How to Connect to VPS Using SSH: Windows, Mac, Linux and Android Guide

Last updated: 10 October 2026

You just bought a VPS and the welcome email shows an IP address, a username and a password. Now what? This guide shows you how to connect to VPS using SSH from any device you own: Windows (PowerShell and PuTTY), Mac, Linux and even an Android phone. You will also set up SSH keys so you never type the password again, learn what to do on your first login, and fix the most common errors such as "Permission denied (publickey)", "Connection refused", "Connection timed out" and "Remote host identification has changed". All server commands are tested against Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.

Quick answer: To connect to a VPS using SSH, open PowerShell (Windows) or Terminal (Mac/Linux) and run ssh username@your_server_ip, for example ssh [email protected]. Type yes to accept the server fingerprint, then enter your password or use an SSH key. On Android, install Termux and run the same command.

What you need before you connect

SSH (Secure Shell) is an encrypted way to control a remote Linux server by typing commands. Everything you type and every reply travels encrypted, so it is safe even on public Wi-Fi.

Before you start, collect four things from your VPS provider's welcome email or control panel:

1. Server IP address – for example 203.0.113.10 (this is a sample address; use your own).
2. Username – often root, but some providers use ubuntu or another name.
3. Password or private key – some providers email a root password; cloud providers usually ask you to add an SSH key while creating the server.
4. SSH port – the default is 22 unless your provider or you changed it.

Default SSH usernames by provider

Defaults as of October 2026; always trust your provider's panel if it shows something different.

If you have not bought a server yet, our best VPS hosting in India guide compares plans, and the Oracle Cloud free tier gives you a free server to practise on. New to the idea? Read what is VPS hosting first.

Connect to VPS using SSH on Windows (PowerShell)

Windows 10 (version 1809 and later) and Windows 11 include Microsoft's built-in OpenSSH client, so you do not need PuTTY anymore.

Step 1: Check that SSH is installed

Open PowerShell (press Windows key, type PowerShell, press Enter) and check the SSH version:

ssh -V

If you see a version like OpenSSH_for_Windows_9.x, you are ready. If you get "ssh is not recognized", install the client. Open PowerShell as Administrator and run this to install the OpenSSH Client feature (per Microsoft's OpenSSH documentation (opens in new tab)):

Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Client~~~~0.0.1.0

You can also add it from Settings > System > Optional features > View features > OpenSSH Client.

Step 2: Connect

Connect as root to your server (replace the IP with yours):

ssh [email protected]

If your provider uses a different port, add -p with the port number:

ssh -p 2222 [email protected]

Step 3: Accept the fingerprint and log in

The first time, you will see a message like "The authenticity of host '203.0.113.10' can't be established… Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no)?". Type yes and press Enter. This saves the server's identity in your known_hosts file.

Then type your password. Nothing appears on screen while you type – no stars, no dots. That is normal. Press Enter when done. To paste a password in PowerShell, right-click inside the window.

When you see a prompt like root@vps:~#, you are in.

Connect to VPS using PuTTY

PuTTY is the classic free SSH app for Windows. It is useful if you prefer a graphical window with saved sessions. Download it only from the official PuTTY website (opens in new tab) – fake PuTTY downloads with malware have been spread through search ads.

1. Install and open PuTTY.
2. In Session, enter your server IP in Host Name (or IP address).
3. Set Port to 22 (or your custom port) and Connection type to SSH.
4. Type a name under Saved Sessions (for example "My VPS") and click Save, so you can reconnect with a double-click.
5. Click Open.
6. Click Accept on the security alert about the host key (first time only).
7. At login as:, type your username (e.g. root), then your password. As with PowerShell, the password stays invisible while you type.

Paste in PuTTY: right-click pastes. Copy: just select text with the mouse.

Using an SSH key with PuTTY

PuTTY uses its own .ppk key format.

1. Open PuTTYgen (installed with PuTTY).
2. To create a new key, choose EdDSA (Ed25519) and click Generate. To use an existing OpenSSH key, click Load and select it.
3. Click Save private key to get a .ppk file. Copy the text in the "Public key for pasting into OpenSSH authorized_keys file" box – this goes on the server.
4. In PuTTY, go to Connection > SSH > Auth > Credentials and browse to your .ppk file under Private key file for authentication.
5. Go back to Session, select your saved session, click Save, then Open.

Connect to VPS on Mac and Linux

macOS and every Linux distribution ship with the OpenSSH client.

1. On Mac, open Terminal (Cmd + Space, type Terminal). On Linux, press Ctrl + Alt + T on most desktops.
2. Run the same command as Windows:

ssh [email protected]

3. Type yes for the fingerprint prompt, then your password.

If your provider gave you a key file (for example a .pem file from AWS), first lock down its permissions so only you can read it – SSH refuses keys that others can read:

chmod 600 ~/Downloads/mykey.pem

Then connect using that key with -i:

ssh -i ~/Downloads/mykey.pem [email protected]

Save time with an SSH config file

Instead of typing the IP, user and key every time, create a shortcut. Open (or create) your SSH config file:

nano ~/.ssh/config

Add an entry like this (change the values to yours):

Host myvps
    HostName 203.0.113.10
    User root
    Port 22
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
    ServerAliveInterval 60

Now connect with just:

ssh myvps

ServerAliveInterval 60 sends a small signal every 60 seconds so idle sessions do not freeze or drop – very handy on Jio and Airtel mobile hotspots. The same file works on Windows at C:\Users\<you>\.ssh\config.

Connect to VPS on Android

You can manage a server from your phone – useful when you are travelling and a website goes down.

Option 1: Termux (free, full OpenSSH)

Termux is a free Linux terminal for Android. Install it from F-Droid or the Termux GitHub releases page – the Termux project says most users should prefer these over the experimental Google Play build. Do not mix Termux apps from different sources.

1. Open Termux and update its packages:

pkg update && pkg upgrade

2. Install the OpenSSH client:

pkg install openssh

3. Connect exactly like on a laptop:

ssh [email protected]

4. To create an SSH key on the phone, run ssh-keygen -t ed25519 – the steps in the next section are the same.

Tip: install the Hacker's Keyboard or use Termux's extra keys row for Ctrl, Tab and arrow keys.

Option 2: Termius or ConnectBot (app with saved hosts)

• Termius – polished app with saved hosts and key management; free tier for basic SSH, paid plan for syncing across devices.
• ConnectBot – free and open source, simple and lightweight.

What about JuiceSSH? JuiceSSH was popular for years, but it has not been updated since February 2021 and was reportedly removed from Google Play in December 2025. Avoid installing it from random APK sites; use Termux, Termius or ConnectBot instead.

On iPhone, Termius and Blink Shell are popular SSH apps. The commands are the same.

How to connect to VPS using SSH key

Passwords can be guessed by bots that attack every public server all day. SSH keys are far safer: your laptop holds a private key that never leaves it, and the server holds the matching public key. Ubuntu's OpenSSH server documentation (opens in new tab) recommends the Ed25519 key type.

Step 1: Create a key pair on your computer

This works the same in PowerShell, Mac/Linux Terminal and Termux:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your-laptop-name"

• Press Enter to accept the default location (~/.ssh/id_ed25519, or C:\Users\<you>\.ssh\id_ed25519 on Windows).
• Enter a passphrase. This encrypts the private key, so a stolen laptop does not mean a stolen server.

You now have two files: id_ed25519 (private – never share) and id_ed25519.pub (public – safe to copy to servers).

Step 2: Copy the public key to the VPS

Mac, Linux and Termux – one command copies the key and sets permissions:

ssh-copy-id [email protected]

Windows PowerShell does not include ssh-copy-id. This one-liner sends your public key and appends it to the server's authorized_keys file:

type $env:USERPROFILE\.ssh\id_ed25519.pub | ssh [email protected] "mkdir -p ~/.ssh && chmod 700 ~/.ssh && cat >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys && chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys"

Using the provider's panel: Hostinger, DigitalOcean, Contabo, Oracle and AWS let you paste your public key (the contents of id_ed25519.pub) when creating the server, or in the server's settings later. This is the easiest method for a fresh VPS.

Step 3: Log in with the key

ssh [email protected]

SSH automatically tries your default key. If you used a different filename, add -i path/to/key. You should now log in without the server password (you may be asked for your key's passphrase instead).

Step 4: Turn off password login (after testing!)

Only after you have confirmed key login works in a second terminal window, disable password logins on the server. On Ubuntu 24.04, check for cloud-init overrides first, because files in /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d/ take priority:

sudo grep -ri "PasswordAuthentication" /etc/ssh/sshd_config /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d/

Set PasswordAuthentication no in the file that currently says yes (often /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d/50-cloud-init.conf), then test the config:

sudo sshd -t

If there are no errors, restart SSH to apply the change:

sudo systemctl restart ssh

Warning: keep your current session open until you have tested a new login. If you lock yourself out, most providers offer a browser-based "VNC" or "console" in their panel to recover.

What to do after your first login

A fresh VPS is exposed to the internet from minute one. Do these basics right away:

1. Update the system:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

2. Change the root password if your provider emailed it to you:

passwd

3. Create a normal user with sudo rights, so you do not work as root all the time (replace sanjeev with your name):

adduser sanjeev

usermod -aG sudo sanjeev

4. Copy your SSH key to the new user (run from your laptop):

ssh-copy-id [email protected]

5. Turn on the firewall, allowing SSH first so you are not locked out:

sudo ufw allow OpenSSH && sudo ufw enable

6. Check who you are and where you are: whoami, hostname -I, df -h and free -h show your user, IP, disk and RAM.

For the full checklist – timezone, swap, automatic security updates, fail2ban and disabling root login – follow our Ubuntu VPS initial server setup and how to secure a Linux VPS guides. If commands like ls, cd and nano are new to you, keep our Linux commands for beginners PDF handy.

Changing the SSH port on Ubuntu 24.04: Ubuntu 24.04 starts SSH through systemd socket activation. After changing Port in sshd_config, allow the new port in UFW first, then run sudo systemctl daemon-reload and sudo systemctl restart ssh.socket. Test the new port in a second window before closing your session.

Common SSH errors and fixes

Permission denied (publickey) – detailed checks

1. Username: Ubuntu images on AWS and Oracle use ubuntu, not root.
2. Key file: point to the right key with -i. Run ssh -v user@ip to see which keys SSH tries.
3. Server-side permissions: from the provider's console, run chmod 700 ~/.ssh and chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys for that user.
4. Key pasted correctly: the public key must be on a single line in authorized_keys.

Connection timed out – detailed checks

1. Is the server running? Check the provider panel.
2. Cloud firewall: Oracle Cloud uses Security Lists/NSGs and AWS uses Security Groups – port 22 must be allowed for your IP. Our Oracle Cloud free tier guide shows where these settings live.
3. Your network: some college, office and public Wi-Fi networks block outgoing port 22. Try your phone's hotspot to test.
4. fail2ban ban: too many failed logins can temporarily ban your IP. Wait, or unban from the web console.

Host key changed – is it an attack?

The "REMOTE HOST IDENTIFICATION HAS CHANGED" warning protects you from man-in-the-middle attacks. If you just reinstalled or rebuilt the VPS, it is expected – remove the old entry with ssh-keygen -R your_ip. If you did not change anything, do not connect; check the fingerprint in your provider's console first.

Fix private key permissions on Windows

If Windows OpenSSH complains about key permissions, remove inherited access so only your account can read the key:

icacls $env:USERPROFILE\.ssh\id_ed25519 /inheritance:r /grant:r "$($env:USERNAME):R"

Copy files to your VPS

Once SSH works, you can move files securely over the same connection.

Copy a local file to the server's home folder with scp:

scp backup.zip [email protected]:~/

Download a file from the server to your current folder:

scp [email protected]:/var/log/nginx/error.log .

Prefer a drag-and-drop window? WinSCP (Windows) and FileZilla (Windows/Mac/Linux) use SFTP over your SSH login – choose the SFTP protocol, port 22, and the same username and key.

Need a VPS to practise on?

If you are learning, a low-cost VPS with root access is the best classroom. Hostinger has India-based VPS options with a simple panel and browser terminal, while Contabo gives lots of RAM for the price – see our Hostinger review and Contabo VPS review for the honest pros and cons.

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Conclusion

Learning how to connect to VPS using SSH takes just one command – ssh username@server_ip – whether you are on Windows PowerShell, PuTTY, a Mac, Linux or an Android phone with Termux. Set up Ed25519 keys on day one, keep password login off once keys work, and use the error table above when something goes wrong. Your next step is hardening the server: follow our Ubuntu VPS initial server setup guide, or browse more tutorials in our Web Hosting & Servers section.