Sometimes you may need FTP access for your local WordPress development (to update WordPress core version, themes, and Plugins) running via MAMP or MAMP PRO. You can use the FTP server built into Mac OS X but unfortunately, FTP server is not activated by default. Here are the steps to activate the FTP server and how to set up FTP access:
(1) Open System Preferences
(2) Go to Sharing
(3) Activate File Sharing
(4) Click on Options
(5) Select (tick) Share files and folders using SMB
(6) Click on Done
(7) Below the entry FTP Access: On you will find a text Other users can access shared folders on this computer, and administrators all volumes, at afp://10.10.10.10 or smb://10.10.10.10. (you will get different IP than 10.10.10.10)
(8) Write down the IP Address (you will get different IP than 10.10.10.10)
(9) Close the preferences panel.
Now, open MAMP / MAMP PRO.
(10) Go to General
(11) Change to your Mac username from www (Apache) / mysql (MySQL) in Run Apache/MySQL server as user: option.
(12) Restart your webserver (Apache?)
✓ All Done! Now you're good to access your FTP using following credentials :
FTP Host: Your IP (step 8) or localhost
Username: Your mac username (step 11)
Password: Your mac password
Local Directory Path: Your WordPress installation path ( eg.: /Applications/MAMP/htdocs/wordpress.local )
Thanks that is what I looked for about 30 min, Googled and found it here.
Happy that it worked for you.
Hi! thanks for posting this, does this only work for MAMP PRO? I only have MAMP (free version) and I got stacked at step 10 (Go to ‘General’), because it doesn’t give that option. How could I continue? Thank you.
I have the same problem. Did you solve it?
You save Me. thank you!!
My system does not show FTP
It shows share files via AFP
OSX 10.7.5
What am I missing?
Why you’re still using OS X 10.7.5 when the latest version of OS X is 10.10.4? It looks like you didn’t update your Mac since years.
Thanks for the very quick reply!
Guilty as charged. ;<)
So the current version does have FTP enabled?
Until this point I had no reason to upgrade, the older version worked just fine for me.
Yes, it should be there I recommend you update your OS X version first.
hello , i have yosemite and i could not find ftp
Dipak, really appreciate this post. You have fixed my biggest gripe with MAMP. Thank you
Is the general tab only in MAMP pro? I can’t seem to find it in MAMP.
Hi, thane for your tutorial. I am using version 10.10.5 and I don’t have the option “Share files and folders using FTP”, only AFP and SMB. Will this work? Thanks!
The same here
Then select (tick) “Share files and folders using SMB”. It should work without any problem.
Let me know how it goes.
I’m using Mamp Pro 4.5 which does not appear to have the option to edit the Apache/MySQL server user.
Please try this if you’ve the latest version of MAMP Pro:
– Open MAMP Pro and select the Host you are currently using.
– Right Click, and select “Open Permissions Panel” (fn + F4 shortcut key)
Here, you can change the Owner (username) and Group as well.
I hope this helps.
Wow, thank you so much. Huge help!
I have same problem – no general option I am guessing it has to be mama pro? Be nice if someone confirmed this…
Very great! Tnks!
Thank you so much! I been trying to create a local FTP site for testing using FileZilla for a few days now. Your post finally got something working for me!