How to fix identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa type -1 in SSH

SSHINTERMEDIATELOWUpdated Jan 4, 2026· 146 views

SSH shows 'type -1' when it cannot find or load an identity file. This usually means the key file doesn't exist at the specified path or cannot be read. While often a harmless informational message, it indicates SSH is falling back to other authentication methods.

Quick fix

Fixes identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa type -1

ls -la /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa
  1. Check if the identity file exists
  2. Verify file permissions
  3. Generate SSH keys if missing
  4. Specify the identity file explicitly
ssh — error
ls -la /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa
identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa type -1

What this error means

The 'type -1' message in SSH output indicates that SSH failed to load an identity file from the specified path. SSH probes for various key types in default locations (id_rsa, id_dsa, id_ecdsa, id_ed25519, and their corresponding certificate files). When a file is not found or cannot be read, SSH assigns it type -1 to indicate the probe failed. This is different from type 0 (RSA), type 1 (DSA), type 3 (ECDSA), etc., which indicate successfully loaded keys. The message appears during SSH debug output (-vvv flag) and is typically benign when it occurs for certificate files or key types you don't use, but becomes problematic when it occurs for the key you're actually trying to use for authentication.

Typical symptoms

  • SSH connection succeeds but shows 'type -1' messages in debug output
  • SSH falls back to other authentication methods instead of using the specified key
  • Debug output shows 'key_load_public: No such file or directory'
  • Multiple 'type -1' entries for different certificate file types
  • SSH authentication fails when you expect a specific key to be used

Common causes

  1. The identity file does not exist at the specified path
  2. SSH certificate file (.pem, .pub-cert) expected by SSH but not present on disk
  3. File permissions prevent SSH from reading the identity file
  4. Private key file has been deleted or moved since SSH last checked
  5. SSH is probing for default key types you haven't generated
  6. Incorrect file path specified in SSH config or command line

How to fix "identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa type -1"

1Check if the identity file exists

Verify the key file exists at the path shown in the error message:

bash
ls -la /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa

If the file doesn't exist, you'll see 'No such file or directory'. You can list all SSH keys in your ~/.ssh directory:

bash
ls -la ~/.ssh
2Verify file permissions

SSH requires specific file permissions to work correctly:

bash
chmod 700 ~/.ssh
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_rsa
chmod 644 ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

Private keys must be readable only by the owner (600). If permissions are wrong, SSH will skip the key and try others.

3Generate SSH keys if missing

If the key file doesn't exist, generate a new key pair:

bash
ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -f ~/.ssh/id_rsa -N ""

For modern systems, Ed25519 keys are preferred:

bash
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 -N ""

During generation, you'll be prompted for a passphrase. Press Enter to skip it for passwordless authentication.

4Specify the identity file explicitly

If you have multiple keys and want to use a specific one, tell SSH which identity file to use:

bash
ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa -o IdentitiesOnly=yes user@hostname

The -o IdentitiesOnly=yes flag prevents SSH from offering other identities, which can reduce authentication attempts and type -1 messages.

5Check SSH config for incorrect paths

If you're using an SSH config file (~/.ssh/config), verify the IdentityFile paths:

bash
cat ~/.ssh/config

If any IdentityFile lines reference non-existent paths, either create the keys or remove/comment out those lines:

bash
Host example.com
    User myuser
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa
    # IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519  # Remove if this file doesn't exist
6Enable SSH debug to see detailed output

To understand which keys SSH is trying and why type -1 appears, use verbose mode:

bash
ssh -vvv user@hostname

This shows each identity file SSH probes, the result for each, and why it failed. Lines with 'type -1' indicate the file wasn't found or couldn't be loaded. Lines with 'type 0' or higher indicate the file was successfully loaded.

Advanced notes

The 'type -1' message is normal and expected for SSH certificate files (like id_rsa-cert.pub) if you don't use SSH certificates. Certificate files are optional and most users only have standard key pairs. Type -1 is also expected for key types you haven't generated (e.g., type -1 for id_dsa if you only use RSA keys). SSH first tries to load the public key part of the certificate; if it doesn't exist, it gets type -1 and SSH continues to the next probe. This is the intended behavior and not a problem. The issue only becomes critical if the specific key you're trying to authenticate with shows type -1, which means SSH couldn't load it and will fail authentication unless another valid method is available.

Frequently asked questions

What does "identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa type -1" mean?
The 'type -1' message in SSH output indicates that SSH failed to load an identity file from the specified path. SSH probes for various key types in default locations (id_rsa, id_dsa, id_ecdsa, id_ed25519, and their corresponding certificate files). When a file is not found or cannot be read, SSH assigns it type -1 to indicate the probe failed.
How do I fix "identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa type -1"?
SSH shows 'type -1' when it cannot find or load an identity file. This usually means the key file doesn't exist at the specified path or cannot be read. While often a harmless informational message, it indicates SSH is falling back to other authentication methods.
What causes "identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa type -1"?
The identity file does not exist at the specified path SSH certificate file (.pem, .pub-cert) expected by SSH but not present on disk File permissions prevent SSH from reading the identity file
Is the "identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa type -1" error serious?
It is a low-severity error — more of a blocker than a risk. The steps above resolve it.

Official resources & further reading