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Add ssh-keygen troubleshooting info for Windows #43714

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Add ssh-keygen troubleshooting info for Windows
Infinitay Apr 7, 2026
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chore: Resolve lint error MD031
Infinitay Apr 7, 2026
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Sharra-writes Apr 14, 2026
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Sharra-writes Apr 14, 2026
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Merge branch 'main' into patch-1
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Update content/authentication/connecting-to-github-with-ssh/generatin…
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10 changes: 9 additions & 1 deletion ...g-to-github-with-ssh/generating-a-new-ssh-key-and-adding-it-to-the-ssh-agent.md
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Expand Up @@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ Before adding a new SSH key to the ssh-agent to manage your keys, you should hav

> ### Troubleshooting SSH agent conflicts in Windows
>
> In Windows environments, the native Windows OpenSSH implementation and the one included with Git for Windows (based on MSYS2/Bash) can coexist.
> In Windows environments, the native Windows OpenSSH implementation and the one included with [Git for Windows](https://gitforwindows.org/) (based on MSYS2/Bash) can coexist.
>
> If you configure and save your passphrases in the Windows agent using PowerShell, Git may still prompt you for your passphrase during operations like `git push`. This can happen when Git for Windows uses its bundled `ssh.exe` (from MSYS2) instead of the Windows system OpenSSH client, and therefore can't talk to the Windows `ssh-agent` service.
>
Expand All @@ -176,6 +176,14 @@ Before adding a new SSH key to the ssh-agent to manage your keys, you should hav
> ```powershell
> git config --global core.sshCommand "C:/Windows/System32/OpenSSH/ssh.exe"
> ```
>
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> You may need to specify which `ssh-keygen` binary Git should use to avoid conflicts with the binary bundled with Git for Windows. To define which binary is used, run the following command:
>
> ```powershell
> git config --global gpg.ssh.program "C:/Windows/System32/OpenSSH/ssh-keygen.exe"
> ```
>
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Copilot AI Apr 14, 2026

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gpg.ssh.program configures which ssh-keygen Git uses for SSH commit/tag signing (when gpg.format=ssh), not which SSH client Git uses for operations like git push or which agent is used. In this “SSH agent conflicts” troubleshooting section, this command is likely misleading; consider removing it or explicitly scoping it to SSH signing (and explaining when it applies).

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>
> You may need to specify which `ssh-keygen` binary Git should use to avoid conflicts with the binary bundled with Git for Windows. To define which binary is used, run the following command:
>
> ```powershell
> git config --global gpg.ssh.program "C:/Windows/System32/OpenSSH/ssh-keygen.exe"
> ```
>
>

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@Sharra-writes Sharra-writes Apr 14, 2026

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@Infinitay I understand most of these words, but not in context. Is this something that needs to be addressed or is Copilot mistaken?

> Alternatively, you can re-install Git for Windows and select the **Use external OpenSSH** option during the installation process.
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{% endwindows %}
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