How to use Pageant as an SSH agent for PuTTY

Using Pageant as an SSH agent keeps private keys available for PuTTY sessions without repeatedly selecting a key file or re-entering a passphrase. This reduces friction for frequent logins while keeping public-key authentication in place for servers that disable password logins.

Pageant runs in the Windows notification area and stores loaded private keys in memory for the current sign-in session. When PuTTY performs public-key authentication, it can ask Pageant to sign the server challenge using a loaded key instead of reading and decrypting the key from disk.

Loaded keys remain usable until removed or until Pageant exits, so an unlocked workstation effectively grants the same access as the loaded keys. Keep private keys protected with a passphrase, lock the workstation when stepping away, and remove keys from Pageant when they are no longer needed.

1. Launch Pageant from the PuTTY program group in the Start menu.
2. Confirm the Pageant icon is visible in the Windows notification area.

   Hidden tray icons can be shown from the ^ overflow menu.

3. Open the Pageant Key List window by double-clicking the Pageant tray icon.
4. Click Add Key in the Pageant Key List window.
5. Select the .ppk private key file in the file picker.

   PuTTYgen can import OpenSSH keys and save them as .ppk for use with PuTTY and Pageant.

6. Click Open to load the selected key into Pageant.
7. Enter the key passphrase and click OK when prompted.
8. Verify the key fingerprint appears in the Pageant Key List window.

   Repeat Add Key to load additional keys for different hosts or accounts.

9. Launch PuTTY.
10. Load the saved session or enter the server Host Name and Port.
11. Open Connection → SSH → Auth in the session settings.
12. Enable Attempt authentication using Pageant for the session.
13. Clear Private key file for authentication when relying on keys already loaded in Pageant.
14. Start the session by clicking Open.
15. Review the server host key warning when it appears.
16. Select Accept only after the server fingerprint is verified.

    Related: How to update or delete PuTTY host key fingerprints on Windows

17. Enter the server username at the login prompt.
18. Confirm login succeeds without a private-key passphrase prompt.
19. Open the Event Log from the PuTTY window menu to confirm a public-key authentication line is present.
20. Open the Run dialog in Windows 11.
21. Enter shell:startup and press Enter to open the current-user Startup folder.
22. Create a shortcut to pageant.exe in the Startup folder.
23. Set the shortcut Target to include the .ppk path as an argument to load the key at sign-in.

    "C:\Program Files\PuTTY\pageant.exe" "C:\Users\user\Documents\id_ed25519.ppk"

    Multiple keys can be loaded by appending additional quoted key paths to the same shortcut.

24. Confirm the Pageant tray icon appears automatically after the next sign-in.
25. Remove loaded keys or exit Pageant when the keys are no longer needed.

    Unlocked keys in Pageant can be used by any process in the current Windows sign-in session, so leaving the workstation unlocked can expose SSH access to trusted hosts.