Why does SSH say Permission denied (publickey)?
This message means the SSH server did not accept an offered public-key identity for the requested account. It does not usually mean the network is unavailable. Confirm the username and exact key before changing server authentication policy.
Instructions
1. Check the intended client identity
Use the public fingerprint rather than relying on the filename or key comment.
ssh-keygen -lf "$env:USERPROFILE\.ssh\server_ed25519.pub"Compare it with the key enrolled for this exact remote account.
2. Make one explicit diagnostic attempt
Limit the offered identity and enable basic verbose output.
ssh -v -o IdentitiesOnly=yes -i "$env:USERPROFILE\.ssh\server_ed25519" adminuser@203.0.113.10Look for the username and offered key. The debug output can expose hostnames and local paths, so redact it before sharing.
3. Inspect the account through an existing trusted path
Confirm the public key is in the effective authorised-key source, with correct ownership and permissions. Check account restrictions and server logs. If you have no working login, use the authenticated provider console or the authorised key-management process.
Check the result
- The offered public fingerprint matches the intended enrolled identity.
- A fresh SSH connection authenticates as the expected account.
Troubleshooting
- The key works for another username
- Authorisation is account-specific. Use the account for which it was enrolled.
- The key is present but rejected
- Check file ownership, StrictModes requirements, account restrictions and applicable Match rules.
Official references
Use the documentation for your installed version when a flag, service name or platform feature differs.