# Using Github with SSH keys
## Generate a public/private RSA key pair
Skip to next step if you have an existing SSH key pair.
{% hint style="info" %}
Windows users can use either PowerShell, Windows Terminal, or WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux). Mac and Linux users should use their preferred terminal.
{% endhint %}
Run the `ssh-keygen` command with default arguments to generate and replace your private keypair.
```
ssh-keygen -t rsa
```
You will be prompted to provide a filename and an additional password if required.
{% hint style="info" %}
It is common to NOT use a password with the private key because the operating system already controls user access.
{% endhint %}
The output will look like this:
## Copy the public key
Use the terminal to display the public key, highlight, and copy to clipboard.
{% hint style="danger" %}
The public key will have a .pub file extension. You should never share your private key!
{% endhint %}
```
$ cd $HOME/.ssh
$ cat id_rsa.pub
```
The output will look similar to the following:
## Save the public key to GitHub
Navigate to 'Settings' under your GitHub profile. In the Left navigation select 'SSH and GPG keys':
Select 'New SSH key', add a title with any descriptive name, and paste the public key into the Key textarea:
Your repos will now show clone commands using SSH:
