Use the built-in OpenSSH client in Windows Terminal

Windows 10 and 11 include the same OpenSSH client that Linux and macOS use. You do not need to install PuTTY: open PowerShell or Windows Terminal, type ssh, and you are connected to your Linux VPS. This guide shows how to connect, set up key login and add a Windows Terminal profile for each server.

Before you start

• Your VPS IP address, username and password from the service page in your VPS provider's control panel.
• Windows 10 (version 1809 or later) or Windows 11.
• Windows Terminal. It is built into Windows 11 and available from the Microsoft Store for Windows 10. Plain PowerShell also works.

Check the client is installed:

ssh -V

You should see a version line such as OpenSSH_for_Windows_9.5p1. If you get ssh is not recognized, install it under Settings → System → Optional features → Add a feature → OpenSSH Client (on Windows 10, Settings → Apps → Optional features). Or run this in PowerShell as Administrator:

Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Client~~~~0.0.1.0

Connect with a password

Open Windows Terminal and run:

ssh root@203.0.113.10

If your server uses a different SSH port, add -p:

ssh -p 2222 root@203.0.113.10

The first time, you see a message like this:

The authenticity of host '203.0.113.10 (203.0.113.10)' can't be established.
ED25519 key fingerprint is SHA256:abc123...
Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no/[fingerprint])?

Type yes and press Enter. Windows saves the server's key in %USERPROFILE%\.ssh\known_hosts and warns you if it ever changes.

Enter the password when asked. Nothing appears while you type, which is normal. Paste with right-click or Ctrl + V in Windows Terminal, then press Enter.

Type exit to close the session.

Create an SSH key

Keys are safer than passwords. Create one in PowerShell:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "deploy@laptop"

Press Enter to accept the default location and set a passphrase. Two files are created in C:\Users\<you>\.ssh\:

• id_ed25519: your private key. Never share it.
• id_ed25519.pub: your public key, which goes on the server.

Copy the public key to the server

Windows does not include ssh-copy-id. This PowerShell one-liner does the same job: it reads your public key and appends it to authorized_keys on the server.

type $env:USERPROFILE\.ssh\id_ed25519.pub | ssh root@203.0.113.10 "mkdir -p ~/.ssh && chmod 700 ~/.ssh && cat >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys && chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys"

Enter your password one last time. Then connect again:

ssh root@203.0.113.10

You are asked for the key's passphrase instead of the server password. For more about keys, see Set up SSH keys.

Remember the passphrase with ssh-agent

Windows includes an ssh-agent service that can hold your unlocked key. It is disabled by default. In PowerShell as Administrator:

Get-Service ssh-agent | Set-Service -StartupType Automatic
Start-Service ssh-agent

Then, in a normal PowerShell window, add your key once:

ssh-add $env:USERPROFILE\.ssh\id_ed25519

The Windows agent stores the key securely and keeps it after a reboot, so you will not be asked for the passphrase again on this user account.

Save hosts in an SSH config file

Instead of typing IPs, create C:\Users\<you>\.ssh\config (no file extension) with an entry for each server:

Host web
    HostName 203.0.113.10
    User deploy
    Port 22
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Now ssh web connects with the right user, port and key. See Use the SSH config file to save hosts for more options.

Add a Windows Terminal profile

A profile puts your server in the Terminal's drop-down menu:

1. Open Windows Terminal and press Ctrl +, to open Settings.
2. Click Add a new profile → New empty profile.
3. Set Name to something like Web server.
4. Set Command line to:

   ssh web

Or use the full form, ssh deploy@203.0.113.10, if you did not create a config entry.

1. Optionally pick an Icon, and under Appearance a colour scheme, so production servers look different from test ones.
2. Click Save.

Open the drop-down arrow next to the tabs and choose your new profile. It connects straight away.

Check it works

From PowerShell, run a command on the server without opening an interactive session:

ssh web "hostname && uptime"

You should see the server's hostname and uptime, with no password prompt if your key and agent are set up.

Troubleshooting

• ssh: connect to host... port 22: Connection timed out: the server is off, the IP is wrong, or a firewall blocks the port. Check the server in your VPS provider's control panel. See Fix SSH connection refused or timed out.
• WARNING: REMOTE HOST IDENTIFICATION HAS CHANGED!: the server key changed, usually after an OS reinstall. If you reinstalled, remove the old entry with ssh-keygen -R 203.0.113.10. If you did not, investigate first.
• Permission denied (publickey): the server did not accept your key. Check that the public key is in the right user's ~/.ssh/authorized_keys.
• Bad permissions on the config or key file: Windows OpenSSH requires that only your user can read them. Right-click the file, open Properties → Security → Advanced, disable inheritance and leave only your own account.
• ssh-add says it cannot connect to the agent: the ssh-agent service is not running. Start it as shown above.