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Merge pull request #7502 from robinharwood/robinharwood-openssh-issue
Addressing user feedback in Get started with OpenSSH Server
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‎WindowsServerDocs/administration/OpenSSH/OpenSSH_Install_FirstUse.md‎

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---
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title: Get started with OpenSSH Server for Windows
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description: Learn how to install and connect to remote machines using the OpenSSH Client and Server for Windows.
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ms.date: 08/14/2025
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ms.date: 09/04/2025
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ms.topic: quickstart
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ms.author: roharwoo
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author: robinharwood
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ To enable SSHD using PowerShell:
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1. Finally, run the following command to verify that the SSHD setup process automatically configured the firewall rule:
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```powershell
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if (!(Get-NetFirewallRule -Name "OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object Name, Enabled)) {
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if (!(Get-NetFirewallRule -Name "OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
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Write-Output "Firewall Rule 'OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP' does not exist, creating it..."
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New-NetFirewallRule -Name 'OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP' -DisplayName 'OpenSSH Server (sshd)' -Enabled True -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -Action Allow -LocalPort 22
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} else {
@@ -102,15 +102,15 @@ To enable SSHD using PowerShell:
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To install the OpenSSH components on Windows Server devices:
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1. Select **Start**, type _Optional Features_ in the search box, then select **Add an optional feature**.
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1. Select **Start**, type _Optional Features_ in the search box, then select **Optional Features**.
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1. Scan the list to see if the OpenSSH is already installed. If not, at the top of the page, select **Views features**, then:
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- Search for and select **OpenSSH Client**, select **Next**, then **Install**
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- Search for and select **OpenSSH Client**, then select **Add**
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- Search for and select **OpenSSH Server**, select **Next**, then **Install**
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- Search for and select **OpenSSH Server**, then select **Add**
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1. Open the **Services** desktop app. (Select **Start**, type _services.msc_ in the search box, and then select the **Service** app or press <kbd>ENTER</kbd>.)
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1. Open the **Services** desktop app. (Select **Start**, type _services.msc_ in the search box, and then select the **Services** app or press <kbd>ENTER</kbd>.)
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1. In the details pane, double-click **OpenSSH SSH Server**.
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@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ To install OpenSSH using PowerShell:
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Set-Service -Name sshd -StartupType 'Automatic'
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# Confirm the Firewall rule is configured. It should be created automatically by setup. Run the following to verify
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if (!(Get-NetFirewallRule -Name "OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object Name, Enabled)) {
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if (!(Get-NetFirewallRule -Name "OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
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Write-Output "Firewall Rule 'OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP' does not exist, creating it..."
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New-NetFirewallRule -Name 'OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP' -DisplayName 'OpenSSH Server (sshd)' -Enabled True -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -Action Allow -LocalPort 22
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} else {
@@ -182,7 +182,95 @@ To install OpenSSH using PowerShell:
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---
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::: zone-end
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::: zone pivot="windows-server-2022,windows-server-2019,windows-10"
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::: zone pivot="windows-server-2022"
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## Install OpenSSH Server & Client
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### [GUI](#tab/gui)
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To install the OpenSSH components on Windows Server devices:
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1. Select **Start**, type _Optional Feature_ in the search box, then select **Add an optional feature**.
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1. Scan the list to see if the OpenSSH is already installed. If not, at the top of the page, select **Add a feature**, then:
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- Search for **OpenSSH Client**, then select **Install**
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- Search for **OpenSSH Server**, then select **Install**
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1. Open the **Services** desktop app. (Select **Start**, type _services.msc_ in the search box, and then select the **Services** app or press <kbd>ENTER</kbd>.)
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1. In the details pane, double-click **OpenSSH SSH Server**.
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1. On the **General** tab, from the **Startup type** drop-down menu, select **Automatic** and then select **Ok**.
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1. To start the service, select **Start**.
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> [!NOTE]
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> Installing OpenSSH Server creates and enables a firewall rule named `OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP`. This rule allows inbound SSH traffic on port 22. If this rule isn't enabled and this port isn't open, connections are refused or reset.
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### [PowerShell](#tab/powershell)
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To install OpenSSH using PowerShell:
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1. Run PowerShell as an Administrator.
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1. Run the following cmdlet to make sure that OpenSSH is available:
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```powershell
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Get-WindowsCapability -Online | Where-Object Name -like 'OpenSSH*'
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```
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The command should return the following output if neither are already installed:
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```powershell
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Name : OpenSSH.Client~~~~0.0.1.0
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State : NotPresent
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Name : OpenSSH.Server~~~~0.0.1.0
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State : NotPresent
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```
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1. After that, run the following cmdlets to install the server or client components as needed:
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```powershell
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# Install the OpenSSH Client
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Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Client~~~~0.0.1.0
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# Install the OpenSSH Server
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Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Server~~~~0.0.1.0
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```
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Both commands should return the following output:
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```powershell
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Path :
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Online : True
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RestartNeeded : False
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```
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1. To start and configure OpenSSH Server for initial use, open an elevated PowerShell prompt (right-click, then select **Run as an administrator**), then run the following commands to start the `sshd service`:
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```powershell
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# Start the sshd service
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Start-Service sshd
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# OPTIONAL but recommended:
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Set-Service -Name sshd -StartupType 'Automatic'
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# Confirm the Firewall rule is configured. It should be created automatically by setup. Run the following to verify
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if (!(Get-NetFirewallRule -Name "OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
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Write-Output "Firewall Rule 'OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP' does not exist, creating it..."
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New-NetFirewallRule -Name 'OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP' -DisplayName 'OpenSSH Server (sshd)' -Enabled True -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -Action Allow -LocalPort 22
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} else {
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Write-Output "Firewall rule 'OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP' has been created and exists."
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}
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```
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---
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::: zone-end
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::: zone pivot="windows-server-2019,windows-10"
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## Install OpenSSH Server & Client
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@@ -198,7 +286,7 @@ To install the OpenSSH components on Windows Server devices:
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- Search for **OpenSSH Server**, then select **Install**
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1. Open the **Services** desktop app. (Select **Start**, type _services.msc_ in the search box, and then select the **Service** app or press <kbd>ENTER</kbd>.)
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1. Open the **Services** desktop app. (Select **Start**, type _services.msc_ in the search box, and then select the **Services** app or press <kbd>ENTER</kbd>.)
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1. In the details pane, double-click **OpenSSH SSH Server**.
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Set-Service -Name sshd -StartupType 'Automatic'
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# Confirm the Firewall rule is configured. It should be created automatically by setup. Run the following to verify
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if (!(Get-NetFirewallRule -Name "OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object Name, Enabled)) {
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if (!(Get-NetFirewallRule -Name "OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
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Write-Output "Firewall Rule 'OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP' does not exist, creating it..."
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New-NetFirewallRule -Name 'OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP' -DisplayName 'OpenSSH Server (sshd)' -Enabled True -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -Action Allow -LocalPort 22
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} else {
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1. Finally, run the following command to disable the default SSHD firewall rule:
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```powershell
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if ((Get-NetFirewallRule -Name "OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object Name, Enabled)) {
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if ((Get-NetFirewallRule -Name "OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
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Write-Output "Firewall rule 'OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP' is being disabled."
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Disable-NetFirewallRule -Name 'OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP'
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} else {
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1. Finally, run the following command to remove the firewall rule:
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```powershell
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if ((Get-NetFirewallRule -Name "OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object Name, Enabled)) {
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if ((Get-NetFirewallRule -Name "OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
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Write-Output "Firewall rule 'OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP' is being removed."
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Remove-NetFirewallRule -Name 'OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP'
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} else {
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1. Finally, run the following command to remove the firewall rule:
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```powershell
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if ((Get-NetFirewallRule -Name "OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object Name, Enabled)) {
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if ((Get-NetFirewallRule -Name "OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
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Write-Output "Firewall rule 'OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP' is being removed."
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Remove-NetFirewallRule -Name 'OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP'
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} else {

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