Transfer PuTTY Sessions to a New System Easily
If you’ve saved multiple PuTTY sessions and recently moved to a new system, you might be wondering how to transfer PuTTY sessions without manually reconfiguring them. Fortunately, transferring PuTTY sessions is quick and efficient when you use the Windows Registry.
In this guide, you’ll discover how to export PuTTY sessions from your old computer and import them into your new system—no hassle, no lost configurations.
Why Transfer PuTTY Sessions?
PuTTY stores session configurations—such as hostnames, ports, and SSH keys—in the Windows registry. Therefore, if you reinstall Windows or move to a new PC, these sessions won’t come along unless they are exported manually.
Thankfully, the process is straightforward, and with just a few steps, all your saved sessions can be restored.
Step 1: Export PuTTY Sessions from Old PC
To begin, open the Command Prompt on your original system. Once there, run the following command to export all PuTTY-related entries:
reg export "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham" putty-sessions.regThis command will create a file named putty-sessions.reg, which contains all your saved PuTTY configurations. It is strongly recommended that you store this file in a secure location before proceeding.
Step 2: Copy Registry File to New System
After exporting, you need to transfer the .reg file to your new computer. This can be done using a USB drive, email, or a shared cloud folder. Be sure the file is intact before moving to the next step.
Step 3: Import PuTTY Sessions into New PC
Once the file is on your new system:
Right-click on
putty-sessions.regSelect “Merge”
Confirm the prompt to allow changes to the registry
By doing this, all the saved PuTTY sessions will be added to the new system automatically. As a result, you won’t need to recreate any session manually.
Optional: Transfer Specific Sessions Only
While many users prefer to migrate all configurations, you might want to transfer only specific PuTTY sessions. In that case:
Press
Win + R, typeregedit, and hit Enter.Navigate to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\SessionsRight-click the desired session and export it individually.
Although this method takes a bit more time, it gives you more control.
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