PuTTY

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Free download · Windows installer · Linux & macOS ports

PuTTY is a free, open-source terminal emulator and network client. Use it for interactive SSH and Telnet sessions, serial console access, and raw TCP connections. The Windows MSI bundles putty.exe, puttygen.exe, pscp.exe, psftp.exe, plink.exe, pageant.exe, and related tools in one install. For install steps, your first SSH session, and PuTTYgen basics, open the How to use page on this site.

Features

Highlights that make PuTTY a popular choice for remote administration and development.

Secure remote access:

• SSH-2 and SSH-1, Telnet, rlogin, serial, and raw TCP session types.
• Configurable ciphers, host key verification, and X11 forwarding where supported.

Session management:

• Save named sessions with host, port, protocol, window size, and appearance.
• Terminal emulation with adjustable fonts, colours, and scrollback.

Companion tools:

• PuTTYgen for RSA, DSA, ECDSA, and Ed25519 keys (.ppk and conversions).
• PSCP and PSFTP for file copy, Plink for scripting, Pageant as SSH agent.

Multi‑platform:

• Native Windows builds; Linux packages (for example putty-tools); macOS via Homebrew, MacPorts, or other ports.

Technical reference

Where PuTTY stores settings on Windows, common install commands, and first-connection checks. Use Copy to paste into documentation or a shell.

Windows registry (session and host keys)

On Windows, PuTTY saves configuration under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY. Saved sessions live under the Sessions subkey; trusted SSH host keys under SshHostKeys. Listing keys from an elevated or standard command prompt is read-only.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\Sessions
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\SshHostKeys

REM Example: export subtree for backup (adjust path)
reg export "HKCU\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY" putty-settings.reg /y

Unix-style data directory

On Linux and other Unix ports, PuTTY often stores random seed data and session-related files under ~/.putty (exact layout can vary by port and version).

~/.putty/

# Example: list PuTTY data directory
ls -la ~/.putty/

Install commands (package managers)

# Debian / Ubuntu (client + PuTTYgen CLI)
sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y putty putty-tools

# Windows Package Manager (when available in your catalog)
winget install PuTTY.PuTTY

PuTTY suite executables (Windows MSI)

putty.exe      — SSH/Telnet/serial client
puttygen.exe   — key generator
pscp.exe       — SCP file copy
psftp.exe      — SFTP client
plink.exe      — command-line Plink
pageant.exe    — SSH authentication agent
puttytel.exe   — Telnet-only client

First-time connection tips

Confirm the server host name or IP, port (22 for SSH), and protocol. On first connect, check the host key fingerprint against your server documentation. Protect private keys with a passphrase and use Pageant or agent forwarding only on trusted machines.

Open PuTTY → enter Host Name
→ Port 22, Connection type SSH
→ Session: save profile (optional)
→ Open → accept host key if verified
→ Log in (password or key)

Prefer downloads from the official PuTTY project with published checksums. When using third-party mirrors or app stores, compare signatures where available. See PuTTYgen for SSH key setup.

PuTTY screenshots

Click a thumbnail to enlarge, then use arrows to scroll left or right:

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