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Your SSH keys are usually in the hidden .ssh folder inside your user home directory: ~/.ssh on macOS and Linux, or C:Users<username>.ssh (also %USERPROFILE%.ssh) on Windows. A normal key pair has an extensionless private-key file, such as id_ed25519 or id_rsa, and a matching public-key file ending in .pub. Copy only the public file to a server or service; treat the private file like a password.
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Start with the correct folder
SSH keys belong to a user account, not to a project folder. Open a terminal or PowerShell window as the same account that created or uses the key, then inspect that account’s home directory.
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| System | Usual client-key directory | Typical public-key path |
|---|---|---|
| macOS | ~/.ssh |
~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub |
| Linux | ~/.ssh |
~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub |
| Windows 10/11 OpenSSH | C:Users<username>.ssh or %USERPROFILE%.ssh |
C:Users<username>.sshid_ed25519.pub |
The folder is hidden by default on macOS, Linux, and Windows. Hidden does not mean encrypted: anyone who can read your account’s files may be able to read a private key unless it is protected by a passphrase and appropriate account security.
Find your key on macOS or Linux
List everything in the hidden folder
- Open Terminal.
- Run
ls -la ~/.ssh. - Look for matching names such as
id_ed25519andid_ed25519.pub, orid_rsaandid_rsa.pub.
The -a option includes hidden entries, and -l shows details such as ownership and permissions. A directory may contain several pairs if you use different identities for different servers.
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Search only for files in that directory
If the listing is crowded, run:
find ~/.ssh -maxdepth 1 -type f -printThis prints files directly inside ~/.ssh without descending into unrelated subdirectories. It does not prove that every printed file is a private key; configuration files, known-host records, and agent-related files can be present too.
Print a public key for copying
To display an Ed25519 public key, use:
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pubReplace the filename when your pair uses another name. Copy the complete single line, including its key type and any trailing comment. Never run cat on the extensionless private file when you intend to paste a key into a website or server.
Find your key on Windows 10 or 11
Use PowerShell
- Open PowerShell under the Windows account that uses SSH.
- Run
Get-ChildItem -Force $env:USERPROFILE.ssh. - Inspect names such as
id_ed25519,id_ed25519.pub,id_rsa, andid_rsa.pub.
-Force tells PowerShell to include hidden entries. To restrict the output to files, run:
Get-ChildItem -Force $env:USERPROFILE.ssh -FileUse File Explorer
Enter %USERPROFILE%.ssh in File Explorer’s address bar. If the directory does not appear, enable View > Show > Hidden items (the exact menu wording can vary slightly by Windows release). VS Code documentation uses C:Usersyour-user.sshid_ed25519.pub as a typical Windows public-key location.
Display the public key safely
In PowerShell, display the public file with:
Get-Content $env:USERPROFILE.sshid_ed25519.pubUse the actual filename if it differs. Select only the public-key line for copying. Do not open or paste the matching extensionless file into a chat, issue tracker, or service form.
Know which file is private and which is public
| Filename pattern | Role | Safe to copy to a server or service? |
|---|---|---|
id_ed25519, id_rsa, or another file with no .pub suffix |
Normally the private key used to sign an authentication request | No. Keep it confidential and protected like a password. |
id_ed25519.pub, id_rsa.pub, or another matching .pub file |
Public key used by a server or account to verify signatures | Yes. This is the file normally added to an account or authorized-key list. |
The absence of a filename extension does not make a file public. OpenSSH commonly stores private keys without an extension. Microsoft Learn describes a private key as equivalent to a password and says it should remain protected under all circumstances. If you are uncertain, treat an extensionless identity file as private until you verify it.
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Which SSH key should you copy to GitHub or another service?
Copy the contents of the .pub file that corresponds to the identity you intend to use. For example, if your client will authenticate with id_ed25519, add id_ed25519.pub to the service. Do not upload the extensionless private file.
When several public keys exist
Choose by matching the private filename to the public filename and, when possible, by checking the key’s comment or fingerprint. A pair named work_ed25519 and work_ed25519.pub is distinct from personal_ed25519 and personal_ed25519.pub. Adding every public key to every account is unnecessary and makes access harder to audit.
When a service asks for a single line
Paste the entire output of the public-key command as one line. It normally begins with a key type such as ssh-ed25519 or ssh-rsa, followed by encoded data and sometimes a comment. Do not add quotation marks or line breaks.
Why the default filename may be missing
You selected a custom output path
ssh-keygen asks where to save a new key. If you entered a custom path or filename, the pair will not be called id_ed25519 or id_rsa. The private and public files use the selected base name, with .pub added to the public copy. Search the location you entered when the key was created.
Your SSH configuration selects another identity
OpenSSH can select keys through an SSH configuration file, commonly ~/.ssh/config. Look for entries such as:
Host example-host
IdentityFile ~/.ssh/work_ed25519An IdentityFile line identifies the private key to try for that host. On Windows, the same configuration is normally under your user profile’s .ssh directory. A configuration entry can point outside that directory, so inspect the complete path rather than assuming the default location.
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The key is loaded in an agent
An SSH agent can hold decrypted private keys for use without repeatedly asking for a passphrase. To see public keys currently offered by the agent, run:
ssh-add -LThis prints public keys only; it does not recover a private key from the agent. If the agent lists an identity you cannot locate on disk, check the command, application, or operating-system credential manager that originally loaded it. An agent listing also does not tell you which server account has authorized that key.
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FIDO/U2F resident keys are an exception to the ordinary “one private file on disk” model. OpenSSH documents resident keys stored on an attached security token. When the token supports exporting resident credentials, ssh-keygen -K can download resident keys into public and private key files. Without the token, there may be no usable private-key file to find on the computer.
Discover the identity used for a particular connection
If you know the host but not the filename, test a candidate identity explicitly:
ssh -i /path/to/private_key user@hostReplace the path, username, and host with your values. The -i option selects that private key for this connection without changing your configuration. On Windows PowerShell, use a Windows path such as C:Usersname.sshwork_ed25519.
For a repeatable setup, put the identity in the relevant Host block of your SSH configuration and use the same alias thereafter. Keep the private path accurate; a path to the .pub file is not a substitute for the private key during authentication.
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Where the other half is stored on the server
The server does not need a copy of your private key. On Unix-like systems, the target account commonly keeps authorized public keys in ~/.ssh/authorized_keys. The SSH service checks whether a presented signature matches one of those public keys. Your private key remains on the client.
Microsoft’s Windows OpenSSH administrator setup uses C:ProgramDatasshadministrators_authorized_keys for administrator accounts. A regular Windows account can have a different authorized-key location according to the server’s configuration. If authentication fails, confirm that the public key was added to the intended account and file, not merely to the server’s general filesystem.
Do not confuse client keys with host keys
Client identity keys prove who is connecting. Host keys prove that the machine you contacted is the expected SSH server. They serve opposite directions of trust.
Windows OpenSSH host keys are stored under C:ProgramDatassh for the sshd service. They are not the personal private key you upload to an account. On a client, host-verification records are commonly kept separately from identity files; seeing a file related to known hosts does not mean you found your login key.
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Compare the ways an SSH credential can be kept
| Storage method | Recoverability | Exposure if disk is copied | Passphrase and agent convenience | Portability | Can it be exported to a file? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary private-key file | Recoverable from the file if it has not been lost or damaged | Anyone obtaining the file can attempt to use it; a passphrase adds protection | Works with passphrases and agents; an agent can avoid repeated prompts | Easy to move deliberately between compatible systems, but every copy increases handling risk | Yes |
| Private key held by an SSH agent | Depends on whether the original file or another backup exists; the agent listing exposes public keys only | The agent’s security boundary matters; the private material is not normally printed by ssh-add -L |
Convenient for repeated connections after unlocking | Usually limited to the machine or session running the agent | Not from ssh-add -L; recover the original key through its source |
| FIDO/U2F resident key on a hardware token | Requires the token; a resident key can be downloaded with ssh-keygen -K when supported |
Copying the computer’s disk alone does not copy the token-held credential | Requires the token and its interaction rules; it is not simply a normal file | Use the token with compatible systems rather than copying a private file | Sometimes, using ssh-keygen -K and the token’s support for resident-key download |
This distinction explains why a successful connection does not always imply that a readable private-key file exists in ~/.ssh.
What to do when you cannot find the private key
- Check the correct account. A key under another user’s home directory will not appear in your own
~/.ssh. Confirm the account shown by your terminal or PowerShell session. - List hidden files. Use
ls -la ~/.sshon macOS/Linux orGet-ChildItem -Force $env:USERPROFILE.sshon Windows. - Search for custom names. Use
find ~/.ssh -maxdepth 1 -type f -printor the PowerShell-Filelisting, then inspect your SSH configuration forIdentityFile. - Check the creation prompt or application. The path entered during
ssh-keygen, a development tool, or an operating-system credential manager may be different from the default. - Check the agent. Run
ssh-add -Lto see public identities currently offered. This confirms that an agent has a key available, but it does not reveal the private file’s path. - Consider a hardware token. If the key was created as a resident FIDO/U2F credential, connect the token and use the documented resident-key workflow rather than searching the disk indefinitely.
- Do not generate a replacement blindly. Creating a new pair does not restore access granted to the missing private key. You must add the new public key to every server or service that should accept it, and revoke the old public key where appropriate.
Protect the private key after you locate it
- Never upload, paste, or email the private file.
- Do not place it in a public repository, screenshot, support ticket, or chat transcript.
- Use a strong passphrase when creating or changing a private key, then load it into an agent when that is appropriate for your workflow.
- Keep ownership and file permissions restricted to the account that needs the key. If another user or process can read it, assume the credential is exposed.
- Back up important keys only in a controlled, encrypted location. A backup is another copy that must be protected and eventually removed when obsolete.
- If you believe the private key was copied, leaked, or posted, stop treating it as trustworthy. Generate a replacement, install the new public key, and remove the compromised public key from servers and services.
Common mistakes and their fixes
“I copied the file with no extension and authentication still fails.”
You probably copied the private key where a public key was requested. Return to the matching .pub file and copy its complete line. Keep the extensionless file on the client.
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“The .ssh folder is not visible.”
It is hidden by default. Use ls -la, PowerShell’s -Force, or enable hidden items in File Explorer. Also verify that you are looking in the home directory of the account that owns the key.
“I have several id_ files and do not know which one is used.”
Match each private filename to its .pub partner, inspect IdentityFile entries in your SSH configuration, and test a candidate with ssh -i. Do not infer identity from the filename alone when a custom configuration is present.
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Send only the public key line or the contents of the .pub file. A legitimate setup never requires you to send the private key. If someone requests it, stop and verify the request through a trusted channel.
“There is no private file, but the connection works.”
An agent may have the key loaded, or the credential may reside on a hardware token. Use ssh-add -L to inspect agent-held public identities and check whether a security token is required.
A quick platform checklist
macOS or Linux
- Open Terminal.
- Run
ls -la ~/.ssh. - Identify a private/public pair by matching the base name and
.pubsuffix. - Print only the public file with
cat ~/.ssh/name.pub. - If absent, inspect
~/.ssh/config, search withfind, checkssh-add -L, and consider a hardware token.
Windows 10 or 11
- Open PowerShell.
- Run
Get-ChildItem -Force $env:USERPROFILE.ssh -File. - Alternatively, open
%USERPROFILE%.sshin File Explorer with hidden items enabled. - Print only the public file with
Get-Content $env:USERPROFILE.sshname.pub. - If absent, inspect SSH configuration and the application or token that created the identity.
The essential rule
Start in your user home directory’s hidden .ssh folder, but do not assume the default filename. The file without .pub is normally the private credential; the matching .pub file is what you install on a server or service. Custom configuration, an agent, or a resident hardware-token key explains most exceptions. Keep the private key protected and let the server store only the public half.
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