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Go to Start > Settings > System > Optional features, then search the added features for OpenSSH. If OpenSSH Client is listed, it is installed. If it is not, install it from the same page. Settings manages the Windows feature; to connect to another computer, open a terminal and run the ssh command.

Find OpenSSH Client in Windows 11 Settings

  1. Open Start, then select Settings.
  2. Select System, then Optional features.
  3. Search the added or installed features for OpenSSH.
  4. Check the results for OpenSSH Client. Its presence means the Windows client capability is installed.

Microsoft documents this Settings path in its Windows Terminal SSH tutorial. The exact labels or controls can vary between Windows 11 releases.

Install OpenSSH Client if it is missing

Use Settings

  1. On the Optional features page, choose the control to view or add features.
  2. Search for OpenSSH Client and select it.
  3. Choose the install action and allow Windows to complete the installation.
  4. Return to the added-features list and search for OpenSSH to confirm it appears.

OpenSSH Client is an optional Windows capability. Microsoft documents installation through Optional Features and through PowerShell in its OpenSSH installation guide.

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Use PowerShell instead

For administration or repeatable setup, open PowerShell as an administrator and run:

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

This installs the same Windows OpenSSH Client capability. When it completes, check Optional features again or verify the client from a terminal.

Open a terminal to use the client

Settings does not launch an SSH session. After installation, open Windows Terminal or another command-line shell and run ssh with the destination host, for example ssh username@hostname. Replace the example username and hostname with the account and host you intend to reach.

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OpenSSH Client and OpenSSH Server are separate components: the client lets this Windows PC initiate SSH connections; the server component, sshd, accepts incoming connections on a machine configured to act as a server. Microsoft’s OpenSSH for Windows overview explains these roles. Its Windows Terminal tutorial identifies C:WindowsSystem32OpenSSH as the default OpenSSH directory.

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If installation fails

An installation failure does not identify one universal cause. Feature on Demand downloads may depend on Windows Update availability, and an organization may manage the update source or restrict optional feature installation. Check the error message and the device’s update and management configuration; Microsoft’s OpenSSH installation troubleshooting guide covers relevant Feature on Demand and policy issues.

Quick Recap

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Dell Latitude 5420 14' FHD Business Laptop Computer, Intel Quad-Core i5-1145G7, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD, Camera, HDMI, Windows 11 Pro (Renewed)
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