SCP Linux <> Linux

9min
Secure Copy Files Between Windows and Linux Servers 
SCP (Secure Copy Protocol) is a simple and secure way to transfer files between your Linux machine and a Linux server. This article explains how to use the scp command in the Linux terminal to copy files to and from a Linux server.
﻿
Step 1: Ensure SSH is Enabled on the Linux Server
Make sure the SSH service is installed and running on your Linux server. Use the following command:
Bash
sudo apt-get install openssh-server
sudo apt-get install openssh-server
﻿
﻿
Step 2: Use the scp Command to Transfer Files
Copy a File from Local to Remote Server
To upload a file from your local machine to the Linux server:
Bash
scp /path/to/local/file username@hostname_or_ip:/path/to/remote/directory
scp /path/to/local/file username@hostname_or_ip:/path/to/remote/directory
﻿
Replace /path/to/local/file with the full path to the file on your local machine.
Replace username with your Linux server username.
Replace hostname_or_ip with your server’s IP address or domain name.
Replace /path/to/remote/directory with the target directory on the server.
Copy a File from Remote Server to Local Machine
To download a file from the Linux server to your local machine:
Bash
scp username@hostname_or_ip:/path/to/remote/file /path/to/local/directory
scp username@hostname_or_ip:/path/to/remote/file /path/to/local/directory
﻿
Replace /path/to/remote/file with the file’s path on the server.
Replace /path/to/local/directory with the target directory on your local machine.
﻿
Example Commands
Upload Example
Bash
scp ~/Documents/example.txt [email protected]:/home/user/uploads
scp ~/Documents/example.txt user@192.168.1.10:/home/user/uploads
﻿
Download Example
Bash
scp [email protected]:/home/user/uploads/example.txt ~/Downloads
scp user@192.168.1.10:/home/user/uploads/example.txt ~/Downloads
﻿
﻿
Updated 11 Dec 2024
Did this page help you?
SFTP Windows <> Linux Server
SCP Windows <> Linux