Normally we use an FTP client or app on our desktop to connect to FTP servers to manage files, upload files, download files and so on. There’s a time you may need to connect to an FTP server when a computer is not accessible. To connect to an FTP server from your Android phone, you need to install an FTP client app or file manager apps with FTP functionality. These apps allow you to access files from various FTP servers using your phone’s Wi-Fi or mobile data connection. Just like how you can connect to FTP servers from a computer, in order to connect your mobile phone to an FTP server, you need the FTP server’s IP address, port number, username, and password. In this article, we will introduce you several free FTP apps for Android which can also help you connect with FTP servers so you can download files from an FTP server, upload files to an FTP server right from your mobile phone.
Connect FTP server on Android mobile
CX File Explorer is a popular file manager with a clean and intuitive user interface that people can use to manage the files on their Android device, PC, network-attached storage, remote or shared storage, cloud storage, etc. CX File Explorer offers various features, including FTP client functionality. We can use CX File Explorer to connect to an FTP server on our Android device. This free app simplifies the process of connecting to an FTP server by integrating FTP client functionality directly into its file manager interface.
Launch CX File Explorer on Android phone. Switch from the LOCAL to NETWORK tab where you can find the following options: Access from network, New location. Choose New location > REMOTE. Here we can connect to other devices in the local network, connect to SMB server, FTP server, SFTP or WebDAV file servers from Android mobile.
Choose FTP, then input the FTP server host IP, port number, username and password. If anonymous access is enabled, tap to check the Anonymous option so no username or password required.
Fill in all the required info, then click OK button. You can then access all files and folders saved on the FTP server right from your mobile phone.
Then, you can browse, download, upload, or delete files from the server using the app’s interface. You can also create folders, rename files on the server right from your Android mobile phone.
Alternatives to connect to FTP servers on Android phone
Go to the Google Play Store on your Android device and search for “FTP client”. You’ll find several apps to choose from. Similar to CX file explorer above, we also found other two file managers that come with the FTP support. Select an FTP client app or file manager app that suits your needs.
- MiXplorer: This is a fast, smooth, beautiful, reliable, free and full-featured Android file manager with a simple and intuitive user interface. It supports SD, FTP, Lan, Cloud and other storage.
- Owlfiles Manager: A powerful file manager app on Android and iOS. It can access not only local files, but also files on your computer, NAS and cloud storages. Transfer files from any location to any location. Stream movies and music to your Android phones and tablets. Directly view and manage documents, photos and files without downloading.