How to configure SSH access on Hostinger

intermediate 8 min read Updated 2026-04-20

Quick Answer

To configure SSH access on Hostinger, you need to enable SSH in your hosting control panel and create SSH keys for secure authentication. SSH access is only available on Business plans and higher.

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Prerequisites

Active Hostinger hosting account
Business or higher hosting plan
Basic knowledge of terminal commands
SSH client installed on your local machine

Step-by-Step Instructions

Access your Hostinger hosting panel

Log into your Hostinger account and navigate to the Hosting section. Select the website you want to configure SSH access for and click Manage to open the hosting control panel.

Make sure you're using a Business or higher plan as SSH is not available on shared hosting plans

Navigate to SSH Access settings

In the hosting control panel, scroll down to the Advanced section and click on SSH Access. This will open the SSH configuration page where you can manage your SSH settings.

Enable SSH access

On the SSH Access page, toggle the SSH Access switch to enable it. You'll see your SSH connection details including the hostname, port (usually 22), and username displayed on the page.

Write down your SSH hostname and username as you'll need these for connecting

Generate SSH key pair

Click on Generate New Key Pair to create a public and private SSH key. Choose RSA as the key type and set the key length to 2048 bits or higher for better security. Download both the private key file and note the public key.

Store your private key file securely and never share it with anyone

Add your public key

If you have an existing SSH public key, paste it into the Public Key field and click Add Key. Alternatively, you can upload your public key file using the Upload Key button.

You can add multiple public keys for different devices or team members

Configure your SSH client

Open your terminal or SSH client and use the connection details: ssh username@hostname -p 22. Replace username and hostname with the values from your Hostinger panel. If using a private key file, add -i /path/to/private-key to the command.

Test the connection first with a simple command like 'ls' to ensure everything works

Set up SSH config file (optional)

Create or edit ~/.ssh/config on your local machine to add a host entry with your Hostinger details. Include Host hostinger, HostName your-hostname, User your-username, and IdentityFile /path/to/private-key.

This allows you to connect simply with 'ssh hostinger' instead of typing the full command

Test your SSH connection

Connect to your server using ssh username@hostname and verify you can access your hosting environment. Run basic commands like pwd and ls to confirm you're in the correct directory structure.

Your initial directory should be your hosting account's home folder

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

SSH option not available in control panel

SSH access is only available on Business plans and higher. Upgrade your hosting plan or contact Hostinger support to confirm your plan includes SSH access.

Connection refused or timeout errors

Verify the hostname and port number in your SSH command. Check if your local firewall or ISP is blocking port 22. Try using ssh -v username@hostname for verbose output to diagnose the issue.

Permission denied with public key

Ensure your public key is correctly added in the Hostinger panel. Check that your private key file has correct permissions with chmod 600 ~/.ssh/private_key and verify the key pair matches.

Unable to access website files via SSH

Navigate to the public_html directory using cd public_html after connecting. Your website files are located in this folder, not in the initial login directory.

Prices mentioned in this guide are pulled from current plan data and may change. Always verify on the official Hostinger website before purchasing.

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