Where to store SSH key (For Windows) 🔑

Prerequisites

• Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is installed
• For this example we will use the Ubuntu Linux distro/distribution.
• Visit this link to rocket academy to find out more about WSL

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Step 1: Understand how to access Linux On Windows

Method 1: Using the file explorer

1. Type \\wsl$\ into the file explorer. This will direct you to the location of the Ubuntu folder.
   

2. Navigate to your linux folder. Ubuntu -> Home -> <LINUX USERNAME>
   

Method 2: Using the WSL terminal

# This command navigates to the linux folder

cd ~/

# This command lists the files that are in the linux folder

ls -a ~

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Step 2: Create .ssh folder (this is where we'll put the ssh key)

Notes: If this is your first time accessing this folder, you probably do not have a folder for ssh files and will have to create your own.

Method 1: Using the file explorer

1. Create a folder in your linux folder and name it ".ssh"
2. Done! Now you can put the key pairs in this folder

Method 2: Using the WSL terminal

# 1. Check if you have a .ssh folder. If you don't have an ssh folder it'll return "No such file or directory"

ls ~/.ssh

# 2. Create a folder called .ssh 

mkdir ~/.ssh

# 3. Copy any key pairs you need into this folder
# Note: You have to be in the same directory as the file you want to copy
# syntax: cp <FILENAME> ~/.ssh

cp my-aws-ec2-keypair.pem ~/.ssh