Online Storage: 3 Ways It Can Cut Your Clutter

Declutter Your Digital Life with Smart Online Storage

When house hunting, people obsess over storage space – closets, garages, basements. The same is true when choosing a file transfer or storage solution. If you don’t have a place to keep your digital files organized, chaos builds fast.

Just like physical clutter in your home, digital clutter – scattered files, unsorted photos, misplaced documents – can slow you down and create stress. That’s where online storage and FTP solutions come in.

What Does Online Storage Have to Do with a Tidy Closet?

Think of your digital life as a home. Each app or storage platform is like a room: your photo-sharing app is the living room, your business documents might live in the home office, and your FTP server? That’s your secure file cabinet – sturdy and structured.

Online storage helps you organize and access your digital “rooms” from anywhere, and when done right, it gives you the same satisfying feeling as a perfectly organized closet.

Here are three big reasons to get serious about online storage:

Cloud access means your files are available wherever you are – no more being chained to a desktop or digging through old hard drives. Whether you’re on a laptop at work, a tablet at home, or your phone while traveling, your documents and media are just a few clicks away.

For businesses, this mobility is critical. Need to pull a file during a meeting? Share a contract with a partner? Get feedback on a project? Cloud-accessible FTP and online storage systems let your team collaborate from anywhere.

It’s even easier when your storage solution includes tools like:

Custom naming conventions for easy file retrieval

Just like color-coding your closet, structure and searchability keep things efficient.

Check out ExaVault for these key file sharing features and more.

Most of us have photos scattered across phones, laptops, and random cloud accounts. Storing them all in one place means you’ll actually be able to find that perfect shot when you need it – whether it’s for a holiday card or a client presentation.

Share albums with friends, family, or clients via links

Photographers, marketers, and design teams benefit especially from storage solutions that support large previews, drag-and-drop uploads, and custom sharing links.

Many services such as ExaVault let you share with just a link. Quickly create a shareable link for the folder of images you want to show friends or clients. Then share that link via chat, email – any way you want.

Data security is the digital equivalent of a fireproof safe – but better. With secure online storage, you can store sensitive files and client assets without worrying about physical theft, hardware failure, or unauthorized access.

Strong encryption during transfer and at rest

Compliance with standards like GDPR and HIPAA

Whether you’re storing financial reports, client contracts, or vacation photos, secure storage lets you focus on your work – not your worries.

If your business wants total control over infrastructure, an on-premise solution like ExaVault’s FTP appliance delivers powerful file transfer capabilities right in your server room.

If you’re looking for a cloud-hosted FTP and online storage solution that scales effortlessly and eliminates hardware management, Files.com is a great option. With secure protocols, automation tools, user permissions, and full web access, Files.com brings powerful FTP functionality to the cloud.

Online storage is always on, always available, and gives you full control over your digital life—just like a good closet system gives you control over your home.

Whether you’re clearing out old paper files or organizing a decade of digital photos, now’s a great time to simplify. Your files will thank you – and so will your future self.

Ready to get organized? Start by choosing the storage solution that works best for your workflow.

Keep your home free of paper clutter, boxes of printed photos that you’ll never have time to sort through, and find what you need to when you need it with online storage.

Online storage for photographs, make file sharing easier, provides data security for your files and photos. See how cloud storage can help with clutter >>

Online Storage: 3 Ways It Can Cut Your Clutter | ExaVault Blog

The thought of having stuff with no place to store it can cause anxiety. The resulting clutter when there is not enough online storage is just as bad.

How to Access an FTP Server from the Browser

How to Access an FTP Server: A Beginner-Friendly Guide

FTP – short for File Transfer Protocol – has been around since long before “the cloud” or tools like Dropbox. It remains a foundational way to transfer files over the Internet, widely used by businesses, government agencies, and software providers alike.

While many organizations now turn to modern cloud-based file sharing platforms, FTP is still trusted for tasks that demand stability, control, and compatibility. Whether you’re downloading a software package from the IRS or uploading a file to a vendor, FTP is likely in the mix.

So how do you access an FTP server today? Let’s break it down.

An FTP server stores files and provides access via FTP client software. You connect to it either with a dedicated FTP client (like FileZilla or WinSCP) or, in some cases, through your operating system’s file manager.

While web browsers used to support FTP directly, most modern browsers – including Chrome, Firefox, and Edge – no longer support FTP natively. That means using a dedicated FTP client is now the recommended approach for accessing FTP servers.

Different organizations configure FTP access based on their goals:

Anonymous FTP: No credentials needed. You may simply enter “anonymous” as the username, and your email as the password. Common for public downloads.

Username-only access: Often used by schools or partners. You log in with a username but don’t need a password.

Username + Password: Most secure and widely used. You’ll need login credentials to access the server.

No matter the type of access, an FTP client allows you to connect, upload, download, and manage files securely and efficiently.

How to Access an FTP Server (the Modern Way)

To connect to an FTP server today, follow these steps:

Choose an FTP client:
Popular choices include:

Port (default is 21 for FTP, 22 for SFTP)

Username and password (unless anonymous access is allowed)

Connect and manage files: Once connected, you can drag and drop files between your local system and the FTP server – just like managing files on your computer.

💡 Tip: For frequent access, you can also map an FTP server as a network drive in Windows or macOS.

While older tutorials may recommend using your browser to connect to FTP servers, this is no longer practical. Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge have all removed support for FTP due to security limitations and low usage.

If you're looking for convenience and security, dedicated FTP clients – or platforms with modern web interfaces – are the way to go.

If your business needs a dedicated FTP solution, the ExaVault FTP Appliance provides a secure, on-premise platform with:

A web-based interface for user-friendly file management

This makes ExaVault an excellent fit for organizations that want full control over infrastructure while offering FTP access for employees, partners, or customers.

If your team prefers not to manage infrastructure and wants a fully cloud-hosted FTP alternative, Files.com offers FTP, SFTP, and FTPS access via a cloud-native platform.

Need secure file transfer without managing hardware

Want web-based access alongside traditional FTP client compatibility

Require integrations, automation, and audit controls built-in

FTP remains a reliable and powerful way to move files between systems. Whether you’re accessing a public FTP site or uploading mission-critical data to your internal server, understanding how FTP works – and how to connect properly – is key.

For a robust, on-premise FTP solution, explore what the ExaVault FTP Appliance has to offer.
For a hosted alternative, take a look at Files.com to see if a cloud-native approach fits your business needs.

If you're having trouble connecting to an FTP site, it could be due to a few common issues:

Your FTP client settings may be incorrect.

Your firewall or antivirus software could be blocking the connection.

The server you're trying to reach might be offline or have restricted access.

Try using a dedicated FTP client like FileZilla or WinSCP, and make sure you have the correct hostname, port number, and login credentials.

Possibly. The default FTP port is 21 (or 22 for SFTP), and some firewalls or network configurations may block these ports.
Check your firewall or router settings to ensure outbound connections on those ports are allowed. You can also consult your IT administrator for help configuring firewall exceptions.

Does FTP still work in Chrome or Firefox?

No. FTP support has been removed from all major browsers, including:

To connect to an FTP server, it’s now recommended to use a dedicated FTP client, not a browser.

How can I connect to an FTP server with an IP address and port?

You can use an FTP client like FileZilla or WinSCP. Here's how:

Enter the server's IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.100) and port number (usually 21 for FTP or 22 for SFTP).

Enter your username and password, then connect.

You can also map FTP as a network location in Windows Explorer for frequent access.

Use an FTP client to connect to the server.

Navigate to the folder where the file is stored.

Drag the file to your local machine or click "Download."

Depending on the permissions set by the server administrator, you may also be able to upload or modify files.

Looking for a business-grade FTP solution?

ExaVault supports any FTP client and provides a user-friendly web interface for managing files, users, and permissions.
It’s an on-premise appliance designed for businesses that need secure, reliable file transfers with complete infrastructure control.

Do you need an FTP site to help facilitate FTP transfers for your business? ExaVault supports any FTP client and has an intuitive interface for file and user management.

There are many ways to transfer files – FTP being one of them. While web browsers once supported FTP, modern best practice is to use a dedicated FTP client for secure, reliable access.

How to Access an FTP Server from the Browser | ExaVault Blog

There are many ways to transfer files—FTP being one of them. While web browsers once supported FTP, modern best practice is to use a dedicated FTP client for secure, reliable access.

Choosing the Right FTP Hosting: On-Premise vs. Cloud

Nearly every business today relies on file transfer in one form or another – whether it's collaborating with partners, automating workflows, or exchanging data between systems. A reliable FTP hosting solution helps streamline those transfers securely and efficiently.

At ExaVault, we offer a powerful on-premise FTP appliance built for businesses that want complete control over their infrastructure and security posture. But for some teams, a fully cloud-hosted solution may be the right fit – and it’s important to understand the difference.

FTP hosting allows businesses to offload file sharing, transfers, and access management to a centralized solution – whether that’s a physical appliance on-site or a platform hosted entirely in the cloud. Either way, the goal is to simplify and secure the movement of files.

The ExaVault FTP Appliance: A Feature-Rich On-Premise Solution

With ExaVault, customers get a dedicated, on-premise FTP appliance designed for performance, control, and security. Features available include:

Support for secure protocols like SFTP and FTP-SSL

An on-premise solution is ideal for organizations that require local control, have specific compliance needs, or want their data and infrastructure to remain behind their own firewall. The ExaVault appliance provides the power and flexibility IT teams need to configure, manage, and scale secure FTP services on their own terms.

Looking for a Fully Cloud-Hosted FTP Alternative?

For businesses looking for a fully cloud-native solution, Files.com is a great complement to the space. Files.com provides FTP, SFTP, and FTPS access via a cloud-hosted platform—no hardware required.

Cloud-hosted solutions like Files.com can be ideal for companies that prefer not to manage infrastructure, or for teams that need flexible access from anywhere, without managing upgrades or backups. With Files.com, all storage, scaling, and maintenance are handled for you.

Whether you choose a dedicated on-premise appliance like ExaVault or a fully managed cloud solution like Files.com, the key is aligning the solution with your business’s infrastructure strategy, compliance needs, and team workflows.

Need full control with all the power of a dedicated FTP environment? ExaVault’s appliance is a proven, robust solution trusted by thousands.
Prefer a cloud-native approach? Files.com offers a compelling hosted alternative.

Explore your options – and choose the FTP solution that fits your business best.

Explore the differences between on-premise FTP appliances like ExaVault and cloud-hosted solutions like Files.com to find the right fit for your business’s file transfer needs.

FTP Hosting Solutions | ExaVault Blog

Investing in a secure FTP hosting solution enables you to unburden your in-house PC or laptop and mobile devices by uploading everything off-site to a reliable cloud infrastructure.

As we head into July, we wanted to pass along a few tips and trick to make searching for files in your account easier. Use our file search tricks to find what you need faster.

By default, searching for files in your account will search your entire account. Sometimes, that’s not what you’re looking for, so there’s another option for you.  To restrict a search to your current folder (and the folders inside it):

Check the box for Search only this folder and subfolders that appears underneath the search box.

Type your search in the search box and press ‘Enter’.

Instead of seeing every possible matching file from your entire account, the results will show only matching files from within the current folder (and its subfolders).

Finding The Biggest Files In Your Account

When your account starts getting full, and it’s time to do some housekeeping, you may find it helpful to find your biggest files to clear up some space fast.  To find the largest files in your account:

Make sure you are in the ‘Home’ folder.

Type * in the search box and press ‘Enter’.

The largest files in your account should appear at the top of the list of results.

Gathering Different Types Of Files With Search

Here’s an advanced trick for when you need to collect groups of different things, such as to download all of the pictures (jpegs, bmps, raw and png, for example), but not the documents (such as .docx) in your account:

Do a file search to get the first group of matching files.

Check the boxes to the right of each matching file.

Search for your next group of matching files.

Repeat until you have all the groups searched for and matches selected.

Now, here’s the fancy part: even though you can no longer see the results of your original search, you still have those checked matches selected. If you were to click the Download Selected button after following those steps, you’ll download a zip file that contains all of the files you selected in your searches, not just your most recent search. The key to using this trick is simple: after you’ve selected a group of files to include, move on immediately to the next search to select other files, and only download (or delete, or send, etc.) when you’ve finished selecting all of your files.

Ready to find all your files fast? Try ExaVault today!

Tips and trick to make searching for files in your ExaVault account easier. Use our file search tricks to find what you need faster.

Tips and Tricks for Faster File Search | ExaVault Blog

Use our file search tricks and tricks to find what you need faster.

We’re working on exciting features and updates that will be coming your way later this year. Right now, we’ve got a new video showcasing our helpful Get Info feature, and if you’re not signed up for annual billing, now is a great time to switch and save $$.

Do you know how easy it is to get information about the files and folders you have in your ExaVault account? This can be helpful when you want to know the size of a file or the last time it was updated, among other things.

We’ve got a new how-to video that shows you all about our Get Info feature in less than 2 minutes.

How to Get Info on Files & Folders in ExaVault

It’s not just you. There are a lot of stops along the way that can cause hiccups in speed and connection issues.

From checking speed with pings, using MTR, and identifying packet loss — let our UX guy walk you through some helpful tools in our recent blog: Is It Just Me? Diagnosing FTP Speed and Connection Issues

As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to drop us a line at support@exavault.com.

Switch to annual billing and save money, plus we've got a new help video covering the Get Info feature accessible in the web file manager.

Get Info on Files & Folders + Save With Annual Billing | ExaVault Blog

Getting info and saving money, two of our favorite things. See how you can get in on the action.

Tips and Tricks: Buttons, Receive Folders and Sorting

Today we’ve got some more tips and tricks to help you get the most out of ExaVault. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a new user, you’ll be sure to find something that tickles your fancy — from receive folders to finding files.

First, let’s talk buttons for a minute. Buttons are great for accomplishing tasks, but some pesky buttons show up when they are not usable, leading to button overload. Too many buttons can cause confusion.

Help, what can I do with my files? You can always upload files to your account. Otherwise, all you have to do is select the files or folders you want and the applicable options will appear.

That’s why when you’re in our web interface, we only show you actions and buttons you can actually use. When you select a file, for example, we show you that you can now move, delete or even download that file. If you select multiple files, you can even download a compressed archive of those files, and of course, you can share files or folders.

Sharing files with coworkers and clients is nice, but sometimes you need others to share files with you. They might not even have an ExaVault account, and sending emails with files attached is no longer a best practice. So, what’s the solution?

That’s why we made Receive Folders. You can set up a place where people can upload files directly into your account, with all the permissions and enterprise-grade security you’ve come to expect from ExaVault. Require a password? Sure. Customize the receive form? Of course. Embed the form onto your site? Absolutely.

You’re always in control with receive folders. We let you edit the settings any time and customize the receive form with text fields to capture the information you need to go along with the files people share with you.

Are you running low on space and need to find the large files that you no longer need to free up those precious mega-bytes? In our web interface, you can easily sort files — by name, when it was uploaded, and even by size.

Changing the view for files in the file manager even works after you’ve done a search. Use the search box to help you find files when you know part of the file name, then change the view to further sort your results. Hit the refresh button next to the View options any time to reset the filters.

Interested in our receive folders, functional buttons, and file sorting options?

Tips and tricks to get the most of your file sharing account with ExaVault. Receive Folders in your account, sort files, see active buttons.

Tips and Tricks: Buttons, Receive Folders and Sorting | ExaVault Blog

More tips and tricks to help you get the most out of ExaVault. Whether you're a seasoned pro or a new user, you'll be sure to find something that tickles your fancy -- from receive folders to finding files.

Two Quick Tips: Keyboard Shortcuts and Sharing History

In the spirit of dropping knowledge, this month we’re talking about some lesser-known tips to help you get the most out of your ExaVault account. From a keyboard shortcut to having more control of your sharing history.

Moving files around in the file manager by dragging and dropping can be a real time-saver. Did you know that you can also copy files by dragging and dropping? You can! And you’ll save even more time with this handy keyboard shortcut.

Simply hold down the Control button on your PC keyboard (Option key on Macs) when dragging a file. You’ll see the label change to “Copy”. Once you drop the file, you’ll have made a copy of the file in a new location!


Sharing is caring, but sometimes you need to know what exactly is happening when sharing files. In the Activity section of the web interface, you view Share Activity. See when you shared a file or folder and even click on the entry to see exact details — share permissions, who accessed the share and the list goes on.

From the Share Activity page, it’s easy to select a share, update permissions, set an expiration date for download links, resend the share, even update delivery receipt notifications.

Watch our video on sharing history to learn even more. How to View You File Sharing History.

Do you know someone who could benefit from using ExaVault? Of course you do! For current ExaVault clients, we want to make sure you know where to go to find out more about our referral program, so you can start earning rewards today.  First, visit our Refer a Friend page and learn how to get your personalized referral link. Send the link to your friends, family, and business colleagues, the rewards are endless.

Ready to take control of your file sharing activity? Get started with ExaVault today!

Keyboard shortcuts and sharing history. Get great tips and tricks from ExaVault. Experience a simple, fully managed FTP site. Try it free today!

Two Quick Tips: Keyboard Shortcuts and Sharing History | ExaVault Blog

Lesser-known tips from a keyboard shortcut to more control of your sharing history.

Mass User Creation, Custom Welcome Emails, and More

In the last few releases of ExaVault’s software, we’ve been honing some of our more ‘enterprise’ features. We’re not talking about the rental car company or famed galaxy-class starship. We’re talking improvements that make the lives of people who deal with many users easier!

One of the biggest frustrations for anyone who needs to make a boat-load of new user accounts is, well, actually making all those user accounts. To make this easier, we’ve just introduced a tool. You can upload a CSV file full of users, and have them created instantly.

If you’re not already in the know, a CSV file is like an Excel Workbook, but saved as a text file. You can create one with all of the email addresses, users’ names and initial passwords that you would like to create. Upload it with our new ‘Import Users’ feature and it all your users will be automatically created! No more carpal tunnel for you, Mr. or Mrs. Account Manager!

We’ve always tried to get out of the way as much as we can. We offer a number of rebranding options, such as customizing your logo, color scheme and more.

We’re adding one more today: Account Managers can customize the welcome email that users get after an account is created for them. Do you need to tell your users some company specific policy about flip-flops in the workplace when their ExaVault account is made? Go right ahead!

You can find this option under your Account Preferences. You can even preview the email that will be sent out!

Fair warning: If you don’t already know what an SSH Key is, you don’t need to read this section. There, time saved!

If you use SSH keys to automatically login to your account, you can now create those keys directly from SWFT. Just go to the Users tab, and click the ‘SSH Key’ button for the user you want to generate a key for. It will automatically be installed in the account and downloaded to your computer. See our documentation for more on how to use SSH Keys.

After all this enterprise talk, we could really go for some Romulan ale.
We’ll see you next time, ExaVaulintarians!- The ExaVault Team

Mass user creation is easy with ExaVault. New features include mass user creation, custom welcome emails and SSH keys. Great ways to improve file sharing.

Mass User Creation, Custom Welcome Emails, and More | ExaVault Blog

Improve file sharing with mass user creation, custom welcome emails and SSH keys.

Why Financial Services Choose Files.com for Web-Based File Transfers

In financial and accounting services, file transfers are more than operational—they’re critical to client trust, data integrity, and regulatory compliance. That’s why firms are turning to Files.com, a secure, cloud-native file transfer platform built to streamline complex workflows while maintaining full visibility and control.

And if the name sounds familiar, it should—Files.com is the sister product of ExaVault, offering a modern, fully web-based alternative to ExaVault’s appliance-based approach.

Built for the Web: Transfer Files To or From Anywhere

While ExaVault connects to your on-premise storage using a local hardware appliance, Files.com eliminates that dependency. Everything happens in the cloud—securely and seamlessly. You can transfer files between on-premise systems, cloud storage, client endpoints, or internal teams, all through a browser or API—no appliance or software installation required.

Files.com gives your team full control from anywhere, whether you’re working from a firm’s data center, a home office, or on-site with a client.

Intuitive Web Interface for Teams and Clients

Manage files with ease using our modern, browser-based interface. Upload, download, organize, and share files in seconds using drag-and-drop tools and one-click links. Clients can securely send documents through branded upload portals—no login required.

Need to collect more than just the file? Use our customizable forms to gather metadata like client names, account numbers, or reporting periods—all captured securely with each submission.

Complete Visibility with Detailed Activity Logs

Files.com provides built-in activity logs so you can see exactly who accessed what, when, and how. Filter logs by user, file name, date range, or activity type (upload, download, delete, etc.)—perfect for audits, compliance reviews, or internal reporting.

Tight Access Controls for Compliance and Security

Keep your firm in control with fine-grained permissions. Assign role-based access, restrict users to specific folders, and adjust settings instantly through the web interface. You can even automate access provisioning via SSO or user directories.

Whether it’s a junior staff member uploading tax documents or a senior partner reviewing year-end reports, you control who sees what.

Security That Meets Financial Industry Standards

Files.com delivers enterprise-grade protection with encryption in transit and at rest, SFTP and FTP-SSL support, IP whitelisting, and password complexity enforcement. We support regulatory compliance frameworks like SOC 2, HIPAA, and GDPR—so you can transfer financial data with confidence.

Make a Professional Impression with Custom Branding

Files.com allows you to brand every part of your file transfer experience—client portals, notification emails, and even the domain name. Present a seamless, professional front that reinforces your firm’s credibility and client trust.

Files.com: A Cloud-Native Alternative to Appliance-Based File Transfers

As the sister-product to ExaVault, Files.com is a natural next step for financial services firms ready to leave appliances behind. Move files between any location—cloud, on-premise, client systems—using just your browser or API. No hardware. No hassle.

Start your free trial to explore everything Files.com offers, or contact us to learn about our enterprise plans, complete with high-capacity storage, automation features, and dedicated support.

FTP solutions and web-based file management for financial services. It's business file sharing with enterprise-grade security. Built for your industry.

File Management for Finance & Accounting | ExaVault Blog

The perfect file sharing solution with secure FTP access for large financial files plus an easy to use web-based interface.

Improve Your Buy Now: Business File Transfer For Retail & E-commerce

Why Retail and E-Commerce Businesses Choose Files.com for Web-Based File Transfers

Today’s retail and e-commerce landscape depends on fast, reliable, and secure file transfers—whether you’re managing product data, syncing with vendors, or delivering marketing assets across stores. Files.com, the sister product of ExaVault, is built to meet the unique demands of modern retail operations with a fully cloud-native, web-based platform.

Unlike ExaVault, which relies on an on-premise appliance to connect local storage, Files.com offers a more flexible and scalable approach. With Files.com, your team can transfer files to or from anywhere—corporate offices, retail stores, warehouses, cloud platforms, or vendor systems—directly through the browser or API. No hardware. No hassle.

Don’t Let File Transfers Slow Down Sales

Business file sharing solution with features designed for retail chains and e-commerce. Custom branding, website integration, unlimited users and more.

FTP vs SFTP: What’s Best for My Use?

FTP vs SFTP

What about SFTP?

So, which protocol is best for your use?

Let’s go over some reasons to use FTP.

And why you might use SFTP?

The choice is yours.

Recent Related Blogs

How to Access an FTP Server from the Browser

Keep Order Data Flowing with ExaVault + Excelify

Share via:

Connect