Windows 11 comes ready with a built-in OpenSSH Server that system administrators can install and enable with a few clicks. Windows 11 also comes with a built-in SSH Client installed and ready to connect to any SSH servers available. So, if you need OpenSSH to allow secure connections in Windows environments, you don’t need to go very far. For those who have worked with OpenSSH Servers in other environments, the Windows version works pretty much the same way. Installing it is quite easy, but figuring out how to configure or manage it is where you may run into trouble. The good thing is, out of the box, when started, OpenSSH Server will allow access connections and provide access to users’ accounts. There’s no configuration needed to get users to connect. If you want to implement an additional setup, you may need to find good documentation that shows you how to configure additional settings. The good thing about installing and enabling OpenSSH Server in Windows 11 is that the process hasn’t changed since Windows 10, and the steps below show you how to do that. To get started with enabling OpenSSH Server in Windows 11, follow the steps below.
How to use OpenSSH Server in Windows 11 to allow connections
If you want to use Windows 11 built-in OpenSSH Server, use the steps below to install it. Windows 11 has a centralized location for the majority of its settings. From system configurations to creating new users and updating Windows, all can be done from its System Settings pane. To get to System Settings, you can use the Windows key + I shortcut or click on Start ==> Settings as shown in the image below: Alternatively, you can use the search box on the taskbar and search for Settings. Then select to open it. Windows Settings pane should look similar to the image below. In Windows Settings, click Apps, and select Optional features on the right pane of your screen shown in the image below. On the Optional Features settings pane, click Add an optional feature View features as highlighted below. Next, in the search box, type OpenSSH Server, then select it from the list to install and click Next. Finally, click Install to begin the installation. After a brief moment, depending on the speed of your computer and the network, OpenSSH Server should be installed. By default, OpenSSH Server is set to not run. You must manually start up its service to run.
How to start OpenSSH Server in Windows 11
Now that OpenSSH Server is installed, open the Windows Services console app by searching for Services, then selecting it to open. When the Services console opens, look for OpenSSH SSH Server on the list, then right-click and select Start to start it up. When started, it should change from Manual to Running.
How to connect to Windows OpenSSH Server
Now that the server is installed and running, use any SSH client to connect to the Windows server. For this post, we’re using Windows 11 built-in OpenSSH Client which is installed and enabled by default. Open Windows Command Prompt console, then run the SSH command with the username and IP address of the Windows server. That will allow you to accept the server key and establish a connection. Type in the account password and access should be granted. That should do it! This post showed you how to install OpenSSH Server in Windows 11. If you find any error above, please use the comment form below to report.
