Site Definition server profiles: Transitioning from FTP to SFTP in CC releases

Question

Server Connection Security Transitions
Adobe Dreamweaver Site Definitions manage remote server profiles including connection types, hostnames, and authentication methods. Recent Creative Cloud (CC) releases have shifted default guidance toward SFTP to improve security over plain FTP.
For legacy sites established in older CC versions, these connection settings are stored locally within the user profile and do not automatically migrate to secure protocols. This creates a configuration boundary where existing site definitions may remain on insecure protocols despite updated software defaults.
When manually updating a site from FTP to SFTP, there is uncertainty regarding how the application handles existing port configurations and authentication cached credentials during the transition.

Does changing the connection type to SFTP automatically reset the port to 22, or does it retain the previous FTP port?
Are existing password credentials preserved when switching the protocol within the same server profile?

Tasadduq Burney · Answer

Direct Answer
Changing a Dreamweaver remote server profile from FTP to SFTP does not reliably reset the port. The Port field often retains the previous FTP value (commonly 21) and must be manually updated to 22 or your server’s custom SFTP port. Saved username and password entries are generally preserved within the same server profile, but the password may be cleared if you also change the authentication type.

Likely Explanation vs. Confirmed Facts
Dreamweaver stores site definitions as local profile records. The protocol selector, hostname, port, and credentials are separate fields in that record. When you edit an existing profile, the application does not appear to rewrite the port automatically to match the newly selected protocol. Recent Creative Cloud releases have shifted guidance and defaults toward SFTP for new sites, but they do not retroactively migrate legacy local profiles.
Because this behavior is version-sensitive across CC releases, treat the above as the likely pattern rather than a guaranteed dialog behavior. Confirm the actual result in your installed version before relying on it.

Steps to Transition Safely

Open Site Setup > Servers and select the existing profile.
Change Connect using to SFTP.
Inspect the Port field. If it still shows 21, replace it with 22 or the port your host specifies.
Check the Password field. If it is blank, re-enter the credential.
Click Test to confirm the connection before saving.

When the Recommendation Changes
If your SFTP server uses key-based authentication instead of passwords, the saved FTP password will not be sufficient. In that case, the next step is not credential verification but configuring the private key in the server profile. If the connection still fails after confirming the port and password, determine whether your host requires key-based auth; that detail changes the fix.

Verification
After switching protocols, always reopen the server profile to confirm the port value and credential state before attempting file operations. If your organization manages Dreamweaver across many machines, spot-check a legacy site definition after the CC update to ensure the local cache did not silently alter the stored port.

Site Definition server profiles: Transitioning from FTP to SFTP in CC releases

Server Connection Security Transitions

1 answer

Direct Answer

Likely Explanation vs. Confirmed Facts

Steps to Transition Safely

When the Recommendation Changes

Verification

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