FTP, handled correctly.
Mount any FTP or FTPS server as a native drive on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Plain FTP for the legacy boxes that still need it, FTPS for everything that should — and the same on-demand streaming model as the rest of ExpanDrive's protocol coverage.
— What you get
The protocol you can't kill, mounted properly.
Plain FTP and FTPS.
ExpanDrive speaks the full protocol — plain FTP for legacy systems that don't support TLS, FTPS-explicit and FTPS-implicit for everything modern. Pick the security mode that matches the server.
Active and passive modes.
ExpanDrive negotiates active or passive mode based on what the server needs. Behind a NAT? Passive mode handles it. Talking to a strict firewall? Active mode is available.
Same drive experience.
FTP mounts the same way as SFTP, S3, or Drive — a native volume in Finder, Explorer, or your Linux file manager. Every desktop app reads and writes FTP files like local files.
— FTP security modes
Three security modes, pick the one that fits.
FTP is older than TLS. The protocol evolved to add encryption in three different shapes — and the right one depends on what your server supports.
Plain FTP.
No encryption. The historical default. Use only when the server doesn't support TLS at all — and only on trusted networks. Credentials and file contents travel in cleartext.
FTPS, explicit TLS.
The modern recommendation. Connection starts in plaintext, then upgrades to TLS via the AUTH command. Same port (21) as plain FTP, but encrypted. Use this unless the server requires implicit mode.
FTPS, implicit TLS.
Older TLS variant. Connection is encrypted from the first byte, typically on port 990. Less common now but still required by some legacy financial-services and government endpoints.
— Cross-platform
FTP on every OS your team runs.
macOS
Apple File Provider extension. FTP servers appear in Finder and ~/Library/CloudStorage. Apple Silicon native.
Windows
User-selectable drive letter per FTP connection. Signed MSI installer for fleet deployment.
Linux
Native .deb / .rpm packages with signed apt and yum repositories. FTP mounts at a standard Linux mount point and works with every Linux app.
— Related protocols
Modernizing off FTP?
Most teams running FTP are slowly migrating to SFTP, S3, or a cloud drive. ExpanDrive mounts all four — same product, same UX.
SFTP
Mount any SFTP or SSH server as a local drive on Mac or Windows - browse and edit remote files without syncing.
Amazon S3
Connect to Amazon S3 or any S3-compatible storage as a network drive - fast, powerful, and works on Mac, Windows, and Linux.
WebDAV
Connect to any WebDAV server directly from your desktop - mapped as a network drive with full file access on Mac, Windows, or Linux.
— Common questions
Common questions about FTP on ExpanDrive.
Security modes, NAT, firewalls, and the question of whether to use FTP at all in 2026.
Need a File Orchestration Platform, not just a drive?
The cloud connectors mounting your drive on macOS, Windows, and Linux are the same ones that run on Files.com's high-performance cloud File Orchestration Platform — used by 4,000+ businesses including Equifax, Rag & Bone, Cognizant, and Michelin. If you need automations, audit logs, SFTP / AS2 servers, or compliance reporting on top of your file estate, that lives there.
Try it free.
Mount everything.
Free for personal use. Runs on every Mac, PC, and Linux box built in the last decade.