A 530 means the FTP server rejected your login. Usually it's the credentials or the connection mode/port. Here is how to get connected.
Quick answer
FTP error 530 means the server rejected your login. Check the username first — on shared hosting it is often the full user@domain.com — and reset the password in your panel if unsure. Then use the right host and port: 21 for FTP/FTPS, 22 for SFTP, which is a different protocol, and switch your client to passive mode.
Cause 1: wrong username or password
The obvious one — double-check the FTP username (often it's the full user@domain.com on shared hosting) and reset the password in your panel if unsure.
Cause 2: wrong host or port
Use the FTP hostname/IP from your panel, with the right port — 21 for FTP/FTPS, 22 for SFTP (SFTP is SSH, a different protocol):
FTP/FTPS : port 21
SFTP : port 22 (uses your SSH login)Cause 3: passive mode / TLS
Many servers require passive (PASV) mode and explicit FTP over TLS. In your client (FileZilla etc.), set Encryption to "Require explicit FTP over TLS" and use passive mode.
They're different: FTP/FTPS uses port 21 and FTP accounts; SFTP uses port 22 and your SSH credentials. A 530 on one doesn't mean the other is broken — pick the right one.
530 = login rejected. Verify the user (often user@domain), the host/port, and use passive + explicit TLS.
Cause 4: the account is locked, suspended or over quota
Some panels suspend an FTP account after too many failed logins, or refuse new connections once the account is over its disk quota. Check your panel's FTP account status and disk quota before assuming it's a typo.
Cause 5: firewall blocking the passive port range
Even with correct credentials, a firewall on either end blocking the passive-mode data port range causes the login to hang or fail after authentication. If the control connection succeeds but the directory listing never loads, this is the likely cause — allow the FTP server's passive port range through your firewall.
How to prevent FTP login issues
- Use SFTP over FTP where possible — a single encrypted connection with none of the passive-port complexity.
- Store credentials in a password manager rather than memory, so typos don't creep in after a reset.
- Keep FTP accounts' quotas comfortably above what they need.
- Disable unused FTP accounts entirely to shrink the attack surface.
Related errors
If SFTP/SSH itself rejects your key rather than a password, see SSH permission denied (publickey). For general server access setup, see connecting with SSH. Login issues with the database GUI instead? See phpMyAdmin access denied.