---
title: How to install and use the Linux version of PuTTY.
description: How to install and use the Linux version of PuTTY. PuTTY Linux vesion is a graphical terminal program that supports the SSH
---

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# [How to install and use the Linux version of PuTTY.](https://www.ssh.com/academy/ssh/putty/linux)

 Written by [Admin](https://www.ssh.com/academy/author/admin) | Sep 24, 2019 4:00:00 AM

This page is about PuTTY on Linux. For the Windows version, see [here](https://www.ssh.com/ssh/putty/windows/). For the Mac version, see [here](https://www.ssh.com/academy/ssh/putty/mac).

PuTTY Linux vesion is a graphical terminal program that supports the [SSH](https://www.ssh.com/academy/ssh/protocol), [telnet](https://www.ssh.com/academy/ssh/telnet), and `rlogin` protocols and connecting to serial ports. It can also connect to raw sockets, typically for debugging use.

Since most people would just use the preinstalled [OpenSSH](https://www.ssh.com/academy/ssh/openssh) in a terminal window on Linux for basic SSH access, the primary use of Putty on Linux is probably debugging: connecting to raw sockets and connecting to serial ports.

### Contents

[How to Install PuTTY on Linux](https://www.ssh.com/academy/ssh/putty/linux?hs_amp=true#how-to-install-putty-on-linux) [Running PuTTY](https://www.ssh.com/academy/ssh/putty/linux?hs_amp=true#running-putty) [Usage](https://www.ssh.com/academy/ssh/putty/linux?hs_amp=true#usage) [SSH Key Management and Public Key Authentication](https://www.ssh.com/academy/ssh/putty/linux?hs_amp=true#ssh-key-management-and-public-key-authentication)

## How to Install PuTTY on Linux

Putty is not installed by default on most Linux distributions. On Debian, it can be installed with the following command:

```
sudo aptitude install putty
```

Other related tools come in a separate installation package. To install them, use:

```
sudo aptitude install putty-tools
```

## Running PuTTY

The graphical client can be started by just running `putty`. On most distibutions the command will be available through the menus. It can typically be found in the Internet or Network category.

## Usage

When started, PuTTY opens a terminal Window. The Linux version of the client loks and feels almost exactly the same as the Windows version. For guidance on how to use it, see description of [the Windows version](https://www.ssh.com/academy/ssh/putty/windows).

## SSH Key Management and Public Key Authentication

PuTTY supports [public key authentication](https://www.ssh.com/academy/ssh/public-key-authentication). It uses its own key format (`.ppk` files).

The [puttygen](https://www.ssh.com/academy/ssh/putty/linux/puttygen) tool is used for generating a private key for authentication.

To enable public key authentication, first run `puttygen`, typically as:

```
puttygen -t rsa -b 2048 -o mykey.ppk
```

Then get the public key using:

```
puttygen -L mykey.ppk
```

Copy the public key (or cut-and-paste it) to the `.ssh/authorized_keys` file on the server that you want to log in to using the key. You may need to create the `.ssh` directory and the `authorized_keys` file if they don't already exist. See [more information on authorized keys](https://www.ssh.com/academy/ssh/authorized-keys-file).

[View full post](https://www.ssh.com/academy/ssh/putty/linux)

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