Windows: Connect to SFTP server using Windows File Explorer

Question

I require one of my client to connect to a SFTP server using Windows File Explorer.

The Explorer has an option to connect to a FTP server but not a SFTP server. In the Add new network connection wizard, typing sftp:// followed by the IP returns an alert that the URL format is not correct. However, I can type in ftp://. That works but is not correct for the scenario.

After doing some research, I found in Windows Firewall you can set a new rule to allow connections to port 22, which is for SFTP. But that didn't work either.

I know I can use third party software but the client's computer have some strict Infosec policies, which can involve a lot of pointy heads. That's a no-no.

Anyway I can help the client to connect to the server using the Explorer itself?

EDIT - The clients computer is on Windows 10

Answer 1

Using WinFsp and SSHFS-Win together, you can map network drives over SHTP to Windows Explorer.

Additionally, you can use sshfs-win-manager, a GUI tool to manage your connections, together with WinFsp and SSHFS-Win.

File Explorer

sshfs-win-manager

Answer 2

SFTP is supported on the command-line only via the Win32-OpenSSH sftp.exe, which is built-in on Windows 10 version 1803 or newer.

sftp.exe user@example.com

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But the GUI File Explorer does not support it. A thirdparty software like my WinSCP is currently the only way.

Answer 3

You can use WinSCP(it's free and open source) . It allows graphical navigation in an explorer like view. https://winscp.net/eng/download.php

Answer 4

You can use "SFTP Drive"! It's very easy and it supports Windows File Explorer https://www.nsoftware.com/sftp/drive/download.aspx

Answer 5

I don't have enough reputation to add a comment to @BrianC's post about SWISH: http://www.swish-sftp.org/ now gives "connection has timed out".

For historical purposes The Wayback Machine took a snapshot of SWISH Jan 24, 2021. Github repo is alamaison/swish but doesn't appear to have been updated since 2016.

There is a SourceForge repo shows active download stats, however a reviewer named sean729 posted the following

Edited 2018-08-25 I couldn't get swish v0.8.2 working on Windows 10 Home (64 bit), so instead went with the commercial/opensource product called WinFSP (Windows File System Proxy) from www.secfs.net/winfsp -- which also supports mapping as a drive for NFS and SSH. BTW, those that need documentation should use the wayback machine.

I tried installing on Windows 11 Pro version 22H2, OS build 22621.819, but can't get it to work (can't add it as a new connection type and Windows File Explorer doesn't recognize 'sftp://').

To give credit where credit is due, sean729's recommendation for WinFSP is echoed by @surjit's recommendation post above.

I have had great luck with @MISU's recommendation of SFTP Drive.

Answer 6

In addition to WINSCP, there was an alpha from quite a few years back which seems to work well, SWISH: https://sourceforge.net/projects/swish/

It is free, however it seems to not be very active on github etc, so if anyone wants to contrib, it does have potential as it does integrate with the Windows Explorer.