SSH/SCP: Copy Files & Folders from Local to Remote & Remote to Local

This article shows how you can copy files and folders from your local machine to remote server. Also, how you can copy files and folders from the remote server to your local machine.

We will use SCP protocol for this purpose. SCP stands for Secure Copy Protocol. It’s a means of securely transferring computer files. Files can be transferred between local host and remote host, or between two remote hosts.

SCP is based on the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol.

Copy from Local to Remote

Copy a single file from Local computer to Remote Server


scp /path/of/your/local/filename username@hostname:/path/to/remote/server/folder

with a custom port number (xxxx)


scp -P xxxx /path/of/your/local/filename username@hostname:/path/to/remote/server/folder

Copy folder from Local Computer to Remote Server

-r = recursive copy (copy all the files and folders inside the specified folder)


scp -r /path/of/your/local/folder username@hostname:/path/to/remote/server/folder

with a custom port number (xxxx)


scp -r -P xxxx /path/of/your/local/folder username@hostname:/path/to/remote/server/folder

Copy from Remote to Local

Copy a single file from Remote Server to Local Computer


scp username@hostname:/path/of/remote/server/filename /path/to/local/destination/folder

with a custom port number (xxxx)


scp -P xxxx username@hostname:/path/of/remote/server/filename /path/to/local/destination/folder

Copy folder from Local Computer to Remote Server

-r = recursive copy (copy all the files and folders inside the specified folder)


scp -r username@hostname:/path/of/remote/server/folder /path/to/local/destination/folder

with a custom port number (xxxx)


scp -r -P xxxx username@hostname:/path/of/remote/server/folder /path/to/local/destination/folder

Hope this helps. Thanks.