Where is the .ssh directory?

Question

I installed openssh, but I can't find the .ssh directory. Could anyone be able to tell me where could I find this directory?

P.S. I installed Ubuntu 16.10 as a virtual machine.

The .ssh directory is not by default created below your home directory. When you call `ssh somehost` (replace 'somehost' by the name or IP of a host running sshd), the directory and the file `.ssh/known_hosts` will be created. Instead, you may create it with `mkdir ~/.ssh`. — ridgy, Dec 09 '16 at 16:14
Try restarting the system, and if doesn't work remove __with sudo apt remove__ then __re-install__ — George Udosen, Dec 09 '16 at 16:19
As you have openssh-server installed (and should be running) as well, you just may issue `ssh localhost` and reply `yes` when asked to continue connection. — ridgy, Dec 09 '16 at 16:24

score 28 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 09 '16 at 16:42

28

The file is not created by the installation, but upon the first use of ssh or ssh-keygen. If it is not there, there is nothing to worry about. You can simply create it using mkdir ~/.ssh/.

answered Dec 09 '16 at 16:42

Jakuje

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Is there an environment variable for changing the location of the .ssh directory? – pfincent Apr 15 '22 at 16:22
@pfincent not for SSH. It reads the user information from the operating system using getpwnam or getpwuid around these lines: https://github.com/openssh/openssh-portable/blob/master/misc.c#L1171 – Jakuje Apr 17 '22 at 17:54

score 8 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 09 '16 at 16:10

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Check here for the .ssh directory in here /home/your-username/.ssh.

Its hidden as a result of the dot(.) before the name.

So to find it do ls -a | grep .ssh in your current location as seen in the image. Also try using nautilus

answered Dec 09 '16 at 16:10

George Udosen

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It doesn't work; watch the new picture in the question. – Sandra Ross Dec 09 '16 at 16:16
if that's the case remove and re-install again, seems odd. – George Udosen Dec 09 '16 at 16:23
The reason it didn't work in the picture is because grep .ssh is looking for some character followed by ssh. Try grep \.ssh – grantwparks Feb 26 '18 at 20:16
@grantwparks mine works with `\.ssh` or `.ssh` but best to use the `\` character – George Udosen Feb 27 '18 at 07:29

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 22 '22 at 15:57

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You can go to Home and press Ctrl H, you can see a folder called .ssh

answered Aug 22 '22 at 15:57

user9786738

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score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Jul 01 '22 at 06:54

Older topic but if anyone else is looking for an answer and got here from a google search.. If you have connected FROM a "username" to a remote machine and accepted the key then you should look for .ssh folder in /home/username ...

If you don't find the .ssh folder then you have probably connected from a different user .. for example 'root' , then the .ssh folder is in the root directory /

Hope it helps others :)

Where is the .ssh directory?

4 Answers4