Hey WordPress community!
I’m running a WordPress site on my server, but I’m stuck with a plugin problem. My hosting only allows SFTP with SSH key authentication. Now I’m trying to add new plugins and update the ones I have.
The thing is, WordPress keeps asking for FTP login info when I try to do this through the admin panel. It’s driving me nuts! 
Is there a way to handle plugin installs and updates by uploading files myself? I’d rather not give WordPress my FTP details (even if I had them).
Anyone know a workaround for this? Maybe some manual method that doesn’t need WordPress to do everything? I’d really appreciate any tips or tricks you guys might have!
Thanks in advance for your help! 
yo mike, i feel ur pain! been there before. heres a trick: use sftp instead of ftp. grab an sftp client like filezilla, download the plugin zip, connect to ur server, go to wp-content/plugins, and upload it there. then just extract and activate from wp dashboard. no ftp needed! its a bit manual but works like a charm. good luck dude!
Have you considered using SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) instead of FTP? Since your hosting supports SFTP with SSH key authentication, this could be a viable solution. You can use an SFTP client like FileZilla or WinSCP to securely transfer plugin files to your server. Simply download the plugin ZIP file, connect to your server via SFTP, navigate to the wp-content/plugins directory, and upload the file. Then, extract it on the server. Once done, you can activate the plugin from your WordPress dashboard. This method bypasses the need for FTP credentials and gives you more control over the process. It’s a bit more manual, but it’s secure and effective for managing plugins without relying on WordPress’s built-in updater.
Hey there! I’ve been in a similar situation before, and I found a workaround that might help you out. Since you’ve got SFTP access with SSH key authentication, you can actually manage your plugins manually. Here’s what I do:
Download the plugin ZIP file you want to install.
Use an SFTP client (I prefer FileZilla) to connect to your server.
Navigate to the wp-content/plugins directory.
Upload the ZIP file and extract it right there on the server.
Go to your WordPress dashboard and activate the plugin.
For updates, I just replace the old plugin folder with the new one. It’s a bit more hands-on, but it gives you full control and bypasses the FTP credential issue. Plus, it’s pretty secure since you’re using SFTP.
One more tip: if you’re comfortable with the command line, you could look into WP-CLI. It’s a powerful tool for managing WordPress via SSH, including plugin installations and updates. Might be worth checking out if you’re doing this often!