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Create an SSH key and add it to your Mac

Make a key on macOS, Linux or Windows and paste the public half into RunMac.

An SSH key is a pair of files: a private key that never leaves your computer, and a public key (ending in .pub) that you give us.

macOS and Linux

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "you@laptop"
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

Press Enter to accept the default location. A passphrase is optional but recommended. On a Mac, pbcopy < ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub copies the public key to the clipboard.

Windows 10 and 11

Current builds include the OpenSSH client. In PowerShell (if ssh-keygen isn’t found, add OpenSSH Client under Settings → System → Optional features):

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "you@laptop"
Get-Content $env:USERPROFILE\.ssh\id_ed25519.pub

Add or change the key

Paste the single line that starts with ssh-ed25519 into the SSH key box at checkout, or later on your Mac’s page (Update key). The new key replaces the old one on the Mac within 5 minutes. Never paste the private key (the file without .pub).

Related

Connect to your Mac over SSHFind your hostname and port, connect from Terminal, and save a shortcut.See the desktop with Screen SharingOpen the macOS desktop from a Mac, Windows or Linux through your SSH connection.Your macOS user and passwordThe dev account, the first password, sudo, and changing it.

Still stuck?

Signed-in customers can message us from the portal; we reply within 24 hours on business days (AEST).