> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.hivenet.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How can I generate and add an SSH key on Windows?

> A quick-start for first-time Compute users on Windows

## What you’ll need

* A Hivenet account with Compute credits
* Windows 10 or later
* Windows Terminal (or PowerShell)
* OpenSSH installed (enabled by default on Windows 10+)

## Step 1 – Create your SSH key pair

Open Windows Terminal and run this command:

```
ssh-keygen
```

* Press Enter to accept the default location (`C:\Users\<yourname>\.ssh\id_ed25519`)
* When prompted, you can set a passphrase (optional but recommended)

This creates two files:

* `id_ed25519` (your **private key**) — never share this
* `id_ed25519.pub` (your **public key**) — you’ll upload this to Hivenet

**Tip:** If you see a message that the file already exists, you can overwrite it or cancel and use a new name (e.g., `id_hivenet`, `id_rsa`).

<Tip>
  Already use a password manager? Many, including 1Password and Bitwarden, can generate and store SSH keys for you in one click. If that’s your workflow, feel free to skip the `ssh-keygen` command and copy the public key straight from your manager.
</Tip>

## Step 2 – Find your key files

Your key files are located in:

```
C:\Users\<yourname>\.ssh\
```

You can open this folder in File Explorer or use PowerShell:

```
cd $env:USERPROFILE\.ssh explorer .
```

## Step 3 – Add your public key to Hivenet

1. Open the `.pub` file in a text editor (right-click > Open with Notepad)
2. Copy the entire contents of the file
3. Paste it into the **SSH Key** field when creating your instance on the Compute dashboard

<Warning>
  Only paste the `.pub` file contents. Do **not** paste the private key.
</Warning>

<Note>
  The SSH key field accepts **one public key only**.

  If you want to authorize more keys later (for teammates or alternate devices), connect to the instance and add them manually in `~/.ssh/authorized_keys`.
</Note>

## Step 4 – Create a basic SSH config file (optional but useful)

In the same `.ssh` folder, create a new file named `config` (no file extension). Paste this in (make sure your SSH key name is similar to the name given):

```
Host hivenet     
HostName <your-instance-id>.ssh.hivecompute.ai     
User ubuntu     
IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519   
ProxyCommand ssh bastion@ssh.hivecompute.ai %h
```

This lets you connect with:

```
ssh hivenet
```

instead of typing the full connection string every time.

## Troubleshooting

* **"Permission denied (publickey)"** — Your public key may not be added correctly or you're using the wrong private key.
* **"Connection timed out"** — Check your config file or try adding `-v` for more detailed output.
* **Terminal closes too fast?** Open a terminal first, then paste the command manually instead of double-clicking a script.