How to Set Up SSH for GitHub on macOS/Linux 🔐

Using SSH keys with GitHub enhances your security and streamlines your Git workflow by eliminating the need to enter your username and password every time. In this guide, I’ll walk you through setting up SSH authentication for GitHub on macOS and Linux.

Whether you’re setting this up for the first time or need a refresher, this post has got you covered.

🔧 Why Use SSH Instead of HTTPS?

While GitHub supports both HTTPS and SSH, using SSH has some key advantages:

  • ✅ Secure authentication using cryptographic keys
  • ✅ No need to enter your GitHub credentials every push or pull
  • ✅ Works seamlessly with automation and scripting

🛠️ Step-by-Step Guide

1. Check for Existing SSH Keys

Open your terminal and run:

ls -al ~/.ssh

Look for files like:

  • id_rsa and id_rsa.pub
  • or id_ed25519 and id_ed25519.pub

If you already have a key, you can skip to Step 3

2. Generate a New SSH Key

If you don’t have one, generate a new SSH key:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com"

-C adds a label for your key (your GitHub email).

If you’re on an older system that doesn’t support ed25519, use:

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your_email@example.com"

Press Enter to accept the default file path, and set a passphrase (optional but recommended).

3. Add Your SSH Key to the SSH Agent

Start the agent and add your key:

# Start the SSH agent
eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"

# Add the key
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Replace with id_rsa if you used RSA.

4. Copy Your Public Key

Run this command to copy the key to your clipboard:

pbcopy < ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub     # macOS
xclip -sel clip < ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub  # Linux (with xclip installed)

Alternatively, just open and copy it manually:

cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

5. Add the Key to GitHub

  1. Go to GitHub SSH Keys
  2. Click “New SSH key”
  3. Paste the key
  4. Give it a meaningful title
  5. Click “Add SSH key”

6. Test Your Connection

Verify that everything works:

ssh -T git@github.com

If successful, you’ll see a message like:

Hi username! You've successfully authenticated, but GitHub does not provide shell access.

7. Configure Git to Use SSH by Default (Optional)

If your Git remotes use HTTPS, you can switch to SSH:

git remote set-url origin git@github.com:username/repo.git

You can check your current remote with:

git remote -v

🧠 Tip: Multiple GitHub Accounts?

If you’re using multiple GitHub accounts (e.g., personal & work), you can configure SSH config:

# ~/.ssh/config
Host github.com
  HostName github.com
  User git
  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

# For work account
Host github-work
  HostName github.com
  User git
  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_work_ed25519

Then in your Git remote:

git remote set-url origin git@github-work:username/repo.git

✅ Final Thoughts

SSH keys are a secure and convenient way to manage GitHub authentication. Once set up, they save you time and improve your workflow. This setup works well with Git clients, CI/CD tools, and automation scripts.

For a smoother dev experience, I recommend:

  • Backing up your SSH keys securely
  • Using a passphrase-protected key
  • Exploring ~/.ssh/config for advanced use

No more typing passwords. Just code, commit, and push! 🚀

Related posts:

Happy coding,
anvndev ☕