Extract text from FTP locations (FTPLOC)
To convert FTPLOC locations to another format, you need Apple Finder or other Web software.
To convert other file formats to the "macOS Internet Shortcut" file type, you need software like Apple Finder or a similar tool.
An .FTPLOC file is a macOS internet shortcut that stores the network address of an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) server. When macOS users drag an ftp:// URL from a web browser or server connection window onto their desktop, Apple Finder generates this file to serve as a quick-access bookmark. Structurally, it is a simple XML property list (plist) file containing the server link, and occasionally an embedded username and password.
The primary disadvantage of the .FTPLOC format is its lack of cross-platform compatibility. Windows and Linux systems cannot natively open or process these files. This causes major frustration when macOS users email an .FTPLOC file to a PC user, who then cannot open it. A widespread and frustrating misunderstanding is that this file contains actual downloaded data (like a video or document). In reality, it is usually less than a kilobyte in size and only acts as a pointer to a remote server. Furthermore, most modern web browsers have completely deprecated native FTP support, making these specific shortcuts increasingly difficult to trigger without dedicated FTP client software like FileZilla.
To make the embedded link usable on other operating systems, the best conversion targets are a standard TXT file to simply read the URL, or a Windows URL file to restore shortcut functionality on a PC. You can also convert it to a standard WEBLOC file for broader macOS compatibility. Online converters usually fail with this format because they attempt to process it as a complex document or media file rather than parsing it as a text-based pointer.
Convert.Guru analyzes your FTPLOC file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
If you want to convert FTPLOC file to TMP, TEMP, CACHE, LOG, BAK, OLD, NEW, PART, DOWNLOAD, CRDOWNLOAD, LOCK or PID, you can use Apple Finder or similar software from the "FTP Server Network Shortcut" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert DEVICE, CACHE, SOCK, SYMLINK, PID, MOUNT, FIFO, LOG, PIPE, TMP, JUNCTION or TEMP files to FTPLOC, try Apple Finder or another comparable tool in the "FTP Server Network Shortcut" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our FTPLOC converter.