Connect to your VPS over SSH from macOS or Linux

SSH (Secure Shell) is how you log in to your VPS and run commands on it. The connection is encrypted, so your password and everything you type are protected. macOS and Linux both have SSH built in, so there's nothing to install.

Before you start

You'll need your VPS IP address and root password. See Find your VPS login details and IP address.

Step 1: Open Terminal

• macOS: press Cmd+Space, type Terminal and press Enter. You'll also find it in Applications → Utilities.
• Linux: open your Terminal app from the applications menu. On many desktops, Ctrl+Alt+T opens it.

Step 2: Connect

Type the following, replacing YOUR_SERVER_IP with your VPS IP address, and press Enter:

ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP

The first time you connect, you'll see a message like "The authenticity of host ... can't be established" along with a key fingerprint. This is normal for a new server. Type yes and press Enter.

Then type your root password and press Enter. Nothing appears on screen while you type the password. That's normal.

When you see a prompt such as root@server:~#, you're logged in. To disconnect, type exit.

Save time with an SSH shortcut

Instead of typing the IP address each time, you can give your VPS a short name. On your computer (not the server), edit your SSH config file:

nano ~/.ssh/config

Add the following, replacing the IP address:

Host myvps
    HostName YOUR_SERVER_IP
    User root

Press Ctrl+O and Enter to save, then Ctrl+X to exit. Now you can connect with just:

ssh myvps

Copy files to and from your VPS

You can use scp from the same Terminal window. For example, to copy a file from your computer to the server:

scp myfile.zip root@YOUR_SERVER_IP:/root/

And to copy a file from the server to your current folder:

scp root@YOUR_SERVER_IP:/root/backup.tar.gz .

If you'd prefer a drag-and-drop app, FileZilla or Cyberduck can connect using SFTP with the same login details.

Next steps

• Once you're in, update your server first: apt update && apt upgrade on Ubuntu/Debian, or dnf upgrade on AlmaLinux/Rocky.
• For better security, set up SSH keys and log in without a password.

Troubleshooting

• "Connection timed out": check the IP address, and that your VPS is Online on its management page in the client area.
• "Connection refused": the server is up, but SSH isn't accepting connections. Use Open Console on your VPS's management page to log in and check SSH is running.
• "Permission denied": check the username is root and the password is correct. Passwords are case-sensitive.
• "REMOTE HOST IDENTIFICATION HAS CHANGED": this usually happens after you reinstall your VPS. Run ssh-keygen -R YOUR_SERVER_IP, then connect again.

Related guides

• Use the web console to access your VPS
• Manage your VPS from the client area

Need help?

Our Cloud VPS plans are self-managed, so you're responsible for installing, securing and maintaining the software on your server. If something on our side isn't working, such as the network, or your VPS won't boot, open a support ticket.