SSH To Windows Using Public Key

Install OpenSSH Server on Windows 10, and connect from Linux and Windows using public key authentication.
Also see related videos:
Windows Terminal SSH Public Key Authentication: • Windows Terminal SSH P...
Windows Terminal Install and Configure: • Windows Terminal Insta...
Commands to copy and paste include bracket characters, not allowed in KZbin descriptions.
Download TEXT file of the commands:
www.marspremedia.com/download...
Substitute USER and IP for your user name and server's IP address.

[@user-rd4up1qe5z]

I was going nuts forcing the key into C:\Users\USER\.ssh\authorized_keys, like if it were a Linux host, but obviously that didn't work. I followed your steps and it worked like a charm. This kind of videos is all we novice sysadmins need!

[@willia_music]

what a gymnastics routine to get up and running. Thanks for the clear and concise instructions

[@wc7]

Yes it's not a simple process. Was some work just to figure out best way to describe all of that without making it more confusing. Great to hear that effort was successful.

[@johnp9988]

I'm super thankful for this, you got me using my public/private key instead of passwords to SSH into my windows machine from a linux based device. I was doing a number of things wrong. I didnt have the right credentials for administrators_authorized_keys or that file in general, and I was using an administrator account and placing keys in the authorized_keys file. Thank you for the corrections and the help getting the public key in the right file with the right access controls. I super appreciate it!

[@wc7]

I'm glad it helped. Thank you for the feedback.

[@subhashbhalerao2008]

Exactly, I am having same problem, definitely I will try this, thanks

[@uguremirmustafaoglu40]

Is it bad to use authorized_keys under the Administrator user's .ssh folder?

[@Nikhil-Tomar]

This video is better than all the blogs and videos out there, Thumbs Up. Great content.

[@wc7]

Thank you for the kinds words. Good to hear the effort put in the video helps others.

[@rodrigomaximilianobellusci8860]

Thanks William! It was exactly what I needed after an hour of fumbling around trying to set it up myself 😅

[@wc7]

Awesome! I'm glad it helped. Any other topics, leave a comment. I'm always looking for ideas for new videos. Thanks!

[@tlarson91119]

This is the first guide that I've been able to follow and actually get it to work! Thanks a ton

[@wc7]

Good to hear. Thanks for watching.

[@WINGNUT307]

Thanks for the video. I was stuck following other tutorials but this one cleared things in my head and I've now got 2 Windows machines and a Hassio machine interconnected with keys.

[@wc7]

Great to hear. I'm glad it helped.

[@Elendill79]

excellent explanation, I saw many manuals and videos and none explain as well as you, I thank you new follower from Venezuela

[@unazheal5409]

bro youre a f****** champ!!! do you know how long ive been sitting here trying to figure this out from god awfully confusing videos doing 20 things at once. THANK YOU!!!!!!! this is perfect and worked for me SO EASILY AS IT SHOULD BE where as 4 other videos have failed. THANKS!!!!

[@wc7]

Thanks. Glad it helps.

[@chinjanpatel]

Man. Thank you so much. I don't understand why official documents does not provide such details. Good work keep up

[@wc7]

Thank you! That inspires me to make more similar content. Any suggestions for topics I should cover?

[@blackwoodie]

Thanks William , very clear and right what I was loking for, :)

[@wc7]

Great! Glad I could help.

[@maziarghorbani]

Thank you. The explanation and demonstration were super helpful.

[@julianterhorst2486]

Great stuff, I absolutely loved it - and it worked!

[@rpmarketing9864]

The ONLY video that gave me a solution. Thanks

[@nonoob2.035]

Wow, thank you so much! This was the only Video that could solve my problem, that neither any other video nor me in many hours could solve. Even if, in my case the only problem might have been, that I didn't know about having to uncomment the options in the config file xD. Either way, thank you.

[@Carlos1979Mad]

Thank you very much Sir. Crystal clear as water and working at the first try. Muchas gracias!!!

[@wc7]

Great! Thank you!

[@surfninja]

Thank you! Every other guide I saw left out setting permissions on the authorized keys file. That was the one thing I was missing.

[@wc7]

Great to hear. Thanks for watching.

[@redihoxha7650]

Thank you so much for the detailed instructions.

[@wc7]

You're welcome. I'm glad to help.

[@spyiro2007]

Hello, Thank you very much, i have been struggling with this and you helped alot. I however just need to say to those who fails the part with : icacls administrators_authorized_keys /inheritance:r /grant "Administrators:F" /grant "SYSTEM:F" If your system is running in a language other than english, Administrators should be written in the system language, otherwise it will never work

[@wc7]

Yes I encountered this with a German user. The value here is whatever name your system uses for the Administrators group. This can be determined by opening Computer Management (a number of ways, for example, right-click Start menu and select in fly-out menu), then in section "Local Users and Groups", look inside the "Groups" section. In English systems it is second item "Administrators". Look here for your variation. Use that in the command.

[@hgaber105]

Thanks a lot. Very informative and the steps are very clear, and it works 👍

[@wc7]

You are welcome, and thanks for the + on clarity. I am glad it helps.

[@Eliasam13]

Thank you, followed this exactly and worked first try!

[@DobermanVO]

Thank you so much ! Exactly what I needed.

[@wc7]

Glad it helped.

[@zl4457]

You saved my day!! Really really appreciate it!!!!!

[@zl4457]

And I found this method might only work with rsa key instead of dsa key

[@wc7]

Great. I'm glad it helped.

[@highwaylinuxdude]

Nice job, very clear and helpful

[@wc7]

Thanks. Glad you like like it.

[@jupiterapollo4985]

You talk so seriously, making me feel like if I made a single mistake I would delete my whole system or something 😅. In any case, thank you so much William, your a lifesaver.

[@wc7]

Good to hear it works for you. Thanks for watching.

[@erikavagyan5879]

Excelent video, thank you William!

[@wc7]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching.

[@hespanhol011]

THE ONLY VIDEO THAT SOLVED MY PROBLEM!!!

[@user-kn4dd7mt9e]

Thanks mate! Very helpul.

[@Kyletics]

This was perfect! Thank you!

[@wc7]

Glad it helps. Thanks for watching.

[@SrihariPEnCloud]

Thank you, it worked.👍

[@unmatal]

Thanks man. Great help

[@dedisubandi3391]

Thank you for the sharing..!❤

[@aboeldhb]

most valuable one across many

[@wc7]

Thanks

[@Jacky-rc6mu]

This is the BEST video, others is just shxt, not even reocrd in two seperate windows, how the f__k do i know which is server which is local lol. Thanks William!

[@AhmedAlaghbari]

this was so so so helpful thanks a million

[@wc7]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching.

[@trenthm]

Thanks so much! So thankful

[@aceisastud]

Fantastic thank you!!!🎉

[@robert_nissan]

súper, me ayudo bastante bro, gracias 🙏🏼

[@wc7]

Thanks.

[@Bargains20xx]

Wow, that was awesome, guys don't forget to check the description, and download all commands from there

[@wc7]

Nice. Thanks.

[@JohnJohnson-sf5wl]

Still a rusty but good explanation I will understand better with time. Thanks Sir

[@wc7]

Thanks

[@gerardobaron4592]

Worked perfectly!!

[@wc7]

Great. I'm glad it helped.

[@10_bn]

perfect, thx!!!

[@wc7]

Glad it helped!

[@historyjkazryjka3844]

Thank you sooooo much!

[@wc7]

Glad to help.

[@240ping.24fps]

I can't thank you enough!

[@wc7]

You are welcome. Glad it helps.

[@zxcvbs]

thanks this is key to solve Permission denied (publickey,gssapi-with-mic,keyboard-interactive).

[@wc7]

Great. I'm glad it helps.

[@PriestApostate]

Thanks for this video - do you have a corresponding one in which you are signing SSHing into the Ubuntu system from a Windows system?

[@wc7]

I do not.

[@KujoTenshi]

you are a godsend i could ssh into linux public key fine but not windows...of course its windows

[@wc7]

Great. I'm glad it helps.

[@Elendill79]

Thanks you

[@theconfusedchannel6365]

Amazing!. thanks for this. Why windows documentation Sucks. they spend so much time, but we always have to look somewhere else.

[@wc7]

I'm glad it helps. Thanks for watching.

[@jespereriksson9229]

Hello - if you wanted to connect via ssh over the internet to your home windows 10 computer running openssh server, which more steps need to be taken? I guess you need to open the firewall of the remote computer for incoming traffic etc?

[@wc7]

It is possible. You would have to open port 22 on your router, and forward it to your Windows machine, which would also have to allow connections on the port. HOWEVER, I would strongly recommend using a different port number. Everyone (every hacker) knows what port 22 is for. Set your router and your Windows SSH server to something in the range 12000-14000 (usually safe to use). Just pick at random, say 12533 (for example; pick your own). Only you know that is the correct port. It's safer that way. Chances of someone guessing your obscure port number are low.

[@vetriforward6819]

genius man !

[@wc7]

Thank you! Is there any other subject I should make a video? All suggestions are welcome.

[@vetriforward6819]

@@wc7 welcome, can I copy Linux public key and copy in the windows

[@wc7]

@@vetriforward6819 Yes, that is possible. It does work. But the typical use is to have each client have its own private key, different from others. At least, that seems to be the recommended method. But I have done what you describe, and it does will work.

[@khalilaliane1690]

life saver

[@zainuddinbrahim4625]

Thank u

[@wc7]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching.

[@claudiodeluca2357]

I LOVE You!!!

[@wc7]

Thanks.

[@sanjee2]

some videos comment out the match group administrators and administrators_authorized_keys, when we need this and when we not? and possible to have pubkey authentication + password together? ( same concept as MFA)

[@wc7]

I don't what it means to comment out match group administrators, etc. Are you referring to lines in the sshd_config file? Regardless, if another suggest commenting something to disable it, OK maybe that's a good suggestion. I have no idea. I can only relay what I have found to work, which is the content of the video. I'm sure there's plenty more to it that I don't know. About using a password, keep the line "PasswordAuthentication" set to "yes".

[@valentinekamau4891]

Do I need to have debian to get an ssh public key? I have followed the whole process but using windows10 command prompt and I got lost half way. Please advice.

[@wc7]

A Debian host isn't required, but to test you need something else besides the Windows host, from which to connect to the Windows host. For that I used a Debian virtual machine as the other computer. It could be another physical computer or laptop, whatever is on the same network. Public/private keys can be generated in Windows or any flavor of Linux.

[@kycatrescue7305]

I had the same problem. I started the video thinking the instructions were for two different platforms, and I was just following the Windows instructions. Would be helpful if this was done with two windows laptops.

[@pradeepdumpala8574]

I tired the set-up with Windows Server 2019. Password based SSH is working fine, but when I am trying with key based , it always throwing error saying permission denied on my WSL ubuntu on my windows laptop. When I tried with putty it is saying server refused key. any clue ?

[@wc7]

Not sure. I have only tried this on Windows 10 but I don't see why it would be different on Server. See if you can find any logs. Should be in "%programdata%\ssh\logs\" Look for auth.log. Maybe in Event log security also. Either might have a more specific reason authentication fails.

[@krishnadj10]

HI @William Campbell , First of all Thank you very much for the video .I have two linux source servers from where i want to connect to the windows server. In the video you have taken the id_rsa.pub file from one linux server and put that in programdata/ssh .but in my case since i have two servers how can i have both the public keys in my windows server. Please help me.

[@wc7]

Copy the same .pub file to both servers.

[@satdevlpr]

When i ssh from windows machine it did not generate id_ras_pub file but instead generated known_hosts file in .ssh folder.. what to do now

[@wc7]

Run keygen to make id_rsa and pub. Watch video again. Pay close attention at 4:30 to 5:10

[@santiagojhosuaparraiporre7106]

bastante bien

[@ArunKarthikgayan]

I'm able to add key and clone using my account, but fails when I try running thru windows service, getting host key authentication failed. please do advice

[@wc7]

It is difficult for me to help knowing so little about your configuration. My first advice would be to ensure your account is an Administrator. And be sure to follow the steps explained in the video about how that is a different file to edit than regular users (I can't imagine giving non-admin users SSH access, so I didn't bother to include that). I'm not sure what you mean by "clone" in your comment. Perhaps back up your current key (if you have an existing one you're trying to preserve) then do ALL steps in the video, including generating a fresh key file. Beyond that I don't know how much more I can help without being there.

[@Udemycourse-cq1yi]

Hi Wiliam, I followed your step but somehow, it's not working. is it bcoz I am trying to connect Windows server from a WSL linux which is created on same windows server?

[@wc7]

I don't know. I don't use WSL so I'm not sure, but there shouldn't be any reason it wouldn't work the same it does with an actual server or virtual machine. As for the problem, please be more specific. "It's not working" is vague. What isn't working?

[@aravinddurga9093]

If I am trying to open sshd_config, "You don't have permission to open the file, contact file owner or an administrator to obtain permission", can you please help on this!!!

[@wc7]

Just like it says. You need admin permissions. I mentioned this at the start. Log in as Administrator or add your user account to the Administrators group. Windows 10 right-click Start menu, Computer Management. In Section Local Users and Groups, find the user account, right-click properties, Member of tab, add the Administrators group.

[@luiyitechs]

Hello, when you say 3:48 enter the password. What password are you referring to?

[@wc7]

the password for the user at the server you want to access

[@vekariyaarpit4466]

Which password I have to enter when authentication is done? Please give me answer as soon as possible

[@wc7]

There is no password. The public/private key pair acts as the password. That's the point. But if you set a passphrase during key generation, you are prompted to enter that, similar to a password. Only you know that passphrase, if one was set.

[@nhoxxz2282]

Good :) 8) ❤❤😎

[@wc7]

Thanks. I'm glad you like it. Suggestions for other topics are always welcome.

[@user-yc9cr1tm9m]

In my case, ssh did not accept the private key because the file did not have the proper permissions as shown in the video, and the warning appears (use the -v parameter) "WARNING: UNPROTECTED PRIVATE KEY FILE!". Leave permission only for your user, administrators and the system. Good luck!

[@yonite4355]

Hello, I am struggling to set up ssh on my VM Windows 10 and Host windows 11. Could you please help me? Please let me know if there is another way to contact you.

[@wc7]

Follow the steps in the video and it should work. Unless you're not an admin user. I wouldn't recommend that anyway. To reach me by email, start at my website contact page: www.marspremedia.com/contact/

[@yonite4355]

@@wc7 thanks for your response. The problem happens to be I logged in to my computer with my Microsoft account. It worked when I logged in locally

[@wc7]

@@yonite4355 Great. I'm glad to hear it worked out. Thank you for responding. It may help others users who have the same problem.

[@zxcvbqwerty2091]

sir im still kinda new and just start learning using linux. i wanna ask in min 03:50 the password i need to input is my linux user password or the windows user password that i will SSH into ?

[@wc7]

User name and password for Windows user account on the server.

[@zxcvbqwerty2091]

@@wc7 i see, thank you so much for the info and fast reply. you got a new subscriber :D

[@wc7]

@@zxcvbqwerty2091 Awesome. Thanks for watching.

[@moviesynopsis001]

William why did they need to make it this confusing to get SSH keys working ? Its not intuitive at all especially when we need to do the inheritance stuff. Is there a reason that they need to make things this illogical and complicated for something like an SSH connection between two pcs in this day and age?

[@sujisand]

How can i ssh to ubuntu from windows after generating key pair in windows computer ? Could you please answer?

[@wc7]

This video is the other way around -- kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYPOpGeAjd19ppI If you have already made a key pair in Windows, skip the part about running keygen. Do all the rest as the video describes, just not keygen, or it will replace your current key, which then breaks any other SSH you had previously set up. All the rest is OK, just don't run keygen again. Unless you want to start clean with a fresh key. Then follow the video instructions for that part too.

[@sujisand]

Hi @@wc7 Thanks for the reply.

[@HiManLOL]

installed feature and add feature window list is empty

[@wc7]

If there are no currently installed optional features, I would question if your Windows install is valid. There are usually at least a few items already installed. If typing "ssh" in the search input does not show "OpenSSH Server" then again I suspect something is wrong with the installation of Windows. Are you connected to the Internet? Are all latest updates installed? What version of Windows?

[@srinath8626]

How to make the vagrant user ssh to Ubuntu vm on a windows lap. Vagrant is blocked by public key authentication permission

[@wc7]

I have no idea what a "vagrant" user is, other than by its definition, a person without a home. Not sure what that means in relation to a computer systems user account.

[@srinath8626]

I came across an automation tool called Vagrant for managing multiple Virtual machines thank you for the meaning 😆

[@wc7]

@@srinath8626 OK. I am not familiar with the product so I can't answer your question. I don't know an answer any better than you do. You need to pick the brain of someone familiar with the VM hosting product.

[@dwd_0105]

Hi i did put the user password of the Windows Client but it still gives permission denied. Did I do something wrong?

[@wc7]

There must be a user account with the same credentials on the Windows server hosting SSH server.

[@dwd_0105]

@@wc7 So the User needs to have an Microsoft account?

[@wc7]

@@dwd_0105 No. Just a regular user account, like any Windows machine. What is used to log in to Windows. The server may have other credentials, perhaps "Administrator" but for a regular user to get access to the server, they need a user account on the server. It doesn't have to be, but usually it's the same credentials as the user logs in to their own Windows box. That's how I do it when adding users to give them access to a server.

[@thenewone3944]

what about for standard users? I generated a keypair from a linux machine and it is still prompting for a password. Can someone please help me? There isn't a single video / thread on this issue apparently.

[@wc7]

Giving regular users SSH access is not recommended, likely why there are no videos showing how to do it. This does not mean access is limited to the user "Administrator" or "root". Other users may be given access. They just have to be members of the Administrators Group.

[@thenewone3944]

@@wc7 So only admins can be ssh’d into on windows?

[@wc7]

@@thenewone3944 Any user can be given SSH access. But that level of access SHOULD only be given to admin users.

[@thenewone3944]

@@wc7 I can’t figure out why it’s not working for me. It’s so much easier with linux. I’ve got the pub copied into the users authorized_keys, Modified sshd_config, checked permissions.

[@ylyaskudratullayev]

but there is no "Open SSH Server" on my windows, I am looking for it there where you do. Please help

[@wc7]

What version of Windows? Also, be sure when searching use OpenSSH one word, not Open SSH two words. That won't match. That's why I suggest simply search for SSH and that usually finds it.

[@ylyaskudratullayev]

@@wc7 Windows 10 pro 1703, I tried to look for OpenSSH still nothing. Thank you very much for response

[@wc7]

@@ylyaskudratullayev Your version of Windows is out of date. OpenSSH Server wasn't added until the October 2018 version 1809. You have Fall 2017 version. Run Windows Update.

[@ylyaskudratullayev]

@@wc7 Thank you very much!

[@DanielSchless]

Is there a reason you didn't include using the ssh-agent service and ssh-add to securely store the private key? This would have allowed removing the server's private key for storage else where. I don't care to have private keys lying about...

[@wc7]

I choose not to make hour long videos, and can only fit so much. The topics I choose to cover are driven by viewer demand. If enough ask for the additional you describe, perhaps I'll make a video about that also. Thanks for watching.

[@DanielSchless]

I understand; perhaps you could include such references in the notes section.

[@baileybelisario7372]

icacls saved me

[@wc7]

Great! Good to hear it.

[@struggle375]

I have followed this video and many others I am not sure why I keep getting Permission denied

[@wc7]

Hard to say why from a distance. My first guess is the user trying to log in isn't an Administrator.

[@krishnadj10]

I have the same requirement to do ssh from linux to windows but with non admin user account. Can you please tell me how to do this. Admin account ssh is working fine as i tried that with your video.thanks in advance

[@praveen3794]

Could some one help im getting permission denied issue 😔 while entering password

[@wc7]

Either the user doesn't exist on the host server, or the user has a different password. Also ensure the user on the host server is an administrator (user is in the Administrator group).

[@bojanplesa1221]

I have problem with password...I all installed like should but problem is password..On windows i dont have any password and i dont know what password is on ssh server...Is there a way to change that password that i can do all other steps or change it.Thank you

[@wc7]

Windows password is your Windows user password. Password on SSH server password for that user on the SSH server. Could be the same, that's up to you how you set up your network. Mine I make the same for Windows file sharing to work without having to put in a password every time.

[@bojanplesa1221]

@@wc7 that is problem because i didnt put any password

[@user-fi5qb4uk5q]

where do we get the password(3/50 minutе) from?

[@wc7]

It's the password for the Windows user name you enter on the command line. If doing this like the video, on your local Windows machine, it's your regular Windows account user name, and the same password you use to log in to Windows. If the Windows box you're trying to contact is another machine, it's the user name password on that box. To SSH to Windows, the server needs an account defined that you use to log in with. The user name and password on the command line is that account's user name and password.

[@PradeepKumar-oj5ce]

which password need to enter....??

[@wc7]

Use credentials for a user on the target server. If you don't yet have a user on the target server, add an account with password on the target server. Use those credentials.

[@cizgifilmkolikcizgifilm1963]

Wonderful.... How for windows and windows?

[@wc7]

Works the same. Just substitute the Debian console with a Windows Terminal console.

[@cizgifilmkolikcizgifilm1963]

@@wc7 Thank you. Can you make a Contabo VDS and SSH video?

[@wc7]

@@cizgifilmkolikcizgifilm1963 I can only make videos about topics I know.

[@user-hf7jr9dh2i]

Thank you William for this video, for along time I have tried to use public key authentication in Windows 10, I have followed Microsoft documentation but nothing have worked until I have found your video above and everything have worked for me. Thank you for your detailed tutorial. Do you have courses in Udfemy?

[@wc7]

No I don't have any courses. Most of my tutorials are for Adobe Scripting using JavaScript. I don't do a lot of system admin videos. Just once in a while for things I had to figure out how to do myself, so I thought to share.

[@ShakKy33]

where is the password ?

[@wc7]

The Windows user account password.

[@jamilsonjunior284]

@@wc7 does not work here either... the windows user account password is just not accepted

[@wc7]

@@jamilsonjunior284 Does the user have an account on the server? There must be a user account with admin permissions on the server hosting SSH server that matches the credentials trying to log in.

[@nitinsingh-yy7sd]

Pass bot working

[@wc7]

OK

[@joshuagalit6936]

so much bla bla bla I need command line

[@wc7]

Command line begins around 3:40 after the server is installed.