Why git can’t remember my passphrase under Windows

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I realize that this question is coming up on two years old, but I had the same issue and several answers here did not completely answer the question for me. Here are three step-by-step solutions, depending on whether you use TortoiseGit in addition to msysgit or not.

First solution Assumes Windows, msysgit, and PuTTY.

  1. Install msysgit and PuTTY as instructed.

  2. (Optional) Add PuTTY to your path. (If you do not do this, then any references to PuTTY commands below must be prefixed with the full path to the appropriate executable.)

  3. If you have not done so already, then generate a key hash as instructed at GitHub or as instructed by your Git host.

  4. Again, if you have not already done so, convert your key for use with PuTTY’s pageant.exe using puttygen.exe. Instructions are in PuTTY’s documentation, in this helpful guide, and several other places in cyberspace.

  5. Run PuTTY’s pageant.exe, open your .ppk file (“Add Key”), and provide your passphrase for your key.

  6. Access Windows’ environment variables dialog (Right-click on “Computer”, Click on “Properties”, Click on “Advanced system settings” or the “Advanced” tab, click on “Environment Variables”). Add the following environment variable:

    GIT_SSH=C:\full\path\to\plink.exe

    Replace “C:\full\path\to” with the full installation path to PuTTY, where plink.exe is found. It is probably best to add it to the “User variables” section. Also, make sure that the path you use to plink.exe matches the path you use for Pageant (pageant.exe). In some cases, you may have several installations of PuTTY because it might be installed along with other applications. Using plink.exe from one installation and pageant.exe from another will likely cause you trouble.

  7. Open a command prompt.

  8. If you are trying to connect to a git repository hosted at Github.com then run the following command:

    plink.exe [email protected]

    If the git repository you are trying to connect to is hosted somewhere else, then replace [email protected] with an appropriate user name and URL. (Assuming Github) You should be informed that the server’s host key is not cached, and asked if you trust it. Answer with a y. This will add the server’s host key to PuTTY’s list of known hosts. Without this step, git commands will not work properly. After hitting enter, Github informs you that Github does not provide shell access. That’s fine…we don’t need it. (If you are connecting to some other host, and it gives you shell access, it is probably best to terminate the link without doing anything else.)

  9. All done! Git commands should now work from the command line. You may want to have pageant.exe load your .ppk file automatically at boot time, depending on how often you’ll be needing it.

Second solution Assumes Windows, msysgit, and TortoiseGit.

TortoiseGit comes with PuTTY executables and a specially modified version of plink (called TortoisePlink.exe) that will make things easier.

  1. Install msysgit and TortoiseGit as instructed.

  2. If you have not done so already, then generate a key hash as instructed at GitHub or as instructed by your Git host.

  3. Again, if you have not already done so, convert your key for use with TortoiseGit’s pageant.exe using TortoiseGit’s puttygen.exe. Instructions are in PuTTY’s documentation, in the helpful guide linked to in the first solution, and in several other places in cyberspace.

  4. Run TortoiseGit’s pageant.exe, open your .ppk file (“Add Key”) and provide your passphrase for your key.

  5. Access Windows’ environment variables dialog (Right-click on “Computer”, Click on “Properties”, Click on “Advanced system settings” or the “Advanced” tab, click on “Environment Variables”). Add the following environment variable:

    GIT_SSH=C:\full\path\to\TortoisePlink.exe

    Replace “C:\full\path\to” with the full installation path to TortoiseGit, where TortoisePlink.exe is found. It is probably best to add it to the “User variables” section. Also, make sure that the path you use to TortoisePlink.exe matches the path you use for Pageant (pageant.exe). In some cases, you may have several installations of PuTTY because it might be installed along with other applications. Using TortoisePlink.exe from the TortoiseGit installation and pageant.exe from another installation of a different application (or from a standalone PuTTY installation) will likely cause you trouble.

  6. All done! Git commands should now work from the command line. The first time you try to connect to your git repository you will probably be informed that the server’s host key is not cached, and asks if you trust the server. Click on “Yes”. (This is TortoisePlink.exe in action.)

    You may want to have pageant.exe load your .ppk file automatically at boot time, depending on how often you’ll be needing it.

Third solution Assumes Windows, msysgit, and the native command prompt.

  1. Install msysgit
  2. Make sure to allow git to be used on the MS-DOS command prompt
  3. Run start-ssh-agent
  4. Enter SSH passphrases
  5. All done! Git commands should now work in the native command prompt.

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