How to modify ~/.ssh folder & files in windows?

Question

I feel like I am missing some fundamental concept as to how the .ssh directory works in windows. I have had no issues when working in OSX/Linux like I am having now. My end goal is simply to move my existing ssh key into the default ~/.ssh directory, and update the config if I so choose (you know, normal ssh key related tasks).

However, any time I have tried to move my existing SSH key over to the ~/.ssh directory, or open it, or even create a config file I just get the following error (in either gitbash, puttygen, etc...):

Puttygen (saving the key to disk):

Overwrite existing file C:\Users\me\.ssh?

or in gitbash (attempting to do anything, including just create the config file):

touch: creating `/c/Users/me/.ssh/config': No such file or directory

cd ~/.ssh

sh.exe": cd: /c/Users/me/.ssh: Not a directory

What am I missing/not understanding?

Kind Regards, u353

Answer 1

This isn't supported as Windows doesn't recognize dot files as directories.

Answer 2

I have created and regularly use a ".ssh" directory on Windows 7; as mentioned in the above comments, Windows Explorer doesn't support them, or more specifically, the error-checking in Windows Explorer does not allow you to give a file name that starts with a period. That same restriction does not exist in the command prompt or powershell.

Also, as mentioned above, it appears you have a file called ".ssh" in your home directory, which must be removed before you can create a folder named ".ssh".

Once such a folder exists, you can open it and change/create files in it using Windows Explorer; it just won't let you name a folder/file ".ssh" directly.

Gitbash should directly allow you to run "rm .ssh" and "mkdir .ssh", at which point everything else should work.

Answer 3

It is quite possible to add a . in the beginning of a directories name using File Explorer, it can be easily done by adding a . at the end of the directory name as well. For example:

To create a directory named .shh, just add the name as .ssh. and it will be created without any error.

And as @Bryson mentioned, this can be done from the cli as well, without appending a . at the end.

Answer 4

Coming to this in 2018, given that on Windows 10 you have the Optional Feature OpenSSH client installed it appears that on Windows a .ssh folder is created for you under C:\Users\<your_username>\.ssh

This is a feature that allows you to use PowerShell to SSH into remote hosts, and seems to be pretty similar in usage to the Linux/Unix equivalent. It was already installed for me when I setup my computer, but you can read the following for how to verify it's installed or install it:

You can check if it's installed by going to Settings -> Manage Optional Features, and then checking if you see OpenSSH in the list. If it is then your .ssh folder is probably in your home directory C:\Users\<your_username>\.ssh. If you need to install it then click "Add a feature", locate OpenSSH Client, click it and click install to install it.

Answer 5

This answer for Windows environment:

At the beginning, Windows didn't have .ssh folder.

When your run command for creating a ssh key like this:

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your_email@example.com" (must run your terminal as administrator).

Your is_rsa and id_rsa.pub files will be placed under /c/Users/your_username/

So, you need to create folder /c/Users/your_username/.ssh yourself then copy the ssh files to there. You also have to create file /c/Users/your_username/.ssh/config and edit it for the first time.

Next ssh will be placed under the .ssh folder automatically.

Note: ~/ is the same as /c/Users/your_username/ on Windows