FTP is an acronym for “file transfer protocol,” which is an easy and convenient way to share files from your device to others. Using FTP gives you several helpful options for getting your episodes and other materials into Libysn. For example, you can use FTP to upload more than one file to Libsyn at the same time, or to upload accompanying image or PDF files that you can link from your show notes.
If you don't want to sign in to your Libsyn account at all, you also have the option of publishing directly from FTP.
This article walks you through how to get started using FTP, and all of the options you have for uploading and publishing when you're up and running.
Get Started with FTP
There are three main tasks you need to complete to get started with FTP: create an FTP password in Libsyn, download the FTP software you want to use, and set it up.
Create an FTP Password
Before you can use any FTP software, you need to create an FTP password in your Libsyn account. The password you create enables you to to connect to your Libsyn account through your FTP software.
| Note |
Your FTP password and your Libsyn account password are separate passwords that access different functionality. For security, the password you create for FTP should be different than your Libsyn account password. After you create your FTP password, you might have to wait a few minutes before it becomes active. |
To set up your FTP password:
- Sign in to your Libsyn account.
- Click the
icon and select Account Settings. The Account Settings form opens.
- At the bottom of the form, click Change FTP Password. Two new Password fields open.
- Enter your new password in the New Password field, and then enter it again in the Retype Password field to confirm it.
Tip To see the characters you entered for your password, click the 
icon to the right of the field. - Click Save. Your FTP password is set and you can now log out of Libsyn and work on your FTP software.
Note It might take a few minutes for your password to become active. If you try to connect to your Libsyn account using your FTP software, but the connection fails, try again in a few minutes.
Download Your FTP Software
There are many software programs available for using FTP. The program you use depends on your preferences, but we have several recommendations for Windows and macOS. You can follow the links below to learn more about each of our recommendations or to download them.
| Windows | MacOS |
|---|---|
Set up Your FTP Software to Connect to Libsyn
After you install your FTP software, you need to enter the correct information to make sure it connects to your Libsyn account. Here is an overview of the information you need to enter:
- Hostname (also sometimes referred to as Server): ftp-lax.libsyn.com
- Username: Enter the email address you use to access your Libsyn account.
- Password: Enter the FTP password you created in Libsyn. Note that this password is not the same as your Libsyn account password; see Create an FTP Password for more information.
- Port Numbers:
- FTP: 21
- FTPS: 990
- FTP Protocol: If your FTP software requires that you enter an FTP protocol, select either FTP (port 21) or FTPS (port 990). Note that not all FTP software asks you to enter an FTP protocol.
After you enter all required information, you can connect your FTP software to your Libsyn account, and then you are ready to upload and publish your episodes using FTP.
| Note | For more specific information about setting up a particular FTP application and connecting it to Libsyn, you can refer to our articles about how to set up FileZilla, Cyberduck, or WinSCP. |
Upload Files and Publish Episodes with FTP
After you enter all required information and connect your FTP software to Libsyn, the FTP application provides access to a list of folders that you can use to upload and publish episodes.
The main folder you see is your podcast folder, which is named after your podcast. If you have more than one podcast, you'll see a folder for each one.
When you open a podcast folder, you will see the following four subfolders:
- assets
- dropbox
- public
- quickcast
Each of these folders provides a different option for uploading files or publishing episodes. Read the sections below for more information about how to use each one.
| Note | When you upload a file to Libsyn using any of the folders below, the file disappears from your FTP software. This behavior is normal. Libsyn pulls the file from the FTP server, processes it, and then stores it. You can find all of your uploaded files in your Libsyn account. |
The Assets Folder
You can use this folder to upload images or PDF files that you want to link to. For example, if you have an important PDF file that you want to distribute with your episode, like a transcription of the episode, you can upload it here and then include a link to it in your episode description (also known as show notes).
When you upload an image file or a PDF file to this folder, you can link to it using the following URL structure (note that you must replace the sections in red with the appropriate information):
https://assets.libsyn.com/images/your show slug/file name
The Dropbox Folder
Use this folder to upload any media files that contain episodes that you want to publish later. This folder gives you the option of uploading more than one file at the same time.
After you upload episodes, they are available in Libsyn. From your Libsyn account, you can enter all of the necessary information for the episode to prepare it for publication, including show notes, artwork, and scheduling information that specifies when you want the episode to become available in your publication destinations.
For more information about how to publish an episode that you've uploaded using the dropbox folder, see Publish an Episode (and the "Other Ways of Uploading Episodes" section of that article in particular).
| Note | Although the name is the same, the dropbox folder has no connection to the Dropbox cloud storage service. |
The Public Folder
Use the public folder to upload media that you want to share for "download only." "Files for download only" are files that you can make publicly accessible, but do not get published to any publication destinations - like podcast directories, social media, or web pages - through Libsyn.
This option is useful if you're using Libsyn to store your episodes, but you're updating your RSS feed using different software.
The Quickcast Folder
Use the quickcast folder to publish content to all of the publication destinations that you've connected your show to, including podcast directories, social media, and more. Episodes you place in this folder publish right away as soon as the upload finishes and your publication destinations process it.
The information needed to publish your episode - such as the title, artwork, description, and more - come from the information stored in the media file you upload. This information is stored in containers called ID3 tags, which you need to update before you publish using the quickcast folder. For more information about ID3 tags and how to use them, see Manage the Episode Information in Your Media Files.
| Note | Are you ready to publish your episode? Make sure you have configured your show and set up your publications correctly, including connecting your show to the podcast directories where you want your show to appear. For an overview of everything you should prepare, see Are You Ready to Publish an Episode? |