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Help & Info about PuTTY for Windows

  • What is PuTTY?

    PuTTY is an open-source terminal emulator designed for Windows with instances on Mac OS and Linux, as well as unofficial ports to other platforms. It provides a graphical user interface for configuration and supports many common terminal tasks, most notably using Telnet and SSH to reach other servers.

  • Is it free?

    Yes. The client is free and open-source. It is used by both individuals and businesses, and its licence includes few restrictions in its use and copying.

  • Can PuTTY be used with FTP?

    Yes, but it is not an FTP client and so is not designed to function in this way. To connect to FTP, configure your profile to perform a RAW connection to Port 21, then once connected, send the commands USER and PASS, followed by your FTP server username and password. It is recommended to use a discrete FTP client instead.

  • How do I use PuTTY on Windows 7?

    Simply download and run the latest version, which is compatible with various versions of Windows including 7.

  • Can PuTTY be used on Mac?

    Yes. There is a release of PuTTY for Mac, though it is not developed by the same team and it is sometimes behind the current Windows release. Mac OS X includes built-in Terminal programs such as ssh that perform many of the same function.

  • Can PuTTY be used to connect to Windows?

    Yes, if the Windows computer is running software that supports acting as a host for SSH or another protocol that the client supports. This software is separate, and two computers running the client cannot connect to each other by default. Some remote desktop software may allow for remote connection via SSH.

  • How do I copy or paste?

    To copy, highlight text with your cursor in the terminal window; don't right-click. It will be automatically copied. To paste, simply right click the area in the terminal window where you are currently typing, and your clipboard's contents will be pasted.

  • How do I save a PuTTY session?

    To save a session profile, so you can reconnect the same way later, create a new session under the main window, select it and click Load. Then change your settings under Configuration, return to the main window, and click Save.

  • How do I stop PuTTY from closing my session?

    On Linux, you may be able to stop the client from disconnecting by turning off the TMOUT environment variable, by typing "unset TMOUT" in the terminal. On Windows, go to Connections under PuTTY Configuration and set a number of seconds between keepalives.

  • How do I port forward with SSH?

    To port forward, open the Configuration menu and scroll down to Tunnels. Then enter the port to be forwarded under Source port, and the destination under Destination. There are two pairs of three ratio buttons that determine what type of forwarding occurs. "Dynamic" and "Auto" will work in most cases, but sometimes when forwarding multiple ports or in specific cases, you will need to make different selections.

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Laws concerning the use of this software vary from country to country. We do not encourage or condone the use of this program if it is in violation of these laws.
Softonic

In Softonic we scan all the files hosted on our platform to assess and avoid any potential harm for your device. Our team performs checks each time a new file is uploaded and periodically reviews files to confirm or update their status. This comprehensive process allows us to set a status for any downloadable file as follows:

Clean

It’s extremely likely that this software program is clean.

What does this mean?

We have scanned the file and URLs associated with this software program in more than 50 of the world's leading antivirus services; no possible threat has been detected.

Warning

This software program is potentially malicious or may contain unwanted bundled software.

Why is the software program still available?

Based on our scan system, we have determined that these flags are possibly false positives.

What is a false positive?

It means a benign program is wrongfully flagged as malicious due to an overly broad detection signature or algorithm used in an antivirus program.

We’d like to highlight that from time to time, we may miss a potentially malicious software program. To continue promising you a malware-free catalog of programs and apps, our team has integrated a Report Software feature in every catalog page that loops your feedback back to us.

Flag any particular issues you may encounter and Softonic will address those concerns as soon as possible.