---
title: How to enable the OpenSSH server on Windows 2022 Instances
description: This page explains how to enable the OpenSSH serveron Windows 2022 Instances
tags: windows2022 openssh
dates:
  validation: 2025-08-11
  posted: 2025-02-04
---

The latest release of **Windows Server 2022** and **Windows Server 2022 Core** images includes the **OpenSSH Server** and **OpenSSH Client** packages by default.

<Message type="tip">
- The **OpenSSH Server** is installed but **disabled by default** for security reasons.
- To enable it at Instance creation, add the tag `with-ssh` when launching your Instance.
</Message>

## Enabling OpenSSH at Instance creation

Use the following CLI command to create a new Instance with OpenSSH Server enabled:

```bash
scw instance server create name=win2k22-core image=windows-server-2022-core tags.0=with-ssh type=POP2-2C-8G-WIN admin-password-encryption-ssh-key-id={ssh_key_id}
```

## Enabling OpenSSH on an existing Instance

If your Instance was started **without** the `with-ssh` tag, you can enable OpenSSH manually by running the following PowerShell command:

```powershell
Start-Service sshd
```

Once started, load the SSH keys configured in your Project using the following command:

```powershell
PS C:\Users\administrator> Scw-Fetch-SSH-Keys
```

This ensures your SSH keys are loaded and ready for authentication.