PuTTY is a free, open-source terminal emulator and network client. Log into machines with interactive SSH and Telnet, attach to serial consoles, or open raw TCP links. The Windows MSI drops in putty.exe, puttygen.exe, pscp.exe, psftp.exe, plink.exe, pageant.exe, and related tools in one install. For setup, your first SSH login, and PuTTYgen essentials, read the Hands-on guide on this site.

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SSH terminal, PuTTYgen, PSCP, PSFTP

Why teams keep PuTTY handy

Features operators and engineers lean on when they need a reliable remote shell.

Secure remote access:

Session types for SSH-2 and SSH-1, Telnet, rlogin, serial links, and raw TCP.
Adjustable ciphers, host-key verification, and X11 forwarding where the stack supports it.

Saved sessions and UI polish:

Named profiles that remember host, port, protocol, window geometry, and colors.
Terminal emulation with fonts, palettes, and scrollback you can customize.

Utilities bundled with the client:

PuTTYgen for RSA, DSA, ECDSA, and Ed25519 material (.ppk plus conversions).
PSCP and PSFTP for transfers, Plink for automation, Pageant as the SSH agent.

More than Windows alone:

Official Windows binaries; Linux packages such as putty-tools; macOS through Homebrew, MacPorts, or other ports.

Technical notes

Where Windows stores settings, common package-manager lines, and checks before you trust a host. Tap Copy snippet to paste text into docs or a shell.

Windows registry (sessions and host keys)

On Windows, PuTTY saves settings under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY. Named sessions live in Sessions; cached SSH host keys in SshHostKeys. Viewing these paths from a normal or elevated prompt remains read-only.

Registry paths PuTTY writes on Windows

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 folder

On Linux and other Unix ports, PuTTY typically stores random seed data and session files under ~/.putty (layout may differ by port and release).

Typical paths on Linux / Unix

~/.putty/

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

Package-manager install lines

Example install commands

# 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 binaries delivered via Windows MSI

Executables the MSI installs

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-connection checklist

Confirm the host name or IP, port (22 for SSH by default), and protocol. On the first handshake, match the host-key fingerprint to what your operator publishes. Keep private keys passphrase-protected and use Pageant or agent forwarding only on machines you trust.

Typical PuTTY SSH flow

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 builds from the official PuTTY project that publish checksums. If you rely on mirrors or storefronts, verify signatures whenever they are offered. Visit PuTTYgen for SSH key setup.

Screenshots

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