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Before you change SSH access
Have the server’s address or hostname, the correct login name, and the configured SSH port ready. Confirm you still have a working SSH session or an out-of-band recovery route, such as the hosting provider’s console. If you are already locked out, use that provider’s documented recovery procedure; console access and firewall controls vary by provider and operating system.
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What the two SSH keys do
A key pair consists of a private identity file and a corresponding public-key file, usually ending in .pub. The client uses the private key to prove its identity; the server checks whether the matching public key is authorized for the account being accessed. The server’s default authorized-key file is ~/.ssh/authorized_keys, but its configuration can specify another location. See the OpenBSD ssh-keygen(1) and sshd_config(5) manuals.
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Separately, your client’s known_hosts data records server host keys. This lets the client recognize the server; it is not where you install your client public key. OpenSSH explains this distinction in sshd(8).
Generate or find a key on your computer
Run these commands on the computer from which you will connect, not in the server shell. First inspect ~/.ssh for an existing key pair so you do not accidentally overwrite a private key. If you need a new key, a representative command for a current OpenSSH client is:
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Install the public key for the intended server account
Install the key under the account that should log in. For example, a key placed in /root/.ssh/authorized_keys does not automatically authorize the deploy account. The usual default is an authorized_keys file in that user’s home directory; administrators should check AuthorizedKeysFile in the server’s SSH configuration if the default does not apply. See sshd_config(5).
Use ssh-copy-id when available
If you can already connect to the destination account with a supported method, ssh-copy-id can install the public key where the server expects it. For example:
ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub [email protected]Include the appropriate port if the server does not use the client’s default SSH port. Verify the target username and host before running the command.
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Append the public key manually
If using ssh-copy-id is not an option, use your existing session or the provider console to create the destination account’s SSH directory and append the complete, single-line contents of the local .pub file to its authorized_keys. On a Unix-like server, the common permission pattern is:
mkdir -p ~/.ssh
chmod 700 ~/.ssh
cat >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keysAfter running the commands, paste the public-key line into the waiting cat command and finish input with Ctrl-D. Alternatively, transfer the public-key file using a supported method, then append its contents. Confirm that the directory and file belong to the destination account, not to a different user. These are common Unix conventions; check the target system’s documentation for its requirements. OpenSSH’s StrictModes checks ownership and permissions for the user’s home and SSH files and is enabled by default in the documented configuration. See sshd_config(5) and sshd(8).
Test a fresh login before closing the old session
Open a second terminal on your computer and connect as the intended account, specifying the private identity if needed:
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ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 [email protected]If the server uses a nonstandard port, add -p PORT with the port actually configured on that server. Make sure the client offers the intended identity and that the server accepts it. If authentication fails, use verbose client output with ssh -v and check the server’s authentication logs for the relevant operating system. Keep your original working session open until this fresh login succeeds.
On a first connection, the client may ask whether to trust the server’s host key. When practical, verify its fingerprint through a trusted provider console or another independent channel. A changed-host-key warning can indicate that the server was reinstalled or its host key changed, but it can also signal an unexpected host; investigate rather than casually bypassing the warning. OpenSSH describes host-key records and verification in sshd(8).
If the server rejects the key
- Wrong account or key location: Check the login name, the account’s home directory, and the configured
AuthorizedKeysFile. The key must be authorized for the account you are logging into. See sshd_config(5). - Unsafe ownership or permissions: Check the home directory,
.ssh, andauthorized_keys. WithStrictModesenabled, OpenSSH rejects unsafe ownership or modes. See sshd_config(5). - The client offered a different key: Use
-ito select the intended private identity. Do not put the private key on the server. See ssh-keygen(1). - Server settings or service state: Check whether public-key authentication is permitted, whether
AuthorizedKeysFilewas changed, and whether the SSH service is listening on the expected port. The documented OpenBSD configuration defaultsPubkeyAuthenticationto yes, but distributions and local settings can differ. See sshd_config(5). - Network or firewall path: Check the provider-level firewall and the guest operating system’s firewall, along with the actual SSH port. Their controls and commands depend on your provider and operating system.
Optional: use a hardware-backed key
OpenSSH also supports FIDO security-key types on compatible clients and servers. This is an advanced alternative, not a requirement for ordinary SSH access. A passphrase encrypts a software-held private key; a FIDO authenticator can tie key operations to a physical device, and server configuration can require user presence or verification. Before choosing this route, confirm support across the client and server and plan how you will recover access if the authenticator is unavailable. See ssh-keygen(1) and sshd_config(5).
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Replacing a lost or exposed key
If a private key may have been exposed, remove its public-key line from every applicable authorized-keys file and install a replacement through a trusted working session or recovery route. A public key alone does not disclose its private half, but removing an old authorization is prudent if the associated private key is compromised. Managed deployments can also use OpenSSH’s revoked-key configuration; see sshd_config(5).
Do not disable password authentication or change root-login policy as part of the key installation unless you have separately chosen and verified that policy. First confirm a fresh key-based login and a recovery path; the appropriate authentication policy depends on how the server is administered.
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