SSH: Bad configuration option: usekeychain

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

I synchronise my .ssh/config file between (most of) my laptops, including some Linux and macOS ones. On Mac, it’s quite nice to be able to use the UseKeychain option to store SSH passphrases in the secure keychain thing.

That is, until you try to use that same config file on Linux (or Windows/WSL) and it explodes.

The issue is that UseKeychain isn’t actually part of standard OpenSSH; it’s a custom patch Apple adds to the version bundled with macOS. So when “upstream” OpenSSH (on Linux, Windows, or even Homebrew) sees it, it panics.

SSH on Sammy's Blog

SSH: Bad configuration option: usekeychain