Where does Putty store known_hosts information on Windows?

Putty stores known hosts under a registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SoftWare\SimonTatham\PuTTY\SshHostKeys.


So in windows known_hosts for PuTTY is SshHostKeys.

that is stored at the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\SshHostKeys location. To reach that location, the Registry Editor supposed to be used.

  • go to start - look for regedit
  • then you will see all the directories on the left pane under computer
  • just like this image says go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\SshHostKeys location - location
  • then you can modify like you wish Known host options
  • If needed you can check the content in the SshHostKeys file using this command REG QUERY HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\SshHostKeys in PowerShell

And then the cache will be cleared. Will be everything new again for that particular entry