How to SSH into a Linux Machine from macOS Without Typing Everything Every Time

If you're tired of repeatedly typing ssh user@host and entering your password every time you connect to a Linux machine from macOS, there's a much better and more secure way to streamline your workflow.

This guide will walk you through setting up SSH key-based authentication and using an SSH config file for effortless connections.

✅ Step 1: Generate an SSH Key (If You Don’t Already Have One)

First, check if an SSH key already exists:

ls ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

If it doesn't, generate a new one:

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "[email protected]"

Press Enter to accept the default location and file name when prompted.

✅ Step 2: Copy Your SSH Key to the Linux Host

Option A: Using ssh-copy-id (Recommended)

ssh-copy-id user@host

This will append your public key to the ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file on the remote Linux machine and set proper permissions.

Option B: Manual Copy (If ssh-copy-id is not available)

cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub | ssh user@host 'mkdir -p ~/.ssh && cat >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys && chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys'

After this, you should be able to log in without a password:

ssh user@host

✅ Step 3: Create an SSH Config Entry

To avoid typing the full ssh user@host every time, create a short alias using the SSH config file.

Edit or create ~/.ssh/config:

nano ~/.ssh/config

Add the following block:

Host myserver
    HostName your.remote.host
    User your_user
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa

Now you can connect with a simple command:

ssh myserver

✅ Bonus: Integrate with macOS Keychain

If you use a passphrase with your SSH key, macOS can remember it securely in your Keychain.

Extend your SSH config entry:

Host myserver
    HostName your.remote.host
    User your_user
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa
    AddKeysToAgent yes
    UseKeychain yes

Then add the key to your Keychain:

ssh-add --apple-use-keychain ~/.ssh/id_rsa

✅ Optional: Use a Modern SSH Key Algorithm

RSA is still widely used, but you can opt for a more modern and secure algorithm like Ed25519:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "[email protected]"

If you do this, make sure to update your SSH config to point to the new key (e.g., ~/.ssh/id_ed25519).

🧠 Summary

By using SSH keys and the ~/.ssh/config file, you can streamline your SSH workflow and connect to remote Linux machines quickly and securely.

Benefits

• 🔒 More secure than using passwords
• 🚀 Faster login experience
• 💼 Easily manage multiple SSH connections with aliases
• 🍎 Seamlessly integrates with macOS Keychain