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Install OpenSSH on Windows through the built-in Optional Features interface or with elevated PowerShell. Choose OpenSSH Client to connect to other SSH hosts; install OpenSSH Server only if this PC needs to accept SSH connections. Microsoft’s in-box Feature on Demand is its recommended option for most users and is serviced through Windows Update.
Check Windows support and choose the component
Microsoft documents support for Windows 10, version 1809 or later; Windows 11; and Windows Server 2019, 2022, and 2025. Its listed prerequisites include an account in the built-in Administrators group and PowerShell 5.1 or later. Check the Windows version with winver.exe and the PowerShell version with $PSVersionTable.PSVersion. See Microsoft’s OpenSSH installation guide.
- Client: Install this to initiate SSH connections to Linux, macOS, Windows, or other SSH hosts.
- Server: Install this to allow remote SSH sign-in to the Windows computer. It runs as the
sshdservice.
The in-box Windows capability is the baseline for these steps. The separately maintained PowerShell/Win32-OpenSSH project is an alternate distribution with its own releases; do not mix its instructions with the in-box installation.
Install OpenSSH with PowerShell
Open PowerShell as an administrator. First check which OpenSSH capabilities are available and their current state:
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Get-WindowsCapability -Online | Where-Object Name -like 'OpenSSH*'Install only the component you need by running its command:
Install the client
Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Client~~~~0.0.1.0Install the server
Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Server~~~~0.0.1.0A normal successful result reports Online : True and RestartNeeded : False. If Windows cannot find or download the capability, check that the device can reach its configured Windows feature source or Windows Update service; organizations may manage feature sources centrally. For offline or managed servicing, follow Microsoft’s installation guidance rather than substituting a third-party package.
Install OpenSSH from Windows Settings
- Open Start and search for Optional Features or Add an optional feature.
- Select Add a feature.
- Search for OpenSSH Client and/or OpenSSH Server, select the component you need, and choose Install.
Windows may use slightly different wording depending on its version. After installation, manage the server service in the Services app or with PowerShell.
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Start the SSH server and enable it after restart
These steps apply only if you installed OpenSSH Server. In elevated PowerShell, start the service now:
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Set-Service -Name sshd -StartupType 'Automatic'Automatic startup is optional; without it, the server will not necessarily be available after a reboot until it is started again.
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Check the Windows Firewall rule for port 22
Installing OpenSSH Server normally creates the inbound Windows Firewall rule named OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP, which allows TCP traffic on port 22. Check whether the rule exists and is enabled:
Get-NetFirewallRule -Name "OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP"If the rule is missing, Microsoft documents creating an inbound rule for TCP local port 22 with elevated PowerShell:
New-NetFirewallRule -Name "OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP" -DisplayName "OpenSSH Server (sshd)" -Enabled True -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -Action Allow -LocalPort 22Opening port 22 in Windows Firewall does not by itself make a computer reachable from the internet. Network firewalls, routers, VPNs, and cloud security policies can also affect access. Avoid exposing SSH broadly to the public internet; restrict access to trusted networks or specific source addresses where possible.
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Connect to the Windows computer
From another device with an SSH client, connect using the Windows account name and the server’s hostname or IP address:
ssh user@hostname-or-ipReplace user with the Windows account permitted to sign in, and replace hostname-or-ip with the server’s reachable name or address. On first connection, SSH may show a host-key fingerprint and ask whether to trust it. Confirm the host identity through a trusted channel; type yes only when it matches the computer you intended to reach. Accepting it stores the host key in the client’s known-hosts file.
Microsoft describes OpenSSH as “a connectivity tool for remote sign-in that uses the SSH protocol.” SSH encrypts traffic between client and server, but encryption does not replace sound account permissions, host verification, patching, and network controls. See Microsoft’s OpenSSH overview.
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Troubleshoot a connection that fails
Use these checks in order to distinguish a service problem from a network or account problem:
- Confirm the server is installed and running: In PowerShell on the Windows host, run
Get-Service sshd. If it is stopped, start it withStart-Service sshd. - Check the firewall rule: Run
Get-NetFirewallRule -Name "OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP". A missing, disabled, or restrictive rule can block inbound traffic. - Check network reachability: Verify that the client is using the correct hostname or IP address and that the network path permits TCP port 22. A router, VPN, or upstream firewall may block the connection even when the Windows rule is present.
- Check the login account: Use the correct Windows username and confirm the account is permitted to sign in through OpenSSH. A reachable server can still reject an unauthorized or incorrectly named account.
- Interpret refusal or reset as a service or port clue: Microsoft notes that connections can be refused or reset if the OpenSSH firewall rule is not enabled or port 22 is not open. Check both Windows Firewall and any network controls between the machines.
Harden access after installation
For production use, prefer key-based authentication and limit which users or groups can log in. Keep Windows patched, protect private keys, and configure network access narrowly. Microsoft’s OpenSSH key management guidance covers host keys and ssh-agent setup.
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