Git SSH Configuration on Windows

Get Git for Windows

from Git for Windows home

Install Git

Use the following options:

• Run Git and included Unix tools from the Windows Command Prompt
• Use OpenSSH

Set HOME Environment Variable

In order to allow OpenSSH to find your keys in the default location $HOME/.ssh/id_rsa its required to set the $HOME environment variable.

set HOME=%USERPROFILE%    

Generate SSH Keys

c:\ssh-keygen -t rsa -C "[email protected]“

You will be prompted for a file name:

Enter file in which to save the key (/c/Users/YOUR_USER_NAME/.ssh/id_rsa):

ATTENTION:

• If the suggested path is //.ssh/id_rsa most probably the environment variable HOME is missing on your system. Fix: set HOME=%USERPROFILE%
• Use Unix style path syntax /c/Users/YOUR_USER_NAME/.ssh/id_rsa instead of Windows style c:\users\YOUR_USER_NAME.ssh\id_rsa
• The directory (.ssh) whereto the keyes should be created should exist. But the key file should not exist.

Add Public SSH Key to GitHub

• Open the public key file file c:\users\YOUR_USER_NAME.ssh\id_rsa.pub in a text editor
• Open the open the SSH section of your GitHub settings https://github.com/settings/ssh.
• Press Add SSH key
• Copy the whole text of the id_rsa.pub from the editor into the key text area and finish with Add key