NetBeans FTP Settings Location on Windows

NetBeans 19.x and Above

The FTP settings file in NetBeans 19.x and above on Windows is typically located in:
C:\Users\<your_username>\AppData\Roaming\NetBeans\<version>\config\Preferences\org\netbeans\modules\<mod_name>\project


More Specifically:

1. Navigate to the NetBeans config directory:
   • C:\Users\<your_username>\AppData\Roaming\NetBeans\<version>\
   • Replace <your_username> with your Windows username
   • Replace <version> with your NetBeans version (e.g., 19, 20, 21, etc.)
2. FTP server settings are stored in:
   • config/Preferences/org/netbeans/modules/<mod_name>/project folder contains FTP configurations organized by project type
   • <mod_name> depends on your project technology:
     • php – for PHP projects
     • java – for Java projects
     • javaweb or web – for Web projects
     • enterprise – for Enterprise projects
   • FTP connections are stored separately for each technology/module
3. If AppData is hidden:
   • Press Windows + R and type: %APPDATA%\NetBeans
   • This will take you directly to the NetBeans folder

Example Paths:

NetBeans 21 – PHP Project:

C:\Users\john\AppData\Roaming\NetBeans\21\config\Preferences\org\netbeans\modules\php\project

NetBeans 20 – Java Project:

C:\Users\jane\AppData\Roaming\NetBeans\20\config\Preferences\org\netbeans\modules\java\project

Alternative Method to Access FTP Settings Within NetBeans:

• Open NetBeans
• Go to Tools > Options (or NetBeans > Preferences on Mac)
• Navigate to Web & PHP > Servers
• Your configured FTP/SSH servers will be listed here

Important Notes:

• The actual FTP credentials and server details are encrypted and stored in the config directory, so you may not be able to easily view them as plain text
• You can manage FTP connections through the Tools > Options menu in the GUI
• This path structure applies to NetBeans 19.x and above — earlier versions (18.x and below) may use different directory structures
• FTP settings are organized by project type/module, so different projects may store their settings in different locations within the config folder

NetBeans FTP Password Storage – Windows

NetBeans 19.x and Above

FTP passwords in NetBeans 19.x and above are stored in an OS-specific properties file located at:

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\NetBeans\<version>\config\Preferences\org\netbeans\modules\keyring\win32.properties

Key Details:

1. OS-specific file:
   • Windows: win32.properties
   • Other Operating Systems: Different file names (varies by OS)
   • All passwords for a specific OS are stored in a single properties file
2. File format:
   • The file is a text file that can be opened with any text editor (Notepad, VS Code, etc.)
   • It is not binary or encrypted
   • However, the passwords themselves are hashed within the file
   • Hashed passwords cannot be reversed to obtain the original plain text password
3. How to view/manage FTP passwords:
   • Open NetBeans
   • Go to Tools > Options > Web & PHP > Servers
   • Select your FTP server configuration
   • View or edit the FTP connection details through the GUI
   • This is the proper way to manage your FTP credentials

Example Path for NetBeans 21:

C:\Users\john\AppData\Roaming\NetBeans\21\config\Preferences\org\netbeans\modules\keyring\win32.properties

Note: While the win32.properties file can be opened in a text editor, the passwords are hashed and cannot be decoded. Always use the NetBeans GUI (Tools > Options) to manage your FTP credentials safely.