ssh-agent doesn't have effect on Windows

OpenSSH for Windows

By default Windows 11 includes OpenSSH but it’s usually an older version. It comes as an additional feature and as such requires a special uninstallation procedure by first disabling it in the list of additional features for Windows and then rebooting. I did that. Then I installed the newer version with scoop.

I added my ssh key to the agent and made sure the agent is always running as a background service. So if I list I see this:

$ ssh-add -l
256 SHA256:ZaaUwbBNf4WfTs8Zajbt+htrv+fPvaExJpIPpEUcw2M betelgeuse@DESKTOP-6JIFKPI (ED25519)

Yet, it doesn’t “take”. I’m always being promted for the passphrase. What gives? git uses ssh that doesn’t match the server, which is storing my ssh key. To fix I simply needed to add this to my .gitconfig:

[core]
  ... skipped ...
  sshCommand = C:/Users/betelgeuse/scoop/apps/openssh/current/ssh.exe

If you’re using the one that comes with Windows, then you’ll probably need to specify C:/Windows/System32/OpenSSH/ssh.exe, if you have the same issue. Although in that case it’s better to use the client that comes with Windows as well, rather than installing with scoop.