SSH Access Setup

This guide covers setting up SSH key authentication for your xCloud server.

Generate an SSH Key

If you don’t have an SSH key, create one:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f ~/.ssh/id_xcloud

You’ll be prompted for a passphrase. macOS Keychain will remember it after first use.

Add Your Key to xCloud

1. Copy your public key:

   cat ~/.ssh/id_xcloud.pub | pbcopy

2. In xCloud, go to your Site → Access Data → SSH/sFTP

3. Click ”+ Add SSH Key”

4. Paste your public key (must be one continuous line)

5. Give it a name (e.g., “MacBook”)

6. Click Add SSH Key

7. Important: Click Save at the bottom of the page

Connect to Your Server

ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_xcloud username@your-server-ip

Your SSH string is shown in the xCloud dashboard under Access Data → SSH/sFTP.

First Connection

On first connect, you’ll see a fingerprint verification prompt:

The authenticity of host 'x.x.x.x' can't be established.
ED25519 key fingerprint is SHA256:xxxxx
Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no)?

Type yes to add the server to your known hosts.

Troubleshooting

Permission denied (publickey)

• Ensure you clicked Save after adding the key in xCloud
• Wait 1-2 minutes for the key to propagate
• Verify the correct key is being used: ssh -v -i ~/.ssh/id_xcloud user@host

Key must be valid OpenSSH format

When pasting your key in xCloud, ensure:

• It’s all on one continuous line
• Starts with ssh-ed25519 or ssh-rsa
• No extra line breaks or spaces