I have the option 'Auto upload opened files' checked, but when I edit a file and save it, it doesn't upload it automatically.

What is this option for? Or is the functionality I am looking for somewhere else/not supported in PhpED?

Thanks

with local files if you finished working with a file and just press Ctrl+F4 to close it, IDE will save the file if Auto-Save is turned on. Similarly, it will upload the file if it is on a remote host and Auto-publish option is turned on.

To achieve what I think you want (i.e. automatically uploading files when they are saved), I have bound Ctrl+S to "Upload File(s)" in the "IDE shortcuts" section of Settings. Uploading a file first requires that the local version of the file is saved, so that results in Ctrl+S saving the file then immediately uploading it.

It has a minor side-effect of preventing ctrl+s saving local files which don't have a remote path (e.g. ones that are just opened from your desktop), so I have bound Ctrl+Shift+S to "Save".

Hopefully this will help

Please note, that starting with 6.2, IDE will upload modified files (which are still open in the IDE) before starting debug session if auto-upload option is turned on.