CraftTools

RSA & SSH Key Pair Generator

Guide: SSH Keys and Key Pairs Explained: Which Type to Pick

Small, fast and modern. The best choice for new SSH keys, where the server supports it.

A label added to the SSH key, often your email or machine name.

The keys are made inside your browser with its built-in cryptography, and nothing is sent or stored. They are gone when you close the page, so save the private key now. For keys that protect something important, many people prefer to make them on their own computer with ssh-keygen and protect the private key with a passphrase.

Nothing you enter or choose here leaves your device. This tool runs in your browser.

How to use

  1. 1Choose the key type. Ed25519 is a good default.
  2. 2Add a comment if you like, then press Make keys.
  3. 3Save the private key somewhere safe and add the public key to your server or service.

Frequently asked questions

Are my keys sent anywhere?

No. Everything happens in your browser, and nothing is sent to us.

Which key type should I pick?

Ed25519 for new SSH keys, if your server supports it, because it's small, fast and modern. Use RSA 3072 where older systems need RSA, and ECDSA P-256 if a service asks for it.

Will OpenSSH accept these files?

Yes. The public key line and the private key files were tested with OpenSSH. Ed25519 private keys are saved in OpenSSH's own format, and the others in PKCS#8.

How do I use the private key?

Save it in your .ssh folder, run chmod 600 on it on Mac or Linux, and add the public key line to the server's authorized_keys file or to the settings page of the service.

Is it safe to make keys in a browser?

The keys come from your browser's built-in cryptography and are not stored or sent. For keys that guard something important, many people prefer ssh-keygen on their own computer with a passphrase.

Read the guide

Learn how this works and how to get the most from it.

Developer

SSH Keys and Key Pairs Explained: Which Type to Pick

What a public and private key pair is, how SSH keys let you sign in without a password, and how to choose between Ed25519, RSA and ECDSA.

2 min read

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