still unable to connect to github after generating password protected ssh key

[e55en]

Hello.
I'm trying to push a local repository to Github from Debian Linux using SSH. I've generated and successfully added a passphrase-protected SSH key. When I enter the command 'git push -u origin master' I'm prompted for a username and password; i enter my Github username and for the password I enter the passphrase I created when I generated the SSH key (I've also tried my Github email address as my username). This still gives me the message "Invalid username or token. Password authentication is not supported for Git operations." I've also tried creating a Fine Grained Access Token and using that as my password, but to no avail. Can anyone please advise what I'm not doing right? Thanks

[abhishek62010]

Hi @e55en,

The main issue is that when using SSH with GitHub, you should not be entering your GitHub username or passphrase at all during git push. Instead:

The SSH passphrase protects your private key locally — it’s not the same as a GitHub password or token.

If Git is still prompting you for a username/password, it means your remote URL is still using HTTPS instead of SSH.

Here’s how to fix it:

Check your remote URL:

git remote -v

git remote set-url origin [email protected]:username/repo.git

Now, if your key has a passphrase, you’ll only be prompted for that passphrase by your SSH agent — no GitHub username/password needed.

Extra tip: You can run ssh-add ~/.ssh/your_key so you don’t have to type the passphrase every time during the session.

[e55en]

Thank you so much abhishek62010. I followed your advice and it did the trick. Many thanks.