next to Remote Login and click Done.

The "Remote Login" pop-up is shown

Activating Remote Login enables SFTP access to Mac, allowing you to transfer files securely using your credentials.

Now you can log in to your Mac from another computer using Terminal or an SSH client. Simply run the SSH command (found under the “Remote Login: On” indicator in System Settings), enter your password, and press Return. Once connected, you can access, control, or view files on your Mac remotely, as long as it’s powered on.

If you prefer not to use Terminal, there’s a simpler solution! You can connect to your device remotely with an SFTP client for Mac.

Connecting to an SFTP Remote Server from Mac

Commander One is a dual-pane file manager with SFTP client functionality. It lets you connect to remote servers, work with online files as if they were on your local machine, and move data seamlessly within a convenient interface. Follow this link to learn how to connect to an SFTP server on Mac and manage files stored on it with Commander One.

Conclusion

We’ve covered the native method for remotely accessing Mac computers: Remote Login. You can follow our step-by-step guide above to set up an SFTP server on Mac or refer to the Apple website for additional instructions. To enhance productivity when managing data on remote servers, transferring files, or editing them more efficiently, we recommend using third-party SFTP clients. These tools often provide advanced features such as a user-friendly interface, drag-and-drop functionality, and support for multiple connections.

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