SSH Keys in Rosie SSH

Generate, import, export, and use SSH keys with Rosie SSH on iPhone and iPad.

Supported key workflow

Rosie SSH supports Ed25519 SSH keys for the initial release:

Generate Ed25519 keys in the app.
Import supported OpenSSH private keys.
Export public keys for server setup.
Use saved keys when connecting to hosts.

Private key material is stored in the iOS Keychain on your device.

Generate an Ed25519 key

Open Keys.
Tap the add button.
Choose Generate Ed25519.
Swipe the key and choose Export Public Key.
Add the exported public key to the server account’s ~/.ssh/authorized_keys.

After the public key is installed on the server, edit or create a saved host and choose private key authentication.

Import an OpenSSH private key

Open Keys.
Tap the add button.
Choose Import OpenSSH Key.
Paste the key text or choose a key file.
Enter the passphrase if the key is encrypted.
Tap Import.

Rosie SSH supports OpenSSH Ed25519 private key formats. Unsupported key types or ciphers may be rejected.

Encrypted private keys

If an imported key is encrypted, Rosie SSH asks for the passphrase during import. The passphrase decrypts the key for import and is not retained as a saved login password.

The imported private key material is stored in the iOS Keychain.

Server setup

The server account usually needs the public key in:

~/.ssh/authorized_keys

OpenSSH servers can be strict about file permissions. Common settings are:

chmod 700 ~/.ssh
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

Check your server’s SSH documentation if key auth still fails.

Secure Enclave keys

Rosie SSH can create Secure Enclave key records, but Secure Enclave SSH authentication is not available yet. Use generated or imported Ed25519 keys for server authentication.