SSH & Keys

SSH Key Converter

Format Conversion

Key Conversion Tools

Convert your SSH keys between different formats for cross-platform compatibility

PEM to PPK Converter
Most Popular

Convert OpenSSH PEM format private keys to PuTTY PPK format for Windows SSH clients. Secure, fast, and reliable conversion.

OpenSSH to PuTTY
Secure Conversion
Instant Download
No Server Upload
PPK to PEM Converter

Convert PuTTY PPK format private keys to OpenSSH PEM format for Linux/Mac SSH clients. Cross-platform compatibility made easy.

PuTTY to OpenSSH
Cross-Platform
Batch Support
Local Processing

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Why Convert SSH Keys?

Different SSH clients use different key formats. Convert between formats to use the same key across platforms seamlessly.

PuTTY (PPK)
OpenSSH (PEM)

About SSH Key Conversion

Learn about supported formats and security features of our SSH key converter

Supported Formats

Our SSH key converter supports the most common SSH key formats used across different platforms and SSH clients.

PEM Format

OpenSSH, Linux, macOS Terminal

PPK Format

PuTTY, WinSCP, Pageant

RSA Keys

2048-bit and 4096-bit supported

Ed25519 Keys

Modern elliptic curve keys

Security Features

Your private keys are processed entirely in your browser for maximum security. No data is sent to our servers.

Client-side Processing

All conversion happens locally in your browser

No Server Upload

Your keys never leave your device

Instant Download

Get converted keys immediately

Password Protection

Support for encrypted key files

PEM and PPK: what the two formats are

Why the same key needs two different containers

The same SSH private key can be stored in two incompatible containers. PEM (also called OpenSSH format) is what ssh-keygen writes and what ssh, scp, git, Ansible and cloud providers expect. PPK is PuTTY's own format, used by PuTTY, Pageant, WinSCP and FileZilla on Windows.

Neither reads the other, so moving a key between a Windows desktop and a Unix toolchain means converting it. The conversion is lossless — the key material is untouched, so the public key and fingerprint stay identical and every server that already trusts the key keeps working. Pick the direction you need below.

PEM → PPK
You have an OpenSSH or .pem key and need to use it in PuTTY or WinSCP.
PPK → PEM
You have a PuTTY .ppk and need it for ssh, Git, Ansible or a cloud console.
Lossless
Conversion changes the wrapper, not the key — the fingerprint is the same before and after.
Passphrase
An encrypted source key needs its passphrase, and the protection carries across to the output.

Related tools

Keep debugging with tools from the same suite
3 tools
PEM to PPK Converter
Convert PEM format SSH keys to PuTTY PPK format for Windows SSH clients
PPK to PEM Converter
Convert PuTTY PPK format SSH keys to PEM format for Linux/Mac SSH clients
SSH Key Generator
Generate SSH key pairs (RSA, ECDSA, Ed25519) for secure server authentication

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about converting SSH key formats
6 Q&A

If a tool is rejecting your key, convert to the format that tool wants. PuTTY, Pageant, WinSCP and FileZilla want PPK, so use PEM to PPK. Everything else — ssh, scp, git, Ansible, AWS, and most CI systems — wants PEM, so use PPK to PEM.

They are two file formats holding the same kind of private key. PEM is the OpenSSH-side standard, wrapped in -----BEGIN …PRIVATE KEY----- markers. PPK is PuTTY-specific and starts with PuTTY-User-Key-File-. The difference is entirely in the container, not in the cryptography.

No. The private key material is unchanged, so the derived public key and its fingerprint are identical afterwards. Nothing on the server needs updating — the authorized_keys entry you already have keeps working.

Yes. Round-tripping is lossless in both directions, and it is common to keep both files — a PPK for PuTTY on Windows and a PEM for WSL or a Unix machine — both derived from the same key.

Yes. Supply the passphrase for an encrypted source key and the converted file is written with the same one, so it stays protected at rest. A key with no passphrase converts to one with no passphrase.

The key is processed on our server and deleted immediately — not stored, not logged. It does cross the network, though, so this is best suited to test and lab keys. For production keys, convert locally: PuTTYgen on Windows handles both directions from its Conversions menu, and puttygen does the same on Linux.