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Updated: 4 November 2026 · Applies to: PuTTY 0.85 on Windows (pscp, psftp and plink tested with the Linux build 0.83), commands tested on Debian 13, Ubuntu 26.04 and AlmaLinux 10

PuTTY has no commands of its own: once you are logged in, you type Linux commands into the server's shell. This cheat sheet lists PuTTY's mouse and keyboard shortcuts, the shell keys that save typing, the Linux commands beginners need most, and PuTTY's command-line tools (pscp, psftp and plink). The Linux commands work the same in any SSH client. Not connected yet? See How to access your Server or VPS using Putty? If you want a server to practise on, a small KVM VPS gives you full root access.

1. Copy, paste and scroll in PuTTY

  • Copy: select text with the left mouse button. It is copied as soon as you let go. Ctrl+C does not copy in PuTTY: it stops the running command on the server.
  • Paste: right-click, or press Shift+Insert. Ctrl+right-click opens PuTTY's menu, which also has Paste.
  • Scroll back: Shift+PgUp and Shift+PgDn move a page, Ctrl+PgUp and Ctrl+PgDn move a line, Ctrl+Shift+PgUp jumps to the top.

2. Shell keys

These come from Bash on the server, so they work in every SSH client:

  • Tab: complete a file, folder or command name.
  • Up arrow: the previous command. Ctrl+R: search your command history.
  • Ctrl+A and Ctrl+E: jump to the start or end of the line.
  • Ctrl+U and Ctrl+K: delete to the start or end of the line.
  • Ctrl+L: clear the screen (same as clear).
  • Ctrl+C: stop the running command. Ctrl+Z: pause it (fg brings it back).
  • Ctrl+D on an empty line, or exit: log out.

3. Linux commands cheat sheet

Moving around

pwd                  # where am I?
ls -la               # list files, including hidden ones, with details
cd /var/www          # go to a folder
cd ..                # one level up
cd ~                 # your home folder
cd -                 # back to the previous folder

Files and folders

mkdir -p backups/2026          # create a folder (and its parents)
cp file.txt file.bak           # copy a file
cp -r site site-copy           # copy a folder
mv old.txt new.txt             # rename or move
rm file.txt                    # delete a file
rm -r old-folder               # delete a folder and everything in it (no undo)

More: How to Rename Files and Folders in Linux (mv and rename) and How to Remove a Directory in Linux (rmdir and rm -r).

Reading and editing files

cat file.txt                       # print a short file
less /var/log/syslog               # scroll through a long file (q to quit)
tail -n 50 /var/log/nginx/error.log    # the last 50 lines
tail -f /var/log/nginx/error.log   # follow a log as it grows (Ctrl+C to stop)
nano /etc/hosts                    # edit a file (Ctrl+O to save, Ctrl+X to exit)

New to nano? See Linux Nano Editor Explained for Beginners.

Finding things

find /var/www -name "wp-config.php"    # find files by name
grep -rn "DB_NAME" /var/www/html       # find text inside files, with line numbers

Disk, memory and processes

df -h                          # free disk space
du -sh /var/www/*              # size of each folder
free -h                        # memory
top                            # live CPU and memory use (q to quit)
ps aux --sort=-%mem | head     # the processes using the most memory
kill 1234                      # stop the process with ID 1234

More: How to List Running Processes in Linux (ps, top, htop and pgrep).

Network

ip -br address                 # IP addresses of the server
ss -tlnp                       # listening ports and the programs behind them
ping -c 4 example.com          # is a host reachable?
curl -I https://example.com    # response headers of a website

Archives

tar -czf site.tar.gz site/     # pack a folder into site.tar.gz
tar -xzf site.tar.gz           # unpack it

Users, permissions and services

whoami                             # which user am I?
sudo -i                            # become root (if you are allowed to)
passwd                             # change your password
chmod 644 file.php                 # owner can write, everyone can read
chown -R www-data:www-data site    # change the owner (user names differ per system)
sudo systemctl restart nginx       # restart a service
sudo systemctl status nginx        # check it
sudo journalctl -u nginx -n 50     # its last 50 log lines

Updates and help

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade   # Ubuntu and Debian
sudo dnf upgrade                      # AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, Fedora
man ls                                # the manual of a command (q to quit)
history                               # commands you typed before

More commands by topic: Linux Commands List by Category: A Quick Reference and Basic Linux Commands with Examples: ls, cd, grep, chmod.

4. PuTTY command-line tools

The PuTTY installer for Windows includes pscp, psftp and plink next to putty.exe. Run them in Command Prompt or PowerShell. Replace user and 203.0.113.10 with your login and server address.

putty.exe -ssh user@203.0.113.10 -P 2222      # open PuTTY on port 2222
putty.exe -load "My server"                   # open a saved session
putty.exe -ssh user@203.0.113.10 -i C:\keys\server.ppk   # log in with a key

pscp C:\temp\backup.sql user@203.0.113.10:/home/user/   # upload a file
pscp user@203.0.113.10:/etc/hosts C:\temp\hosts.txt     # download a file
pscp -r C:\site user@203.0.113.10:/var/www/              # upload a folder
pscp -P 2222 ...                                         # another SSH port

psftp user@203.0.113.10          # interactive: ls, cd, get FILE, put FILE, quit
plink user@203.0.113.10 "df -h"  # run one command and return
plink -m commands.txt user@203.0.113.10   # run the commands from a file

A remote path without a leading / is relative to your home folder on the server. Lab output from the Linux build of the same tools (connection options left out):

$ plink -i lab.ppk lab@server "whoami; pwd"
lab
/home/lab
$ pscp -i lab.ppk notes.txt lab@server:/home/lab/
notes.txt                 | 0 kB |   0.0 kB/s | ETA: 00:00:00 | 100%

With -batch (for scripts), PuTTY never asks questions, so a server whose host key you have not accepted yet fails at once with FATAL ERROR: Cannot confirm a host key in batch mode. Connect once without -batch and accept the key first. Use an SSH key (-i) rather than a password on the command line: see How to Create SSH Keys on Windows and Log In to a Linux Server.

5. More PuTTY and SSH help

Official documentation: PuTTY user manual.

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