WinSCP Initial Setup and Language Configuration [For Beginners]

An FTP client is an essential tool for website creation. Among them, "WinSCP" is favored by many web creators for its high functionality and intuitive usability. However, due to its many features, some beginners may feel that "the initial setup seems difficult..." or "I don't know how to use it because it's in English..."

This article provides a beginner-friendly guide to WinSCP, explaining the steps from download and installation to changing the language to English, complete with images. We will also introduce the basic settings for connecting to a server, so by the time you finish reading this article, you should be able to start using WinSCP smoothly.

Downloading WinSCP

First, let's download the installer from the official WinSCP website.

Go to the official WinSCP download page.
Click the large green button in the center of the page that says "Download WinSCP X.X.X".
Once you click, the download of the installer (.exe file) will start automatically.

Point: There is also a Microsoft Store version, but this article will explain using the "Installation package" version downloaded from the official website. Rest assured, there are no major differences in functionality.

Installing WinSCP and Setting the Language

Use the downloaded installer to install WinSCP on your PC. You can also complete the language setup during the process, so let's proceed while checking each step.

Double-click the downloaded WinSCP-X.X.X-Setup.exe file to launch it.
When the "Select Setup Install Mode" screen appears, leave "Install for all users (recommended)" selected and click "Yes".
The "License Agreement" will be displayed. Please review the contents and click "Accept".
On the "Setup Type" screen, ensure that "Typical installation" is selected and click "Next".
[Important] The "Initial User Settings" screen will appear. Here you can select the interface style. We recommend selecting "Explorer" for an experience similar to Windows' standard File Explorer. Click "Next".
When "Ready to Install" is displayed, click the "Install" button. The installation will begin.
When the installation is complete, the "Completing the WinSCP Setup Wizard" screen will appear. Click the "Finish" button to launch WinSCP.

If You Couldn't Set the Language During Installation

Normally, the latest installer automatically detects your OS language and sets the display to it. However, if it appears in a different language for some reason, you can switch to English using the following steps.

When you start WinSCP, the login screen will appear. From the top menu, select "Tools" -> "Preferences...".
From the left-hand menu, select "Languages".
From the language list on the right, select "English" and click "OK".

This will switch all menus and other items to English.

Initial Server Connection Settings

Once you have WinSCP set to English, the next step is to configure the settings to connect to your server. To upload your website files, you will need the FTP connection information provided by your hosting service. Be sure to have it ready beforehand.

Generally, you will need the following information:

Host name: The server's address (e.g., ftp.example.com)
User name: Your FTP account's user ID
Password: Your FTP account's password
Port number: This depends on the protocol (FTP: 21, SFTP: 22 are common)
File protocol: FTP, SFTP, etc.

Once you have the information, enter it into the WinSCP login screen.

In the "Login" screen that appears when you start WinSCP, select "New Site".
In the input fields on the right, enter the server information you prepared.
- File protocol: Select "FTP" or "SFTP" according to your server's specifications. For security reasons, "SFTP," which uses encrypted communication, is recommended.
- Host name: Enter the server's host name.
- Port number: This is usually filled in automatically when you select the protocol, but if your server specifies a different one, modify it.
- User name: Enter your user name.
- Password: Enter your password.
After entering all the information, click the "Save" button.
A window titled "Save session as" will appear. Give it a name that is easy for you to recognize, such as your site name, and click "OK". Here, we've named it "My Website".
The settings you just saved will be added to "My Sites" on the left side of the login screen.
Select the saved site and click the "Login" button.
If this is the first time you are connecting to the server, you may see a warning that says, "The server's host key is not cached in the registry." This is a confirmation asking, "Are you sure you want to connect to this server?" After confirming that the host name is correct, click "Yes".

If the authentication is successful, the screen will split into two, showing your PC (local) on the left and the server (remote) on the right. You are now ready to upload and download files! 🎉

Summary

In this article, we've covered how to download, install, set the language, and configure basic server connections for WinSCP. It might seem a bit confusing at first, but once you save the settings, you'll be able to connect to your server with a single click from next time.

WinSCP is packed with features that can make web development more efficient, such as drag-and-drop file transfers and integration with text editors. We hope this article helps you master WinSCP and enjoy a comfortable web development life.