How to Create SSH Keys with PuTTY on Windows

DigitalOcean Droplets are Linux-based virtual machines (VMs) that run on top of virtualized hardware. Each Droplet you create is a new server you can use, either standalone or as part of a larger, cloud-based infrastructure.

To create and use SSH keys on Windows, you need to download and install both PuTTY, the utility used to connect to remote servers through SSH, and PuTTYgen, a utility used to create SSH keys.

On the PuTTY website, download the .msi file in the Package files section at the top of the page, under MSI (‘Windows Installer’). Next, install it on your local computer by double clicking it and using the installation wizard.

We strongly recommend following the official PuTTY instructions on creating and using SSH keys for authentication:

Using Public Keys for SSH Authentication

Official PuTTY documentation on using PuTTYgen to create a new SSH key pair and using it to connect to a server using PuTTY.

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After you generate a key pair, you can add your public key to existing Droplets to use SSH key authentication to log in to them. You can also add your public key to a DigitalOcean team, which lets you create new Droplets with your key already embedded.