Download and Install PuTTY on Windows, Plus the Best Alternatives
Download PuTTY only from the official site, putty.software, pick the 64-bit x86 MSI installer, run it, and open PuTTY from the Start menu. The current version is 0.85 (16 August 2026). If you would rather not install anything, Windows 10 and 11 already include an SSH client: open PowerShell and type ssh user@yourserver.
Step 1: Download PuTTY
Go to putty.software (it redirects to the official chiark.greenend.org.uk page). Do not use the first sponsored result on a search engine; lookalike sites have distributed tampered installers.
Under Package files, choose the installer for your PC:
| Your PC | File to download |
|---|---|
| Any modern Windows laptop or desktop (Intel or AMD) | 64-bit x86 MSI installer |
| Windows on Arm (Surface Pro X, Snapdragon laptops) | 64-bit Arm MSI installer |
| Very old 32-bit PC | 32-bit x86 MSI installer |
| No install wanted, portable use | Standalone putty.exe (64-bit x86) |
Save the file. It is under 5 MB.
Not sure whether your Windows is 64-bit? Press Win + Pause or open Settings, System, About and read the "System type" line.
Step 2: Verify the download (optional but recommended)
The PuTTY site publishes a SHA-256 checksum for every file. In PowerShell:
Get-FileHash .\putty-64bit-0.85-installer.msi -Algorithm SHA256Compare the output with the value on the checksums page. If it does not match, delete the file and download again from the official site.
Step 3: Install PuTTY
- Double-click the MSI file. If Windows SmartScreen asks, click More info, then Run anyway; the installer is signed by the PuTTY project.
- Click Next, keep the default folder (C:\Program Files\PuTTY), and choose the features. The default set installs PuTTY, PuTTYgen, Pageant, PSCP, PSFTP and Plink, and adds them to the system PATH so pscp and plink work from any command prompt.
- Optionally tick Add shortcut to PuTTY on the Desktop.
- Click Install, then Finish.
Portable option: skip the installer, put putty.exe in any folder and run it. Settings are stored in the Windows registry either way; PuTTY does not need admin rights to run.
Step 4: Make your first connection
- Open PuTTY. Enter your server's hostname or IP in Host Name, keep port 22 and SSH.
- Type a name under Saved Sessions and click Save.
- Click Open, accept the host key on first connection, and log in with your username and password.
For key-based login, file transfer and settings tips, see our full PuTTY guide.
Step 5: Keep it updated
PuTTY does not auto-update. Check Help, About for your version and compare it with the version on putty.software; the project now announces releases through an RSS feed rather than a mailing list. Installing a new MSI over an old one upgrades in place and keeps your saved sessions.
Uninstalling PuTTY
Settings, Apps, Installed apps, find PuTTY, click Uninstall. Saved sessions stay in the registry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY; delete that key if you want a clean removal, or export it first to move sessions to another PC.
PuTTY alternatives in 2026
PuTTY is still good, but it is a 1990s design: one window per session, no tabs, no built-in file browser. These are the alternatives worth knowing, grouped by what you need.
Already on your PC
| Tool | Cost | Why choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Windows OpenSSH + Windows Terminal | Free, built in | ssh, scp and sftp work out of the box in PowerShell; Windows Terminal adds tabs, panes and themes. Uses standard OpenSSH keys in ~/.ssh, no .ppk conversion needed. The right default for developers |
| WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) | Free, built in | A full Linux shell inside Windows; use ssh exactly as on a Linux box |
PuTTY, but better
| Tool | Cost | Why choose it |
|---|---|---|
| KiTTY | Free | A PuTTY fork with session folders, auto-login, transparency and quick text sends. Familiar interface, fewer rough edges |
| PuTTY CAC | Free | PuTTY with smart-card, certificate and FIDO security-key login; its 0.85 build tracks upstream. For enterprise and government users |
| Solar-PuTTY | Free | SolarWinds' tabbed wrapper around PuTTY with saved credentials and a session search box |
All-in-one toolboxes
| Tool | Cost | Why choose it |
|---|---|---|
| MobaXterm | Free home edition, paid pro | Tabbed SSH with a built-in SFTP browser that follows your cd, X11 forwarding, RDP, VNC, serial and a local Unix toolset. The most popular PuTTY replacement among sysadmins |
| Bitvise SSH Client | Free for individuals | Polished SSH plus a two-pane SFTP window and easy port forwarding; also runs a Windows SSH server |
| WinSCP | Free | Primarily a file-transfer client, but it opens PuTTY sessions with one click and shares its keys, so many people run the pair |
Modern, cross-platform terminals
| Tool | Cost | Why choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Termius | Free tier, paid sync | Clean tabbed client for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android with cloud-synced hosts and keys. Best if you also SSH from a phone |
| Tabby | Free, open source | Electron-based terminal with SSH, serial and Telnet, split panes, plugins and a built-in SFTP panel |
| mRemoteNG | Free, open source | Connection manager for people who juggle hundreds of hosts across SSH, RDP, VNC and HTTP |
Paid professional clients
| Tool | Cost | Why choose it |
|---|---|---|
| SecureCRT | Paid | The long-standing corporate standard: scripting, session management, compliance-friendly logging |
| Xshell | Free for home, paid commercial | Strong tabbed sessions and a companion Xftp for file transfer |
| Royal TS | Paid, free lite | Credential vault plus SSH, RDP, VNC and web sessions in one document |
Which should you pick?
- Just need to reach a hosting account occasionally: PuTTY or the built-in ssh command.
- Developer on Windows 11: Windows Terminal with OpenSSH, or WSL.
- Managing many servers daily: MobaXterm or Termius.
- Replacing PuTTY with minimum relearning: KiTTY.
- Corporate compliance and scripting: SecureCRT.
Frequently asked questions
Is PuTTY safe to download?
Yes, from the official site. Verify the SHA-256 checksum if you want certainty. Avoid third-party mirrors and "PuTTY download" sites.
Do I need PuTTY if Windows has SSH built in?
Not strictly. PuTTY adds saved sessions with per-host settings, serial console support and Pageant. For plain SSH, the built-in client is enough.
Can I use my PuTTY .ppk key with other tools?
Open the key in PuTTYgen and use Conversions, Export OpenSSH key to get a standard key file that works with Windows OpenSSH, Termius, Tabby and every Linux tool.
Does PuTTY have tabs?
No. Use KiTTY, Solar-PuTTY, MobaXterm or Windows Terminal if you want tabbed sessions.
Does PuTTY work on Windows 11?
Yes. The 64-bit x86 or 64-bit Arm installer works on Windows 10 and 11.