Now that you know where you can find the FTP access details, let's set that aside and look at the software you will be needing to access your website's FTP.

The program most used for FTP that is also free is called FileZilla. It is software that is available for all platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux) and it is easy enough to use, while being versatile in its functionality.

I will go through every step of the process of downloading and installing the software.

FileZilla, Where To Find It?

FileZilla is open source software made available to all platforms in all sorts of variants. Most new Windows computers have a 64-bit PC and operating system, so going to:

https://filezilla-project.org/download.php will probably offer you a 64-bit client to download. If you happen to be on a Mac, it might automatically select a Mac version of the software and if you are on Linux, the same for that OS.

In case it doesn't automatically give you the right software, you can click on this link to find all versions of the software.

If the whole 64-bit thing sounds like aca-cadabra to you, then don't fret and just click on the top download link and download FileZilla.

See below how it *should* be looking like on your end.

Now you click on Download FileZilla Client, the big green button like in the screenshot above.

Now is there a chance you will get to see the following screen first:

Look at the one that reads FileZilla and not FileZilla Pro and click on the Download Button below that to download the free FTP client software.

After a couple of moments, the download should start automatically. It will probably end up in the download bar like the one in my Chrome browser below:

As you can see, the download is not all that big and it should download quite fast.

Finished downloading?

For me it is at least!:

Time to click on the FileZilla_xxxx_zzz file. Note that it says 3.28.0 in my version, but you might have a newer version. They update the software pretty often and I made these screenshots a couple of weeks ago.

As soon as you clicked once on the 'button' or download above, it will read that it is opening the file.

Installing FileZilla

Alright now we go into the next phase. Note that I am using here the Windows version and get Windows related dialogues. I do not know about (and in case of Mac do not have) a different OS such as Mac or Linux. If you do have Mac or Linux, I will be glad to help you out in private or I could create another guide for that OS specifically at a later point. Perhaps the process is pretty much similar anyhow.

When the opening of the FileZilla download file is completed, it will want to RUN the executable file and will therefore on newer OS's throw a security question of some sort:

Microsoft Windows has built in this option to protect your PC from unwanted mallware and damaging software. This software we downloaded just now and is perfectly safe, so you can click on 'Run'.

In Linux for running a downloaded file or executable you will get a warning about installation and you will receive a password box to verify that it is you that wants to install this software. On Mac I believe you have a similar security question.

It is all pretty straight forward when one installs software, but it comes down that you read the General Public License and agree to it (I Agree button), then it will ask you for what software to install.

There is however one sneaky thing in the installers of software nowadays and that is that they often install software that you don't want to have on your computer. Hence I will go through every step with you.

Anyone who uses this computer is fine, so click Next.

Here you can select all the software components to install. Default is fine. If you prefer to have desktop icons, you can check that one too and click Next.

Now it will show you WHERE to install your the software towards. You can often choose a different DISK and FOLDER. Default is usually also fine. Entirely up to you. So you can click Next.

This part just tells you that it will create some shortcuts in the menu (if you don't want that, check off for do not create shortcuts). You can just click Next here.

Now comes the bit that I warned for earlier. Note that this might not happen to you, but most new installers have this extra bit nowadays. This happened at least to me on 3.28.0.

We do not need additional software. This is in a way an "upsell". It is not recommended for your computer, because it will make your computer slower and Yahoo or whoever is behind the extra software, gets an extra chance to look at your browsing traffic (to do marketing to you and show ads). So UNCHECK this I agree to install ... blablabla.. checkbox.

This extra software functions like affiliate marketing, FileZilla just makes extra money with that sort of stuff packed into their installer.

Uncheck and Click Next.

For some reason asking once for installing stuff you don't need wasn't enough, so here again, uncheck what you don't want to install. We just want FileZilla! Uncheck, then click Next.

Ahhh finally! We are installing the software!

Finished!!You can start the software straight away (and leave the checkbox checked) or uncheck it if you want to start later.

I am going to start the software straight away, so that I can show you how to access your website with FTP! Click Finish

Next up:

• FileZilla Software Start and Accessing Your Site Using FTP
  
• Conclusion