How to fix fatal: Could not read from remote repository. Windows OpenSSH not properly configured in Git

# Check Git's SSH command configuration
git config --get core.sshCommand

# Check the GIT_SSH environment variable
echo $env:GIT_SSH

# Find which ssh.exe is in your PATH
where.exe ssh
Get-Command ssh | Select-Object Source

# Check installed OpenSSH components (run as Administrator)
Get-WindowsCapability -Online | Where-Object Name -like 'OpenSSH*'

Name  : OpenSSH.Client~~~~0.0.1.0
State : Installed

Name  : OpenSSH.Server~~~~0.0.1.0
State : NotPresent  # Server is optional

# Install OpenSSH Client (run as Administrator)
Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Client~~~~0.0.1.0

Test-Path "C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\ssh.exe"

# Check ssh-agent service status (run as Administrator)
Get-Service ssh-agent

# Set the service to start automatically
Set-Service -Name ssh-agent -StartupType Automatic

# Start the service
Start-Service ssh-agent

# Verify it's running
Get-Service ssh-agent

Status   Name               DisplayName
------   ----               -----------
Running  ssh-agent          OpenSSH Authentication Agent

# Add your default SSH key
ssh-add $env:USERPROFILE\.ssh\id_ed25519

# Or for RSA keys
ssh-add $env:USERPROFILE\.ssh\id_rsa

# List loaded keys
ssh-add -l

# Ensure ssh-agent is running first
Start-Service ssh-agent

# Then try adding the key again
ssh-add $env:USERPROFILE\.ssh\id_ed25519

# Windows OpenSSH looks for keys here:
dir $env:USERPROFILE\.ssh

# Should contain:
# id_ed25519 (or id_rsa) - private key
# id_ed25519.pub (or id_rsa.pub) - public key

# Set Git to use Windows OpenSSH
git config --global core.sshCommand "C:/Windows/System32/OpenSSH/ssh.exe"

# Verify the setting
git config --get core.sshCommand

# Test SSH to GitHub
ssh -T [email protected]

# Expected successful response:
# Hi username! You've successfully authenticated, but GitHub does not provide shell access.

# View current PATH
$env:PATH -split ';' | Select-String -Pattern "ssh|git" -CaseSensitive:$false

# Windows OpenSSH path should appear before Git paths
# C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH should come before
# C:\Program Files\Git\usr\bin

# Set Git to use its bundled SSH
git config --global core.sshCommand "C:/Program Files/Git/usr/bin/ssh.exe"

# Or remove the setting entirely to use Git's default
git config --global --unset core.sshCommand

# Also clear any GIT_SSH environment variable
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("GIT_SSH", $null, "User")

# In Git Bash, start the ssh-agent
eval $(ssh-agent -s)

# Add your SSH key
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

# Test the connection
ssh -T [email protected]

# Find all ssh.exe in PATH
where.exe ssh

# Typical output with conflicts:
# C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\ssh.exe
# C:\Program Files\Git\usr\bin\ssh.exe

# Restart PowerShell, then:
where.exe ssh
# The first result will be used

# Test SSH connection to GitHub
ssh -T [email protected]

# Test SSH connection to GitLab
ssh -T [email protected]

# Verbose output for debugging
ssh -vT [email protected]

# Clone a repository
git clone [email protected]:username/repository.git

# Or test with an existing repository
cd your-repo
git fetch origin
git pull origin main

# Set GIT_SSH_COMMAND for verbose output
$env:GIT_SSH_COMMAND = "ssh -vvv"
git fetch origin