We create FTP accounts with access restricted to specific directories — useful for giving a contractor, a developer, or a specific tool exactly the file access they need without granting broader access to your entire hosting account.
FTP account creation & directory restriction
An FTP account restricted to exactly one directory — nothing more than the job needs.
- Full backup taken before we start
- If we can’t fix it, you get your money back
- We never ask for your own password
What we need from you
- Access to your hosting control panel’s FTP account management
- Confirmation of who or what needs the account, and exactly which directory they should be restricted to
- Confirmation of the access level needed (read-only, or full read/write)
This or something else?
| You need an FTP account created with access restricted to a specific directory | This fix covers it |
| You want an existing FTP account’s restrictions adjusted, not a new one created | Still covered by this fix, treated as an adjustment rather than a fresh creation |
| You’re troubleshooting an FTP connection issue, not creating a new account | A different, diagnostic fix — describe the specific connection issue directly |
| You want SFTP specifically, for a more secure connection method | Worth confirming your host’s control panel supports this — we’d configure whichever secure method is available |
What we do
- Confirm who needs access and to which specific directory
- Create the FTP account restricted to that directory only
- Set the appropriate access level (read-only or read/write)
- Test the account to confirm it can access the intended directory and nothing beyond it
- Provide the credentials securely to the intended recipient
- Document the account and its restrictions for future reference
What is included
- An FTP account created with access restricted to the specified directory
- Verified correct access level and directory restriction
- Tested confirmation of correct, limited access
- Secure delivery of credentials
Not included
- Broader account access beyond what’s genuinely needed for the specified purpose
- Troubleshooting an existing, separate FTP connection issue, a different, diagnostic fix
- Setting up SFTP or a more secure protocol if your host’s control panel doesn’t offer it
- Ongoing account management as your team or contractor relationships change
Questions about this fix
Why restrict access to a specific directory instead of just giving full access?
Limiting access to exactly what's needed reduces risk — if that specific account's credentials are ever compromised, the potential damage is contained to just that directory rather than your entire hosting account.
Is FTP secure, or should I ask for something else?
Standard FTP transmits data without encryption, which is a genuine security consideration — if your host's control panel supports SFTP or FTPS, we'd recommend and configure one of those more secure alternatives instead.
Can I revoke this access later once the contractor's work is done?
Yes, removing or disabling an FTP account is a quick, straightforward task once the access is no longer needed.
What if I need to grant access to more than one directory for the same person?
We can configure multiple allowed directories for a single account if your control panel supports it, or set up separate accounts for each, depending on what fits your situation.
Will this account be able to see other files on my hosting account at all?
No, that's specifically the point of the restriction — a correctly configured, directory-restricted account shouldn't be able to browse or access anything outside its designated folder.
Related fixes
If this is the second time this year
A bad update breaking the site is a symptom of updates not being tested first. Care plans run every update on a staging clone before it reaches your live site, which is the actual fix for this happening again.
Your access, your rules
Create a separate admin account for us and delete it when we are done. For anything else, we get in touch and agree a method — never a form field on this site, never by reply to an email.
We back up first, always
Before anything is touched we take a full backup and keep it for 30 days. If a fix goes wrong, we put the site back exactly as it was.
If it is not what you bought
If the problem turns out smaller than what you ordered, we refund the difference. If it is bigger, we stop and send a quote before doing any extra work.
If we cannot fix it
You get back what we received. Diagnosis is on us — you only pay when the problem is actually solved. The payment processor takes its fee before the money reaches us, so we never hold it and it is not ours to return. That is true here as everywhere else.
If it comes back
Reply within seven days of delivery and we put it back on the bench at no cost. The fix is not finished until it holds.
What we are responsible for
If something goes wrong with a fix, our responsibility is limited to what you paid for it. We take a full backup first so mistakes can be undone, and we tell you before doing anything outside what you bought.