{"id":244223,"date":"2024-03-05T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-05T04:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/?p=244223"},"modified":"2024-03-03T15:39:03","modified_gmt":"2024-03-03T10:09:03","slug":"how-to-generate-ssh-key","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/how-to-generate-ssh-key\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Generate SSH Key in Windows in 3 Easy Ways"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Do you want to access your server and make changes according to your preferences? For this purpose, you will need an SSH key to connect to a remote server. Now let\u2019s dive into this guide to know how to generate SSH key in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/windows-11-vs-windows-10\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Windows 10 or above<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_66_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/how-to-generate-ssh-key\/#What_SSH_Key_in_Windows_and_Why_It_is_Used\" title=\"What SSH Key in Windows and Why It is Used\">What SSH Key in Windows and Why It is Used<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/how-to-generate-ssh-key\/#Generate_an_SSH_key_in_Windows_10_or_11_via_OpenSSH_Client\" title=\"Generate an SSH key in Windows 10 or 11 via OpenSSH Client\">Generate an SSH key in Windows 10 or 11 via OpenSSH Client<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/how-to-generate-ssh-key\/#Step_1_Check_and_Install_OpenSSH_Client\" title=\"Step: 1 Check and Install OpenSSH Client\">Step: 1 Check and Install OpenSSH Client<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/how-to-generate-ssh-key\/#Step_2_Generate_SSH_key_in_Windows_using_Command_Prompt\" title=\"Step 2: Generate SSH key in Windows using Command Prompt\">Step 2: Generate SSH key in Windows using Command Prompt<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/how-to-generate-ssh-key\/#Generate_SSH_Key_on_Windows_Using_PuTTY\" title=\"Generate SSH Key on Windows Using PuTTY\">Generate SSH Key on Windows Using PuTTY<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/how-to-generate-ssh-key\/#Step_1_Install_and_Run_PuTTY_SSH_Key_Generator\" title=\"Step 1: Install and Run PuTTY SSH Key Generator\">Step 1: Install and Run PuTTY SSH Key Generator<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/how-to-generate-ssh-key\/#Step_2_Use_PuTTY_to_Generate_a_Pair_of_SSH_Keys\" title=\"Step 2: Use PuTTY to Generate a Pair of SSH Keys\">Step 2: Use PuTTY to Generate a Pair of SSH Keys<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/how-to-generate-ssh-key\/#How_to_Generate_an_SSH_Key_in_Windows_Using_WSL\" title=\"How to Generate an SSH Key in Windows Using WSL\">How to Generate an SSH Key in Windows Using WSL<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/how-to-generate-ssh-key\/#How_to_use_SSH_keys_in_Windows_and_Mac\" title=\"How to use SSH keys in Windows and Mac?\">How to use SSH keys in Windows and Mac?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/how-to-generate-ssh-key\/#Final_Words\" title=\"Final Words\">Final Words<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_SSH_Key_in_Windows_and_Why_It_is_Used\"><\/span><strong>What SSH Key in Windows and Why It is Used<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Secure Socket Shell (SSH) keys are a means of authenticating a user to an SSH server without using a password. Every key is typically a key pair consisting of a public key and a private key.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The process of generating a pair of SSH key files, including a private key and a public key. The private key is only to the user\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/avoid-making-common-mistakes-when-buying-a-computer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">computer<\/a>, while the public key is used for the server. Both keys are useless without one another. Therefore, only users with both public and private keys can gain access to the server. However, the private key is never revealed to the server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Furthermore, keys are more unattackable than passwords because they are significantly more complicated. While a password of eight characters is 72 bits long, SSH keys are often 2048 bits or lengthy. This longer string has many more possible modifications and, therefore, takes much more time to crack with an attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Generate_an_SSH_key_in_Windows_10_or_11_via_OpenSSH_Client\"><\/span><strong>Generate an SSH key in Windows 10 or 11 via OpenSSH Client<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_1_Check_and_Install_OpenSSH_Client\"><\/span><strong>Step: 1 Check and Install OpenSSH Client<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Before generating the SSH key, ensure that OpenSSH Client is installed on your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/top-laptop-and-computer-brands-to-buy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">computer<\/a>. To check this client is installed on your PC, follow these steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Go to the settings panel, and then click on <strong>Apps<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"649\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Go-to-the-settings-panel-1024x649.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-244225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Go-to-the-settings-panel-1024x649.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Go-to-the-settings-panel-300x190.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Go-to-the-settings-panel-768x487.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Go-to-the-settings-panel-1536x973.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Go-to-the-settings-panel-624x395.jpg 624w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Go-to-the-settings-panel.jpg 1668w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Below the <strong>Apps and Features<\/strong> heading, tap on <strong>Optional Features<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Scroll down and search to see if <strong>OpenSSH<\/strong> Client is listed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"905\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/OpenSSH-Client-1024x905.jpg\" alt=\"OpenSSH Client\" class=\"wp-image-244226\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/OpenSSH-Client-1024x905.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/OpenSSH-Client-300x265.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/OpenSSH-Client-768x679.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/OpenSSH-Client-1536x1357.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/OpenSSH-Client-624x551.jpg 624w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/OpenSSH-Client.jpg 1668w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>If it is not, hit the <strong>plus sign<\/strong> next to <strong>Add a feature<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Scroll through the app list to navigate and select <strong>OpenSSH Client<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Then, click on <strong>Install<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_2_Generate_SSH_key_in_Windows_using_Command_Prompt\"><\/span><strong>Step 2: Generate SSH key in Windows using Command Prompt<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Open up the Start menu and search <strong>cmd<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"864\" height=\"891\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/run-command-prompt.jpg\" alt=\"run command prompt\" class=\"wp-image-244227\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/run-command-prompt.jpg 864w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/run-command-prompt-291x300.jpg 291w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/run-command-prompt-768x792.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/run-command-prompt-624x644.jpg 624w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Under the <strong>Best Match,<\/strong> open the <strong>Command Prompt<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/type-command-in-cmd-1024x225.jpg\" alt=\"type command in cmd\" class=\"wp-image-244228\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/type-command-in-cmd-1024x225.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/type-command-in-cmd-300x66.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/type-command-in-cmd-768x169.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/type-command-in-cmd-624x137.jpg 624w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/type-command-in-cmd.jpg 1249w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>In the command prompt, type <strong>ssh-keygen<\/strong> and hit the <strong>enter<\/strong> button.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By default, the system will save the key file to <strong>C:\\Users\/username\/ ssh\/id_rsa<\/strong>. Either you can use this default name, or you can select a more descriptive name. It can help differentiate between keys if you are using multiple key pairs. Press enter if you do with the default option.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To skip this enter a passphrase step, press<strong> enter <\/strong>button.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"632\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/generate-key-via-cmd-1024x632.jpg\" alt=\"generate key via cmd\" class=\"wp-image-244229\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/generate-key-via-cmd-1024x632.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/generate-key-via-cmd-300x185.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/generate-key-via-cmd-768x474.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/generate-key-via-cmd-624x385.jpg 624w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/generate-key-via-cmd.jpg 1251w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>The system will create the key pair and show the key fingerprint and a randomart image.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Now open the file browser and navigate to <strong>C:\\Users\\your_username\/.ssh.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You should see two files are available in that folder. The identification is labeled in the <em><strong>id-rsa<\/strong><\/em> file and the public key is saved <em><strong>id_rsa_pub<\/strong><\/em><strong>. <\/strong>It is your SSH key pair, and they both are saved in plain text.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Generate_SSH_Key_on_Windows_Using_PuTTY\"><\/span><strong>Generate SSH Key on Windows Using PuTTY<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before the OpenSSH was combined with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/what-is-microsoft-windows\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Windows<\/a>, the PuTTY software was the benchmark for generating SSH keys. If you already have the PuTTy tool on your system or would like to utilize a graphical interface to originate your SSH key on Windows, this method is easy and suitable for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_1_Install_and_Run_PuTTY_SSH_Key_Generator\"><\/span><strong>Step 1: Install and Run PuTTY SSH Key Generator<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"796\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/install-puTTY-gen-1024x796.jpg\" alt=\"install puTTY gen\" class=\"wp-image-244230\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/install-puTTY-gen-1024x796.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/install-puTTY-gen-300x233.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/install-puTTY-gen-768x597.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/install-puTTY-gen-624x485.jpg 624w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/install-puTTY-gen.jpg 1031w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Download PuTTygen for Windows and install it on your PC.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>After installation, press the <strong>Window key<\/strong> and type <strong>PuTTygen<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Under the <strong>Best Match,<\/strong> right-click PuTTygen and run as administrator.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hit Yes on the Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device? Pop-up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_2_Use_PuTTY_to_Generate_a_Pair_of_SSH_Keys\"><\/span><strong>Step 2: Use PuTTY to Generate a Pair of SSH Keys<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The process mentioned below will create RSA keys, a classic and most used type of encryption algorithm. The PuTTy keygen software offers different other algorithms like DSA, ECDSA, Ed25519, and RSA (SSH-1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"988\" height=\"974\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/generate-key-via-PuTTy.jpg\" alt=\"generate key via PuTTy\" class=\"wp-image-244231\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/generate-key-via-PuTTy.jpg 988w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/generate-key-via-PuTTy-300x296.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/generate-key-via-PuTTy-768x757.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/generate-key-via-PuTTy-624x615.jpg 624w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 988px) 100vw, 988px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you need a different encryption algorithm, choose the desired option under the Parameters section before starting the generating process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Click on the <strong>Generate<\/strong> in the PuTTy Key Generator window.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Move the cursor around in the blank gray area to fill up the green bar.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Save the public key:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"997\" height=\"978\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/save-on-pUTTy.jpg\" alt=\"save on pUTTy\" class=\"wp-image-244232\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/save-on-pUTTy.jpg 997w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/save-on-pUTTy-300x294.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/save-on-pUTTy-768x753.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/save-on-pUTTy-624x612.jpg 624w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 997px) 100vw, 997px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Hit on the <strong>Save public key<\/strong> button.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Then, select a destination path to save the key.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A public key is saved with the .pub file extension.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Save the&nbsp;private key:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Click the <strong>Conversions<\/strong> tab at the upper side of the screen.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Then, select the <strong>Export OpenSSH key<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click <strong>yes <\/strong>on the prompt if you want to save a key without a passphrase.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Select a destination to save the key. This key is saved without any file extension.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Generate_an_SSH_Key_in_Windows_Using_WSL\"><\/span><strong>How to Generate an SSH Key in Windows Using WSL<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The third method to create an SSH key is through the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). But why would you prefer WSL when you already have the Windows Command Prompt?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>WSL provides a complete Linux environment within <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/how-to-install-linux\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Windows to run Linux<\/a> commands without installing a separate operating system. It is beneficial for developers and system administrators working with Windows and Linux. Follow these steps to generate an SSH key using WSL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Open the WSL terminal.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To generate an <strong>RSA-4096 key<\/strong>, type the following command and hit the <strong>Enter<\/strong> button.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em><strong>ssh-keygen \u2013t rsa \u2013b 4096&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To create an <strong>Ed25519 key<\/strong>, change the command accordingly;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em><strong>ssh-keygen \u2013t ed25519<\/strong><\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You could also enter your email address at the end of the command. If you generate different keys for different sites, it works like a tag to identify which key belongs to which account. For instance,&nbsp; <strong>ssh-keygen \u2013t \u2013b 4096-C \u201cyour_email@example.com.\u201d<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Select a destination for your key, or hit the <strong>Enter<\/strong> button to use the default location.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The terminal will allow you to choose a password. It is optional, so you can ignore it if you prefer. Hit <strong>Enter<\/strong> to continue.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>At last, you will see a message with your newly created SSH key\u2019s destination and fingerprint. Now, you can use this key to secure a connection between your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/tips-tricks-on-how-to-speed-up-computer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">computer<\/a> and remote servers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_use_SSH_keys_in_Windows_and_Mac\"><\/span><strong>How to use SSH keys in Windows and Mac?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>After you generate an SSH key in Windows, you will see two files: A public key for pasting into the OpenSSH authorized-key file and a private key for pasting into the SSH client. However, this public key is added to your remote server\u2019s authorized key file. The private key should be kept secure and secret because if someone obtains your private key, they can access your server without requiring a password.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To copy the public key, click the public key to paste it into the OpenSSH authorized keys file, press Ctrl key + C for Windows, and on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/macbook\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mac<\/a>, press Cmd + C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After that, log into your remote server and open the ~\/.ssh\/authorized_keys file in your preferred text editor. Insert a new line at the end of the file and paste it into your public key that must start with ssh-rsa, then save and close the file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Words\"><\/span><strong>Final Words<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Generating an SSH key in Windows is a straightforward procedure, and it is something that every tech user should do to boost their security. However, you can generate an SSH key in Windows with the help of this guide. So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and try to keep your data safe and secure within a few easy steps.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Do you want to access your server and make changes according to your preferences? For this purpose, you will need an SSH key to connect to a remote server. Now let\u2019s dive into this guide to know how to generate SSH key in Windows 10 or above. What SSH Key in Windows and Why It [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":244224,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[397],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244223"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=244223"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244223\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":244233,"href":"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244223\/revisions\/244233"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/244224"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=244223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=244223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hitechwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=244223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}