How to Install PuTTy on Ubuntu (26.04, 24.04, 22.04)

A graphical SSH client with saved sessions, PuTTYgen, and PPK key support still makes PuTTY useful on Ubuntu when you want more than a plain terminal window for remote access. You can install PuTTY on Ubuntu from the default repositories for the distro-packaged build or from Flathub for a sandboxed release that stays consistent across supported LTS versions.

If you are looking for a PuTTY download on Ubuntu, the Ubuntu package and the Flathub build are safer choices than random third-party .deb mirrors. The package installs cleanly from a local terminal, an SSH session, or Ubuntu Server, but the main putty window still needs an active graphical session to open, and the steps below work on Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04.

Install PuTTY on Ubuntu

APT fits most Ubuntu systems because the distro maintains the package and the companion tools install directly into your shell. Flatpak is useful when you want the same newer PuTTY build across all supported Ubuntu LTS releases.

Method	Channel	Version	Updates	Best For
APT	Ubuntu repositories	Distribution default	Ubuntu package updates	Most users, shell integration, direct access to plink, pscp, and puttygen
Flatpak	Flathub	Latest Flathub build	sudo flatpak update	Sandboxed desktop install with the same PuTTY release across supported Ubuntu LTS versions

Update Ubuntu before installing PuTTY

Refresh the package index and install pending system updates before you add PuTTY.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

These commands use sudo for package-management tasks that need root privileges. If your account does not have sudo access yet, follow the guide to add a new user to sudoers on Ubuntu before you continue.

Install PuTTY with APT on Ubuntu

Install PuTTY on Ubuntu with the distro package when you want the GUI client and the companion shell tools in one APT-managed workflow.

sudo apt install putty putty-tools

The putty package installs the graphical client. The putty-tools package adds plink, pscp, and puttygen, which matters if you want PuTTY’s command-line tools instead of only the desktop window.

apt-cache policy putty

putty:
  Installed: 0.83-3build1
  Candidate: 0.83-3build1
  Version table:
 *** 0.83-3build1 500
        500 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu resolute/universe amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

That is the current output on Ubuntu 26.04. Ubuntu 24.04 installs 0.81-1, and Ubuntu 22.04 installs 0.76-2, so the APT package version depends on the LTS release you are running.

Install PuTTY from Flathub on Ubuntu

Ubuntu does not preinstall Flatpak, so add it first if you want the sandboxed PuTTY build. If you need the full Flatpak setup first, follow the guide to install Flatpak on Ubuntu.

sudo apt install flatpak

Add Flathub at system scope so the remote, the app, and later updates all use the same installation scope.

sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

The --if-not-exists flag avoids duplicate-remote errors, and sudo keeps Flathub in system scope instead of hitting the Ubuntu permission error that appears with a bare flatpak remote-add command.

sudo flatpak remotes

flathub system

sudo flatpak install -y flathub uk.org.greenend.chiark.sgtatham.putty

The -y flag answers the Flatpak confirmation prompt automatically, which makes the command easier to paste into a fresh terminal session.

The Flathub package is community built, not an upstream-verified PuTTY release. It is still a practical option when you want a sandboxed desktop install with the same build across Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04.

sudo flatpak info uk.org.greenend.chiark.sgtatham.putty | sed -n '1,10p'

The pipe to sed -n '1,10p' trims the metadata to the first 10 lines so you can focus on the app ID, version, origin, and installation scope.

PuTTY - SSH, Telnet and Rlogin client

          ID: uk.org.greenend.chiark.sgtatham.putty
         Ref: app/uk.org.greenend.chiark.sgtatham.putty/x86_64/stable
        Arch: x86_64
      Branch: stable
     Version: 0.83
      Origin: flathub
Installation: system

The Flathub build currently reports version 0.83 on Ubuntu. If you want the PuTTY companion tools directly in your shell, the APT method is still the cleaner Ubuntu fit.

Launch PuTTY on Ubuntu

The package installs fine from SSH or on Ubuntu Server, but the main putty window only opens from an active graphical session. For terminal-only SSH work, use plink, pscp, or Ubuntu’s native OpenSSH tools instead of the GUI client.

Launch PuTTY from a desktop terminal on Ubuntu

Start the graphical client from a local desktop terminal with the standard PuTTY command.

putty

If the shell prints Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display:, you are in a headless shell and need to launch PuTTY from a logged-in desktop session instead.

Launch PuTTY from the applications menu on Ubuntu

Open the launcher when you prefer starting PuTTY from the Ubuntu desktop menu.

• Click Activities in the top-left corner of the desktop.
• Open Show Applications to browse installed software.
• Type PuTTY into the search field.
• Select the PuTTY icon to open the client.

Review the PuTTY interface on Ubuntu

The main PuTTY window groups the settings you need for saved sessions, protocols, and connection details.

• Enter the hostname or IP address of the remote system.
• Choose the connection type, such as SSH, Telnet, or Raw TCP.
• Save session profiles, adjust ports, and tune terminal behavior before you connect.

Use PuTTY tools on Ubuntu

The putty-tools package is where PuTTY becomes useful beyond the GUI. It installs plink for terminal-only SSH sessions, pscp for transfers, and puttygen for key generation and key conversion.

Open terminal-only SSH sessions with Plink on Ubuntu

Use plink when you want PuTTY’s terminal-side SSH client instead of the graphical window.

plink user@host

For example, this connects to a remote host as root:

plink root@192.168.1.100

Transfer files with PSCP on Ubuntu

Use pscp when you need PuTTY’s SCP-style transfer tool, especially in workflows that still revolve around PuTTY key files.

Upload a file to a remote server with:

pscp local_file user@host:remote_path

This example uploads document.txt to the remote /root directory:

pscp /home/user/document.txt root@192.168.1.100:/root/document.txt

Download a remote file back to the local system with:

pscp user@host:remote_file local_path

This example downloads the same file into the local home directory:

pscp root@192.168.1.100:/root/document.txt /home/user/

Ubuntu already includes OpenSSH tools, so scp is often enough once you install OpenSSH on Ubuntu. Keep PSCP when you want PuTTY’s own transfer tool or PPK-oriented workflows.

Generate and convert keys with PuTTYgen on Ubuntu

Run puttygen from a desktop session when you want the graphical key generator for RSA, ECDSA, or Ed25519 keys.

puttygen

In headless shells, puttygen falls back to usage text instead of opening a window. To convert an existing OpenSSH private key into PuTTY’s PPK format, use the command-line mode instead:

puttygen openssh_key -O private -o converted_key.ppk

Compare PuTTY versions on Ubuntu

The Ubuntu repository version depends on the LTS release, while the Flathub build stays on the same branch across supported Ubuntu versions.

Ubuntu release	Default APT package	Support status	Best fit
Ubuntu 26.04	0.83.x	Current LTS in scope	Closest Ubuntu-packaged branch to current upstream
Ubuntu 24.04	0.81.x	Established LTS	Stable Noble package with full APT integration
Ubuntu 22.04	0.76.x	Oldest supported LTS	Jammy users who prefer distro packages over Flatpak

If you want the same newer PuTTY release on every supported Ubuntu LTS version, the Flathub build currently reports 0.83 across the board.

Troubleshoot PuTTY on Ubuntu

Most PuTTY problems on Ubuntu come down to display access, remote SSH availability, or key-format mismatches. These checks keep each issue tied to a clear cause and a quick fix.

Fix PuTTY display errors on Ubuntu

When PuTTY is installed from SSH or on a minimal Ubuntu system, the package can be present even though the GUI cannot open yet.

(putty:12345): Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display:

Check whether your current shell has a live graphical display before you try to launch the client.

echo $DISPLAY

:0

If the variable is empty, sign into a local Ubuntu desktop session and run putty there. For headless work, use plink, pscp, or Ubuntu’s OpenSSH tools instead of the GUI client.

Fix refused SSH connections in PuTTY on Ubuntu

A connection-refused error means the remote side is reachable but nothing is accepting the SSH session on the requested port.

Network error: Connection refused

Use verbose SSH output to confirm the refusal before you troubleshoot the remote host.

ssh -v root@192.168.1.100

debug1: Connecting to 192.168.1.100 [192.168.1.100] port 22.
debug1: connect to address 192.168.1.100 port 22: Connection refused
ssh: connect to host 192.168.1.100 port 22: Connection refused

If you see those lines, the remote SSH service is down, listening on a different port, or blocked by a firewall. On Ubuntu targets, follow the guide to install OpenSSH on Ubuntu if the host is missing sshd, or install and configure UFW on Ubuntu so port 22 is reachable.

Fix PPK authentication errors in PuTTY on Ubuntu

OpenSSH servers usually expect standard OpenSSH keys, not PuTTY’s PPK format.

PuTTY Fatal Error: Unable to use key file

Convert the private key to OpenSSH format when the remote host rejects the PPK file.

puttygen mykey.ppk -O private-openssh -o mykey_openssh

After the conversion, use mykey_openssh with ssh, scp, or any server that only accepts the standard OpenSSH key format.

Update or remove PuTTY on Ubuntu

APT and Flatpak handle PuTTY updates differently, so keep the maintenance commands tied to the method you installed.

Update APT-installed PuTTY on Ubuntu

Update the distro package without upgrading unrelated packages by targeting PuTTY directly.

sudo apt install --only-upgrade putty putty-tools

The --only-upgrade flag tells APT to refresh packages that are already installed without pulling in new package names you were not using before.

Check the installed APT version afterward.

apt-cache policy putty

putty:
  Installed: 0.83-3build1
  Candidate: 0.83-3build1
  Version table:
 *** 0.83-3build1 500
        500 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu resolute/universe amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

Update Flatpak PuTTY on Ubuntu

Update the system-scope Flatpak build with Flatpak’s normal application update command.

sudo flatpak update uk.org.greenend.chiark.sgtatham.putty

Flatpak prints Nothing to do. when the installed PuTTY app is already current.

Remove APT-installed PuTTY on Ubuntu

Remove the package first, then clear any orphaned dependencies that are no longer needed.

sudo apt remove putty putty-tools

sudo apt autoremove -y

Package removal does not delete saved sessions automatically. PuTTY stores saved sessions in ~/.putty/sessions, so remove the ~/.putty directory only if you want to wipe those profiles and any other PuTTY user settings.

Delete the PuTTY profile directory only when you are sure you no longer need its saved data.

rm -rf ~/.putty

Confirm that the APT package is no longer installed.

apt-cache policy putty

putty:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 0.83-3build1
  Version table:
     0.83-3build1 500
        500 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu resolute/universe amd64 Packages

On Ubuntu 24.04 the candidate line shows 0.81-1, and on Ubuntu 22.04 it shows 0.76-2, but Installed: (none) is the part that confirms removal.

Remove Flatpak PuTTY on Ubuntu

Remove the app first, then clear any unused runtimes that were only there for PuTTY.

sudo flatpak uninstall -y uk.org.greenend.chiark.sgtatham.putty

sudo flatpak uninstall -y --unused

The first command removes the app, and --unused cleans runtimes that nothing else still depends on. The -y flag answers the removal prompt automatically.

Verify the result with the installed-app list. No output means the PuTTY Flatpak is gone.

sudo flatpak list --app | grep -i putty

The grep -i putty filter shows only PuTTY rows, so blank output means the app is gone.

PuTTY on Ubuntu FAQ

Conclusion

PuTTY is installed on Ubuntu with the desktop client ready for GUI sessions and the companion tools ready for file transfers, key conversion, and terminal-only SSH work. If you want to lean harder on Ubuntu’s native stack next, install OpenSSH on Ubuntu for the server side or install and configure UFW on Ubuntu so remote access stays reachable without opening more than you need.