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How to set up SSH key login and turn off passwords

An SSH key is a long secret file on your computer. It is much harder to guess than a password.

1. Create a key (on your computer)

ssh-keygen -t ed25519

Press Enter to accept the default location. Add a passphrase.

2. Copy the public key to the server

ssh-copy-id root@YOUR-SERVER-IP

On Windows with PuTTY, use PuTTYgen to make the key and paste the public part into ~/.ssh/authorized_keys.

3. Test it

Open a new window and log in. It must work without the server password.

4. Turn off password login

Edit /etc/ssh/sshd_config and set:

PasswordAuthentication no

Then run systemctl restart ssh. Keep your first window open until you confirm the new login works.

More in VPS and servers

• How to connect to your Linux VPS with PuTTY (Windows)
• How to connect to a Linux VPS from Mac or Linux with SSH
• Where to find your server IP address and password
• How to change your root password on Linux
• First steps on a new Linux VPS: a security checklist

Still stuck? Open a support ticket.