Setup SSH Server on Windows 11

Setup OpenSSH Server on Windows 11 to Enable Remote Computer Access

I’m not sure why you would want or need to access a Windows computer from a remote computer via SSH. For myself, I have a collection of computers with Windows on them and I like to play with them. I’m also a bit too lazy to walk up to those computers, so I find that I can accomplish most of my tasks via a terminal session from a single computer.

Photo by Gabriel Heinzer on Unsplash

Here are the steps I took to set up SSH Server on Windows 11.

1. Install OpenSSH for Windows

The following information is provided by Microsoft (Get started with OpenSSH for Windows | Microsoft Learn).

Both OpenSSH components can be installed using Windows Settings.

To install the OpenSSH components:

1. Open Settings, select Apps, then select Optional Features.
2. Scan the list to see if the OpenSSH is already installed. If not, at the top of the page, select Add a feature, then:

• Find OpenSSH Client, then select Install
• Find OpenSSH Server, then select Install

Once setup completes, return to Apps and Optional Features and you should see OpenSSH listed.