If you’re having problems connecting to Transfer, make sure the file transfer protocol you’re using is enabled (Transfer > Settings > General) and that no firewall is blocking access to Transfer on your Mac.
Also, if you’re trying to connect with an HTTP, HTTPS, FTP or SFTP client, make sure the client is using the correct username or password (Transfer > Settings > General).
If you need more details about file transfers and connection attempts, choose View > Show Logs or Command-L. In addition to information and error messages, you can also enable debug messages by choosing Help > Enable Debug.
Resolve a “port already in use” error
If a protocol’s status shows Unable to listen for [protocol] requests: port [number] already in use, another server on your Mac is already using that port. Transfer listens on the following ports by default:
macOS includes built-in servers for TFTP, HTTP, FTP, and SFTP that may already be running and holding the port. To free it up:
TFTP
Open Terminal and run:
HTTP
Open Terminal and run:
FTP
Go to System Settings > General > Sharing and turn off File Sharing, or open its options and deselect FTP access.
SFTP
Go to System Settings > General > Sharing and turn off Remote Login.
If none of the built-in servers are the cause, a third-party application may be using the port instead. Check that application’s documentation for how to disable it.
See also
