Git / Git

Git permission denied (publickey)

Fix Git SSH permission denied publickey errors when cloning, pulling, or pushing repositories.

General troubleshooting guidance Last updated May 10, 2026 0 sources Needs local verification

Category: Git
Error signature: Permission denied (publickey).
Quick fix: Add the correct SSH key to your agent and Git hosting account, then test the SSH connection.
Updated: May 10, 2026
Verification status: General troubleshooting guidance
Evidence: 0 public source URLs

Before you change production

This page does not expose source URLs in the page body. Treat it as general troubleshooting guidance and verify against official documentation before changing systems.

Reproduce the smallest failing action and save non-secret logs before changing configuration.
Check versions for Git, related SDKs, package managers, CI runners, and hosting providers.
Change one setting or dependency at a time, then rerun the same failing command or request.
Avoid destructive commands, credential rotation, billing changes, or security relaxations without a rollback plan.

What this error means

Permission denied (publickey) means Git attempted SSH authentication, but the remote host did not accept any public key offered by your machine.

Common causes

No SSH key exists on the machine.
The key exists locally but is not loaded into ssh-agent.
The matching public key was not added to GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, or your internal Git host.
Multiple keys exist and SSH is offering the wrong one.

Quick fixes

Check for an existing key:

   ls ~/.ssh

Add the key to your SSH agent:

   ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Test the host connection:

   ssh -T git@github.com

Confirm the repository remote uses the expected URL:

   git remote -v

Step-by-step troubleshooting

Run ssh -vT git@github.com or the equivalent host command to see which keys are offered.
Add the public key from ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub to your Git hosting account.
If you use multiple accounts, create or update ~/.ssh/config with a host-specific IdentityFile.
Verify repository access permissions on the remote host.
Retry git clone, git pull, or git push.

Diagnostic flow for this page

Match Permission denied (publickey). exactly before applying the quick fix.
Compare the failing environment with Git versions, account scope, provider settings, and deployment context.
Check the listed common causes in order, starting with the cause that best matches your logs.
Use the evidence status below to decide whether to confirm against public sources or official documentation.
Apply one reversible change, rerun the smallest failing action, and keep rollback notes.

FAQ

What does Permission denied (publickey). mean in Git?

Permission denied (publickey). indicates the workflow described by "Git permission denied (publickey)" failed in a Git context. Start by confirming the exact signature and the component that emitted it.

What should I check first for Permission denied (publickey).?

Check whether this cause matches your environment: SSH key is missing from the local agent

Is the Permission denied (publickey). guidance source-backed?

The "Git permission denied (publickey)" page is labeled general troubleshooting guidance. It has no public source URLs in the current Markdown record, so use that evidence status when deciding how much additional verification you need.

When should I avoid the quick fix for Permission denied (publickey).?

For "Git permission denied (publickey)", avoid applying "Add the correct SSH key to your agent and Git hosting account, then test the SSH connection." when the error text differs, the affected version or provider is different, or the change would touch credentials, billing, DNS, production deploy settings, or irreversible data.

What should I collect before debugging Permission denied (publickey).?

For "Git permission denied (publickey)", collect the failing Git command or request, non-secret configuration, versions, timestamps, request IDs when available, and the smallest reproduction that still triggers the signature.