Overview

Configuring your FTP client to expose hidden files is a process that varies a lot from one FTP client to the next. The following are instructions for doing so using a variety of common FTP clients:

You should connect to your server using SFTP rather than FTP because SFTP ensures a secure connection.

SFTP encryption
You may already be able to see hidden files if you’re connecting using SFTP. Depending on the client you’re using, this may or may not be the case.

Using FileZilla
At the top of the page, select the Server tab.
Force hidden files to be visible.
Filezilla.fw.png (filezilla.fw.png) (filezilla.fw.
Right-click within the server side pane in CuteFTP 9.0.
Choose Filter… from the drop-down menu.
Select the Enable server side filtering (server applies filters) check box under Server side filtering.
In the Remote filter field box, type -al.
Apply the changes.
CuteFTP.fw.png is the eighth image in the CuteFTP.fw.png set.
Using Fetch
When you first start Fetch, you’ll see the following connection options screen. Here’s an example of how to connect to a user named ‘user’ on the charles-pickney server:
FTP Fetch Connection Info.png (01 FTP Fetch Connection Info.png) (02 FTP Fetch
You’ll see the following content on your web server after you log in:
FTP Fetch connected.png is the second image in the FTP Fetch series.
Navigate to ‘Fetch > ‘Preferences’ to enable hidden files:
FTP Fetch Preferences.png is the third file in the FTP Fetch series.
Select the Miscellaneous tab from the drop-down menu.
Make sure ‘Omit concealed items whose names begin with a period’ is unchecked on this page.
Then select ‘Use the ‘LIST -al’ command to show hidden items’ from the drop-down menu.
04 Screenshot of FTP Fetch Preferences.png
Make careful to refresh your view after making this modification by heading to ‘View > Refresh’:
05 FTP Fetch View Refresh.png
Using Transmit
When you open Transmit, you’ll see your connection settings on the right. FTP Transmit connection screen.png is a screenshot utilizing an FTP user called ‘user’ and a server named ‘charles-pickney.’
Once connected, pick ‘View > Show Invisible Files’ from the top menu to enable hidden files:
Show hidden files in FTP Transmit.png
Using FTP Voyager
At the upper left, select the Site Profiles Manager option.
On the pop-up box, select Advanced Options.
On the Site Profile Advanced Options window that appears, select the Connection tab.
Next to the LIST parameter field in the General column, type the following: