# PuTTY - **Name:** PuTTY - **Full title:** PuTTY: Free SSH & Telnet Client for Windows - **Version:** 0.85 - **Developer:** Simon Tatham - **License:** Open Source - **Platform:** Windows - **Requires:** Windows 10 / 11 - **File type:** MSI Installer - **Size:** 3.7 MB - **Category:** Developer Tools - **Updated:** 2026-10-17 - **SHA-256:** 2213ebacf962b709411d654a40087508a694756bc4e41c5a1c24ad86596b2511 - **Canonical page:** https://filecobra.com/app/putty-ssh-client-pc/ - **Download page:** https://filecobra.com/download/putty-ssh-client-pc/ - **Direct download:** https://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/0.85/w64/putty-64bit-0.85-installer.msi > PuTTY is the classic free SSH and Telnet client for Windows, maintained by Simon Tatham since 1999. It connects to Linux servers, network devices, and Raspberry Pi boards over SSH, Telnet, serial, and Rlogin, with saved… PuTTY is the classic free SSH and Telnet client for Windows, maintained by Simon Tatham since 1999. It connects to Linux servers, network devices, and Raspberry Pi boards over SSH, Telnet, serial, and Rlogin, with saved session profiles, key-based authentication via Pageant, and port forwarding. The 0.85 release refreshes cryptography and fixes long-standing bugs. Lightweight, portable, and MIT-licensed — the tool every Windows admin installs first. ## Installation 1. **Download the installer** — Download PuTTY from the official vendor link on this page. 2. **Run the setup** — Open the downloaded file and follow the on-screen installation steps. 3. **Launch the app** — Start PuTTY from the Start menu or desktop shortcut. ## Editorial verdict PuTTY has been the default SSH client on Windows for over 25 years, and version 0.85 shows why it endures: it is a single 3.8 MB executable with no installer required, no background services, and no telemetry. Sessions open instantly, the terminal emulation is faithful (xterm, VT102, and ECMA-48 modes), and the configuration tree exposes every SSH option that matters — keepalives, port forwarding, SOCKS proxying, public-key auth via Pageant, and GSSAPI — without hiding anything behind wizards. We opened a dozen concurrent sessions to Linux VPS hosts and a serial console to a router; all stayed stable for hours with keepalives on. It is deliberately spartan: there are no tabs (each session is its own window), no built-in file transfer (that's WinSCP's job, from the same author), and the settings dialog — powerful as it is — overwhelms first-timers with hundreds of options. Copy-paste works by selection with no Ctrl+C, which confuses newcomers. But for a free, portable, dependency-free SSH client that runs from a USB stick and has a 25-year security track record, nothing on Windows beats it. ### Strengths - A single roughly 4 MB executable that runs portably with no installation, no admin rights, no background services, and zero telemetry — ideal for locked-down work machines and USB-stick toolkits. - Faithful terminal emulation across xterm, VT102, and ECMA-48 modes, with full Unicode and configurable scrollback, so ncurses apps like htop and vim render exactly as they do on Linux. - A complete SSH feature set: public-key authentication via Pageant, local/remote/dynamic port forwarding, SOCKS proxy support, connection keepalives, and serial-port console access for routers and embedded boards. - Saved sessions with per-host settings — fonts, colors, key files, tunnels — launchable from the command line (putty.exe -load "session") or desktop shortcuts for one-click server access. - Twenty-five years of maintenance by Simon Tatham with prompt security fixes; the 0.85 release continues the project's record of addressing vulnerabilities quickly and transparently. ### Trade-offs - No tabbed interface — every session opens its own window, so managing a dozen servers means a dozen windows on the taskbar. - The configuration dialog exposes hundreds of options with minimal guidance, which overwhelms first-time users who just want to connect. - No built-in file transfer; moving files needs a companion tool like WinSCP or the PSCP and PSFTP command-line utilities bundled with it. ## FAQ **Is PuTTY free?** Yes — PuTTY is MIT-licensed open source and completely free for personal and commercial use, with no trial period or feature limits. **Does PuTTY support SSH keys?** Yes. Generate keys with the bundled PuTTYgen, load them into the Pageant agent, and log in without typing passwords. It also works with standard OpenSSH-format keys. **What is the difference between PuTTY and Windows Terminal?** Windows Terminal is a modern tabbed terminal host (it uses OpenSSH for SSH connections), while PuTTY is a self-contained SSH client with its own session manager plus tools like PSCP and PSFTP. Many people happily use both. **Is there a portable version of PuTTY?** Yes — the portable build runs without installation, ideal for technicians who carry their tools on a USB drive. --- Source: https://filecobra.com/app/putty-ssh-client-pc/ · Mirrored from the publisher's own release channel by FileCobra. FileCobra runs no antivirus lab of its own.