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CharlesGodwin/How to use ssh-copy-id.md

Last active August 26, 2025 17:37
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Windows 10/11 scripts to support ssh-copy-id which is missing in Windows OpenSSH
Raw
How to use ssh-copy-id.md

The Windows version of OpenSSH client doesn't include a ssh-copy-id command. I don't know why. If it does one day, then this gist can be ignored.

  • This script is written in PowerShell as the legacy program cmd.exe is not flexible enough for the required options.
  • Download the file ssh-copy-id.ps1 to your Windows PC, or copy and paste its contents to a file of the same name.
  • Run the script passing your linux account ssh information (for example powershell .\ssh-copy-id.ps1 [email protected]). If you use a non-standard port add the parameter -port=nnnn. This should work with any Linux platform.
  • Run the command for each linux account you connect with. You will be prompted for your Linux host password. If you have more than 1 account on any machine, you must do this for each account.

If the script won't run, then run this command once

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned CurrentUser

Refer to https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=135170

The file name and location of the script is not important but the filename extension must be .ps1

If the public key is already known to the account, it will not be added again.

For a complete description of available options run powershell .\ssh-copy-id.ps1 -?

Prerequisites

  • You have installed Microsoft's version of OpenSSH Client on your machine. Read this. You do NOT need to install SSH Server. Current versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11 have OpenSSH installed as part of the base Operating System and you do NOT need to install it.
  • You have generated a default authorize key. DO THIS ONLY ONCE. You can tell if this is done by looking in your .ssh folder. The current default key is id_ed25519 but using id_rsa will also work. If you find 2 files, either id_ed25519 and id_ed25519.pub or id_rsa and id_rsa.pub, your default keys have been generated. Otherwise, run ssh-keygen Press enter for all prompts and the default keys will be generated in the correct place. ssh-keygen will warn you it is about to override exiting keys. If it does warn, answer no.
Raw
ssh-copy-id.ps1
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Copy ssh public key to remote account
.DESCRIPTION
Copies public key to target machine
Default is .ssh\id_ed25519.pub or .ssh\id_rsa.pub
See copyright notice at end of script
If this script won't run, then run this command once
Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned CurrentUser
refer to https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=135170
#>
[CmdletBinding()]
param(
[Parameter(Position = 0, Mandatory = $True)]
[string]$Target <# SSH compatible Name of Target machine #>,
[Parameter( Position = 1, Mandatory = $False)]
[string]$IdentityFile = "" <#Identity File, MUST be in .ssh directory #>,
[int]$Port = 22 <# Default ssh port 22 #>,
[switch]$Save = $false <# Save script used #>,
[switch]$DryRun <# Creates script file but doesn't run it #>
)
$sshdir = Join-Path $HOME .ssh
if (-not (Test-Path -path $sshdir)) {
$null = mkdir $sshdir
Write-Host Created $sshdir
}
if ($IdentityFile -eq "") {
foreach ($idfile in "id_ed25519", "id_rsa") {
$IdentityPath = Join-Path $sshdir $idfile
if (Test-Path -Path $IdentityPath -PathType Leaf) {
$IdentityFile = $idfile
$IdentityPath = Join-Path $sshdir $IdentityFile
break
}
}
if ($IdentityFile -eq "") {
Write-Host Key file id_ed25519 or id_rsa does not exist, use ssh-keygen
exit(1)
}
}
else {
$IdentityPath = Join-Path $sshdir $IdentityFile
if (-not (Test-Path -Path $IdentityPath -PathType Leaf)) {
Write-Host Key file $IdentityFile does not exist, use ssh-keygen
exit(1)
}
}
$PUBLIC_KEY = get-content "${IdentityPath}.pub"
$SCRIPT = @"
#!/bin/bash
#
PUBLIC_KEY="$PUBLIC_KEY"
umask 0077
[ -d ~/.ssh ]||mkdir -p ~/.ssh
[ -f ~/.ssh/authorized_keys ]|| touch ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
grep --quiet --fixed-strings "`$PUBLIC_KEY" ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
if [ `$? -eq 0 ]
then
echo Key already exists, no update performed.
exit
fi
echo "`$PUBLIC_KEY" >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
"@
if ($DryRun) {
Write-Host Dry run, script not run.
$Save = $true
}
else {
Write-Host Copying public key "${IdentityPath}.pub" to $Target port:$Port
# The sed step is to convert crlf to lf for bash - it's fussy
$SCRIPT | ssh $Target -p $Port -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no "sed 's/\r//' | bash"
if ($?) {
Write-Host "You should be able to login to $Target, port:$Port without a password using $IdentityFile key"
}
else {
Write-Host "Could not connect to $Target port:$Port- Terminating" -ForegroundColor Red
$Save = $true
}
}
if ($Save) {
Set-Content .\ssh-set-id.sh -Value ($SCRIPT -replace "`r`n", "`n") -NoNewline
Write-Host Script saved to .\ssh-set-id.sh
}
<#
This is free and unencumbered software released into the public domain.
Anyone is free to copy, modify, publish, use, compile, sell, or
distribute this software, either in source code form or as a compiled
binary, for any purpose, commercial or non-commercial, and by any
means.
In jurisdictions that recognize copyright laws, the author or authors
of this software dedicate any and all copyright interest in the
software to the public domain. We make this dedication for the benefit
of the public at large and to the detriment of our heirs and
successors. We intend this dedication to be an overt act of
relinquishment in perpetuity of all present and future rights to this
software under copyright law.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.
IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR
OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE,
ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR
OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
For more information, please refer to <https://unlicense.org>
#>
@briankelly
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briankelly commented Aug 26, 2025

Hey Charles! I thought I recognized your name on this gist. I was brought here via a Google search for "where do i get ssh-copy-id for windows." This PowerShell script worked perfectly. 👍

I also wanted to let you know that earlier this month I was revisiting the magnum-energy project that you helped me out with a few summers ago. I believe it was in java back then. I've made the full transition to pymagnum and it's been collecting data for me successfully again. Thank you for making that project, too. Really appreciate it.

@CharlesGodwin
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CharlesGodwin commented Aug 26, 2025

Thanks for the kind words. It's been quite a while since I moved on from the Java version. I'm glad it has helped you.

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