docs/content/authentication/troubleshooting-ssh/error-ssh-add-illegal-option----k.md

title, intro, redirect_from, versions, topics, shortTitle

title	intro	redirect_from	versions	topics	shortTitle
Error: ssh-add: illegal option -- K	This error means your version of `ssh-add` does not support macOS keychain integration, which allows you to store your passphrase in the keychain.	/articles/error-ssh-add-illegal-option-k /articles/error-ssh-add-illegal-option----k /github/authenticating-to-github/error-ssh-add-illegal-option----k /github/authenticating-to-github/troubleshooting-ssh/error-ssh-add-illegal-option----k	fpt ghes ghae ghec * * * *	SSH	ssh-add: illegal option -- K

The -K option is in Apple's standard version of ssh-add, which stores the passphrase in your keychain for you when you add an ssh key to the ssh-agent. If you have installed a different version of ssh-add, it may lack support for -K.

Solving the issue

To add your SSH private key to the ssh-agent, you can specify the path to the Apple version of ssh-add:

  $ /usr/bin/ssh-add -K ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

{% note %}

Note: {% data reusables.ssh.add-ssh-key-to-ssh-agent %}

{% endnote %}

Further reading

• "Generating a new SSH key and adding it to the ssh-agent"
• Linux man page for SSH-ADD
• To view Apple's man page for SSH-ADD, run man ssh-add in Terminal