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Your SSH key is usually in the hidden .ssh folder inside your user home directory. On macOS and Linux, check ~/.ssh. On Windows 10 or 11 with OpenSSH, check C:Users<username>.ssh, also written as %USERPROFILE%.ssh. A normal key pair has an extensionless private file such as id_ed25519 or id_rsa, alongside a public file with the same name plus .pub.
Copy only the file ending in .pub to a server or service. The matching extensionless file is private and must be protected like a password. If no familiar filename appears, the key may use a custom path, be referenced by an SSH configuration file, be loaded only in an agent, or reside on a hardware security token.
The quick way to locate an SSH key
- Open a terminal on macOS or Linux, or PowerShell on Windows.
- Open the hidden
.sshdirectory in your home folder. - Look for a filename pair such as
id_ed25519andid_ed25519.pub, orid_rsaandid_rsa.pub. - Use the
.pubfile when a service asks for your SSH public key. - Never upload, paste, or send the extensionless private file.
The name is not guaranteed. When a key was created with a custom filename, the correct files may be called anything chosen at the time of creation. Treat every extensionless identity file as private until you have verified what it is.
What the two SSH key files mean
SSH authentication uses a mathematically related pair. The private key stays on your computer and creates a signature when you connect. The public key can be installed on a server or account; that server uses it to verify signatures from the matching private key.
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| File appearance | Usual role | What to do with it |
|---|---|---|
id_ed25519, id_rsa, or another file with no .pub suffix |
Private key | Keep it on the client, protect it with a passphrase and appropriate file permissions, and do not share it. |
id_ed25519.pub, id_rsa.pub, or another matching .pub file |
Public key | Copy this text to a server account or service that supports SSH authentication. |
The private file is equivalent to a password for the identities and access it controls. Anyone who obtains an unprotected private key may be able to authenticate wherever its public key is trusted, especially if the key has no passphrase. A filename alone does not prove that a file is safe to share: an extensionless file should be assumed private.
Why the filename may differ
Modern OpenSSH setups commonly create an Ed25519 pair named id_ed25519. Older setups often use RSA names such as id_rsa. The ssh-keygen prompt allows a different output path, so a pair might instead have a project, client, or server-specific name. The public half normally keeps the exact same base name and adds .pub.
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Find the key on macOS or Linux
List the hidden directory
- Open Terminal.
- Run
ls -la ~/.ssh. The-aoption includes hidden entries, and-lshows details such as permissions. - Inspect likely pairs. For example,
id_ed25519besideid_ed25519.pubis one pair;id_rsabesideid_rsa.pubis another.
The command may show other files, including config, known_hosts, and an agent-related socket. Those are SSH support files, not necessarily private keys.
Search every regular file in the folder
If the expected names are absent, run:
find ~/.ssh -maxdepth 1 -type f -print
This prints regular files directly inside .ssh, including custom-named identities. A file with a matching .pub companion is a strong indication of a key pair, but do not open a private file merely to copy a key.
Print the public key for copying
Once you know the correct public filename, print only that file. For an Ed25519 key, use:
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
Replace the filename if your pair uses RSA or a custom name. Copy the complete single-line output, including its key type and any trailing comment. Do not substitute cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519; that command displays the private key.
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If ~/.ssh does not exist
An absent directory usually means no key has been created for that user account, or the key was saved elsewhere. It does not prove that you have never authenticated with SSH: an agent, a different account, a custom configuration, or a hardware token can change where the credential is kept. Check the creation command or application that generated the key, then inspect SSH configuration for an IdentityFile entry.
Find the key on Windows 10 or 11
Use PowerShell
- Open PowerShell under the Windows account that uses SSH.
- Run
Get-ChildItem -Force $env:USERPROFILE.ssh. - Look for pairs such as
id_ed25519andid_ed25519.pub, orid_rsaandid_rsa.pub.
The -Force switch displays hidden entries. A typical public-key path is C:Usersyour-user.sshid_ed25519.pub. Substitute the actual account name and filename.
Use File Explorer
- Enter
%USERPROFILE%.sshin File Explorer’s address bar. - If the folder or files are not visible, turn on View > Show > Hidden items (the wording can vary slightly by Windows build).
- Identify the public file by its
.pubsuffix. Keep the companion extensionless file private.
When PowerShell reports that the path is missing
A missing .ssh folder can mean the account has not generated a key, the key was saved under a custom path, or another SSH installation is being used. Check the command or program that created the credential and inspect its SSH configuration for IdentityFile paths. Also make sure PowerShell is running as the same Windows user who created the key; each user normally has a separate home directory.
Locate an id_ed25519 file or a custom identity
Check the SSH configuration
SSH can be told to use a non-default identity with an IdentityFile line. On macOS and Linux, inspect ~/.ssh/config; on Windows, the per-user configuration is normally in %USERPROFILE%.sshconfig. A host entry may point to a filename outside the standard directory or select a different key for a particular server.
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Check keys currently offered by an SSH agent
A private key can be loaded into an SSH agent even when you do not remember which file supplied it. Run:
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ssh-add -L
This lists public keys currently offered by the agent; it does not print private key material. The output can help you match a key comment or fingerprint to an account. An agent listing is not a backup: if the original private file is lost and the key is not exportable, the agent alone may not let you recover it.
Test one suspected key without changing your configuration
To try a particular private-key path for a host, use:
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Replace the path, username, and host with your values. This selects that identity for the connection attempt without requiring you to rename files or edit the default configuration. A successful login confirms that the key is usable for that host, but it does not mean the key should be shared.
Remember that different accounts have different home folders
Running a command as another user, through a separate terminal profile, or inside a development environment can point SSH at a different home directory. Check the account shown by your shell and inspect that account’s .ssh folder. Containers, virtual machines, and remote sessions also have their own filesystems; a key seen there may not be on your main computer.
Which SSH key should you copy to a service?
Copy the public key, the line that ends in .pub. For example, if the pair is id_ed25519 and id_ed25519.pub, copy the contents of id_ed25519.pub. A public key line normally contains a key type, a long encoded value, and sometimes a comment identifying the computer or account.
- Use
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pubon macOS or Linux, changing the filename when needed. - On Windows, open the corresponding
.pubfile in a text editor or print it from PowerShell without exposing the private companion file. - Paste the complete line into the service’s SSH-key field or the server account’s authorized-key file.
- If the service rejects the value, check for wrapped lines, missing characters, extra quotation marks, or a copied private key.
Never copy the extensionless file to a website, ticket, chat, or server as a substitute for the public key. If a service asks for a private key, stop and verify the workflow; routine account setup should require the public half.
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Where the server stores the other half
Unix-like servers
For a normal user account, the server commonly keeps trusted public keys in that account’s ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file. This is separate from the private key on your computer. The server reads the authorized public key and verifies the signature made by your client; it never needs your private file.
Windows OpenSSH administrator accounts
In Microsoft’s Windows OpenSSH administrator setup, authorized keys are stored in C:ProgramDatasshadministrators_authorized_keys. This location is for the server-side administrator configuration and is not the place to search for your client private key.
Do not confuse authorized keys with host keys
A client identity proves who is connecting. A host key proves the identity of the server to the client. Windows OpenSSH host keys used by the sshd service are stored under C:ProgramDatassh. Host keys and the server’s authorized-key file have different purposes; neither is your personal client private key.
When the credential is on a hardware token
Some OpenSSH credentials are FIDO/U2F resident keys held on an attached security token rather than as an ordinary private file on disk. In that case, searching ~/.ssh may reveal a public key or configuration reference but no usable private-key file.
OpenSSH can download resident keys into public/private key files with:
ssh-keygen -K
Whether this works depends on the token, its PIN or touch requirements, and the OpenSSH version. A resident key is intentionally less recoverable as a normal file: losing the token or its recovery method can prevent access. Do not assume that the presence of a downloaded file means the token is no longer involved; follow the key type and configuration shown by your SSH tools.
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| Storage method | Recoverability | Risk if the computer’s disk is copied | Passphrase or agent convenience | Portability | Can it be exported to a file? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary private-key file | Backups can restore it if the file and passphrase are preserved. | Exposure depends on file protection and whether a passphrase is set; a stolen unencrypted file is immediately serious. | Works with passphrases and SSH agents; an agent can avoid repeated prompts during a session. | Easy to move between compatible operating systems only when transferred and protected securely. | Yes, it is already file-based. |
| Resident hardware-token key | Usually tied to the token; replacement and recovery depend on the token’s supported enrollment process. | The private operation remains on the token, reducing exposure from a copied disk, although the public key and account access still matter. | May require a PIN, touch, or token presence instead of an ordinary file passphrase. | Usable across systems with compatible OpenSSH and token support, but it cannot be treated as a universal file. | OpenSSH can retrieve resident keys with ssh-keygen -K when supported; otherwise the private operation is non-exportable. |
Troubleshoot a missing or unusable key
You see no .ssh directory
- Confirm you are using the intended user account and home directory.
- Check whether the key was created by a different terminal, application, virtual machine, or remote host.
- Review the key-generation command for a custom output path.
- Check for a hardware token or an agent-loaded identity.
- If no key exists, create one only after confirming the service’s required key type and account policy; do not overwrite an existing identity without a backup.
You see a private file but no .pub file
The public half may have been deleted while the private key remains. Do not upload the private file as a replacement. Depending on the key type and OpenSSH tools, you may be able to derive or regenerate a public key from the private key, but make a protected backup first and use the documented command for your key type. If you cannot safely recover the public half, generate a new pair and add its new public key to every service that needs access.
The public key is rejected
- Verify that you copied the
.publine, not the private file. - Ensure the line remained intact and was not wrapped or altered by a rich-text editor.
- Check that you are adding the key to the intended user or service account.
- Confirm that your SSH configuration selects the matching private identity for that host.
- If several keys exist, test the intended one explicitly with
ssh -i /path/to/private_key user@host.
The agent lists a key, but the file cannot be found
ssh-add -L proves that the agent can offer a public key, not that the original private file is still available. Identify the key by its comment or fingerprint, then locate the source path through your configuration or key-management application. If the key was created on a token, reconnect the token and use its supported resident-key workflow instead of searching only the disk.
Permissions prevent SSH from using the file
SSH may refuse keys that are accessible to other users. On macOS and Linux, inspect the permissions shown by ls -la ~/.ssh and ensure the private key is protected from other accounts. On Windows, review the file’s security properties and keep access limited to the intended user. Do not solve a permission error by making the private key broadly readable.
Protect and manage the key after you find it
Use a passphrase
A passphrase adds protection if someone obtains the private file. An SSH agent can keep a decrypted key available for a session so you do not have to type the passphrase for every connection. The agent does not make it safe to share the private file or leave it in an unprotected backup.
Back up deliberately
Back up the private key only in an encrypted location you control, together with the passphrase or a recovery method stored separately. A backup of only the .pub file cannot recreate the private key. Conversely, storing an unencrypted private-key copy in ordinary cloud storage, email, or a shared folder expands the consequences of account compromise.
Keep separate identities understandable
When you use different keys for different servers or services, meaningful custom filenames and comments make them easier to identify. Record which public key is registered with which account, but do not record or distribute the private key in that inventory. An IdentityFile entry in SSH configuration can select the right identity per host without renaming files.
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- Generate a new pair without deleting the old one.
- Add the new public key to every required server or service.
- Test the new identity explicitly.
- Remove the old public key from authorized-key lists and account settings.
- Delete or securely retire the old private file after confirming that no legitimate connection depends on it.
If a private key was exposed, treat it as compromised even when you see no suspicious login. Removing its public counterpart from servers is the essential revocation step; changing a filename does not revoke the key.
Quick Recap
A compact location checklist
- macOS/Linux:
~/.ssh; list it withls -la ~/.ssh. - Windows OpenSSH:
%USERPROFILE%.ssh; list it withGet-ChildItem -Force $env:USERPROFILE.ssh. - Typical private names:
id_ed25519andid_rsa, plus any custom names. - Typical public names: the same base name ending in
.pub. - Public key to copy: only the complete
.publine. - Server user keys: commonly
~/.ssh/authorized_keys; Windows administrator setup may useC:ProgramDatasshadministrators_authorized_keys. - Windows host keys: under
C:ProgramDatassh, separate from your client identity. - Agent check:
ssh-add -Llists public keys currently offered. - Resident-token recovery:
ssh-keygen -Kcan download supported resident keys.
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