SOLVED Default Mac FTP application

[Dlass]

Monterey 12.6.6. When I pull down Go>Connect to Server, and ftp or sftp to a server, I'm dropped into Fetch, which seems to be the default ftp application for my Mac. How do I change that default ftp application to, say, Filezilla, which Hostgator recommends? Strangely, in Fetch preferences, you can designate a default application, which might not be Fetch. Duh?

 

[Dlass]

Well, yes, I can set Filezilla as the default ftp/sftp in Fetch, but why does Apple rely on Fetch to determine who is the ftp/sftp client? And why would Fetch point you at another ftp/sftp client? Sort of like if a MacOS pointed you at Windows.

 

[TonyAguila]

Well, yes, I can set Filezilla as the default ftp/sftp in Fetch, but why does Apple rely on Fetch to determine who is the ftp/sftp client? And why would Fetch point you at another ftp/sftp client? Sort of like if a MacOS pointed you at Windows.

Sorry for deleting my previous post. I realized it would not be of any use to what you are trying to do. I have removed my list of ftp servers that I used to connect to, so I can’t give your steps to try. I’ll see if I can retrieve my previous addresses.

 

[Dlass]

.... aaaaand, the answer is ... you need to edit a Mac "macOS URL Scheme" prefpane to choose the default application. A simple way to do this is with SwiftDefaultApps, which can be installed in SysPrefs. That lays it all out in a nice user interface where you can choose what apps you want to use as defaults for email, ftp, web browsing, news reading and messaging. I guess Fetch has an option where you can do this for ftp.

Not entirely sure how default apps are established in the first place. Of course, the MacOS makes it easy in SysPrefs/General to choose the default web browser, and I think at least Firefox gives you the option to choose it.