How to Create SSH Key Pair in Windows 10 On 3Engines Cloud[🔗](#how-to-create-ssh-key-pair-in-windows-10-on-brand-name "Permalink to this headline")
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This guide will show you how to generate an SSH key pair in Windows 10 using OpenSSH.

Prerequisites[🔗](#prerequisites "Permalink to this headline")
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> * System running Windows 10 or Windows Server 2016-2022
> * User account with administrative privileges
> * Access to Windows command prompt

Step 1: Verify if OpenSSH Client is Installed[🔗](#step-1-verify-if-openssh-client-is-installed "Permalink to this headline")
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First, check to see if you have the OpenSSH client installed:

1. Open the **Settings** panel, then click **Apps**.
2. Under the *Apps and Features* heading, click **Manage optional Features**.

![ssh_windows_1.png](../_images/ssh_windows_1.png)

3. Scroll down the list to see if OpenSSH Client is listed.

* If it’s not, click the plus-sign next to Add a feature.
* Scroll through the list to find and select OpenSSH Client.
* Finally, click Install.

![ssh_windows_2.png](../_images/ssh_windows_2.png)

This will install app called **ssh-keygen**.

Step 2: Open Command Prompt[🔗](#step-2-open-command-prompt "Permalink to this headline")
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**ssh-keygen** runs from Windows Command Prompt, so the next step is to open it.

1. Press the Windows key.
2. Type **cmd**.
3. Under **Best Match**, right-click **Command Prompt**.
4. Click Run as Administrator.

![ssh_windows_3.png](../_images/ssh_windows_3.png)

Step 3: Use OpenSSH to Generate an SSH Key Pair[🔗](#step-3-use-openssh-to-generate-an-ssh-key-pair "Permalink to this headline")
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Finally, run **ssh-keygen** to generate the public and private keys for SSH access to the 3Engines Cloud server.

1. In command prompt, type the following:

```
ssh-keygen

```

![ssh_windows_4.png](../_images/ssh_windows_4.png)

Press **ENTER** three times. This will

> * create folder **/.ssh** for the keys as well as
> * file **id\_rsa** for secret key and
> * file **id\_rsa.pub** for public key.

These are the default values.

Warning

If you have created other keys in those same locations, you can define other folder and files instead of just pressing Enter three times.

![ssh_windows_5.png](../_images/ssh_windows_5.png)

To see the generated files, navigate to **C:/Users/<Your\_User\_Name>/.ssh** with your file explorer.

![ssh_windows_6.png](../_images/ssh_windows_6.png)

The image shows default values of files for private and public keys, in files **id\_rsa** and **id\_rsa.pub**, respectively.

What To Do Next[🔗](#what-to-do-next "Permalink to this headline")
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For Windows 11, see this guide: [How to Create SSH Key Pair in Windows 11 On 3Engines Cloud](How-To-Create-SSH-Key-Pair-In-Windows-11-On-3Engines-Cloud.html.md)

Put your public key on remote server and use your private key to authorize to your VM. To add the public key to remote server see

[How to add SSH key from Horizon web console on 3Engines Cloud](../networking/How-to-add-SSH-key-from-Horizon-web-console-on-3Engines-Cloud.html.md)

To connect to the server from Windows:

[How to connect to a virtual machine via SSH from Windows 10 Command Prompt on 3Engines Cloud](How-to-connect-to-a-virtual-machine-via-SSH-from-Windows-10-Command-Prompt-on-3Engines-Cloud.html.md)

[How to access a VM from Windows PuTTY on 3Engines Cloud](How-to-access-a-VM-from-Windows-PuTTY-on-3Engines-Cloud.html.md)