Enter a **strong****passphrase** for securing your private key.
Enter a **strong****passphrase** for securing your private key.
## Private Key
By default, your private key is saved to the `id_rsa` file in the `.ssh` directory
and your public key is saved to the `id_rsa.pub` file.
!!! note
The path to a private key is usually /home/username/.ssh/
A private key file in the `id_rsa` or `*.ppk` format is used to authenticate with the servers. A private key is present locally on local side and used for example in the Pageant SSH agent (for Windows users). The private key should always be kept in a safe place.
A public key file in the `*.pub` format is used to verify a digital signature. A public key is present on the remote side and allows an access to the owner of the matching private key.