Windows 11 Optional features does not have Add

[Henrythesecond]

Hi @ChatGPT ,
The Bing AI instructions for adding a Feature, OpenSSH, says to use System-Optional Features and Add. But there isn't an add function that I can find.

 

[ChatGPT]

Why you don’t see “Add”​

That guidance is a bit out of date. In current Windows 11/10, the path is Settings > Apps > Optional features, and the old “Add” button is now labeled “View features.” If OpenSSH Client is already installed, you’ll only see it under Installed features (so no “Add”/“View features” prompt for it).

Add OpenSSH via Settings (GUI)​

• Open Settings > Apps > Optional features.
• Click View features (under “Add an optional feature”).
• Search for “OpenSSH” and check:
  • OpenSSH Client (recommended)
  • OpenSSH Server (only if you need to accept incoming SSH connections)
• Click Next > Install, then wait a minute. Verify with: open Windows Terminal and run: ssh -V

If “View features” is missing/greyed out​

• The feature may already be installed: look under Installed features for “OpenSSH Client/Server.”
• Device is managed by policy: you might see “Some settings are managed by your organization.” In that case, use PowerShell below or contact your admin.
• No internet/source: Windows may need Windows Update or a local source to add capabilities.

Add via PowerShell (works on Home/Pro/Enterprise)​

Run Windows Terminal (Admin) and execute:

# Client
Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Client~~~~0.0.1.0 # Server (optional)
Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Server~~~~0.0.1.0 # Start and enable SSH server (only if you installed Server)
Start-Service sshd
Set-Service -Name sshd -StartupType Automatic

Then test with:
ssh -V
What version of Windows are you running, and do you see “View features” on Settings > Apps > Optional features? If not, tell me exactly what you see on that page.

 

[Henrythesecond]

Why you don’t see “Add”​

That guidance is a bit out of date. In current Windows 11/10, the path is Settings > Apps > Optional features, and the old “Add” button is now labeled “View features.” If OpenSSH Client is already installed, you’ll only see it under Installed features (so no “Add”/“View features” prompt for it).

Add OpenSSH via Settings (GUI)​

• Open Settings > Apps > Optional features.
• Click View features (under “Add an optional feature”).
• Search for “OpenSSH” and check:
  • OpenSSH Client (recommended)
  • OpenSSH Server (only if you need to accept incoming SSH connections)
• Click Next > Install, then wait a minute. Verify with: open Windows Terminal and run: ssh -V

If “View features” is missing/greyed out​

• The feature may already be installed: look under Installed features for “OpenSSH Client/Server.”
• Device is managed by policy: you might see “Some settings are managed by your organization.” In that case, use PowerShell below or contact your admin.
• No internet/source: Windows may need Windows Update or a local source to add capabilities.

Add via PowerShell (works on Home/Pro/Enterprise)​

Run Windows Terminal (Admin) and execute:

# Client
Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Client~~~~0.0.1.0

# Server (optional)
Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Server~~~~0.0.1.0

# Start and enable SSH server (only if you installed Server)
Start-Service sshd
Set-Service -Name sshd -StartupType Automatic

Then test with:
ssh -V
What version of Windows are you running, and do you see “View features” on Settings > Apps > Optional features? If not, tell me exactly what you see on that page.

Just quickly in Apps there is no Optional Features listed.

 

[ChatGPT]

Let’s jump straight to it​

If “Optional features” isn’t visible under Settings > Apps, try the direct link:

• Press Win+R, paste: ms-settingsptionalfeatures, and press Enter.
• On Windows 10, it may appear as a link inside “Apps & features” (top of the page) labeled “Optional features” or “Manage optional features.”

If that page won’t open or is hidden by policy, install OpenSSH without the GUI:

• Open Windows Terminal (Admin) and run:
  

  Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Client~~~~0.0.1.0
  # (Optional server)
  # Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Server~~~~0.0.1.0

  Then verify with:
  ssh -V
  Tip: On most Windows 11 systems the OpenSSH Client is already present at C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\ssh.exe.

Can you confirm your exact Windows version (run winver) and whether ms-settingsptionalfeatures opens for you? If it doesn’t, is this a work-managed PC that might hide Settings pages?

 

[Henrythesecond]

I started
Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Client~~~~0.0.1.0<br>
but it looks like it is stalled, I don't any movement in the Task Manager

Edition Windows 11 Home
Version 24H2
Installed on ‎19/‎03/‎2025
OS build 26100.6584
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.234.0

 

[ChatGPT]

Thanks for the build details—that helps.
On Windows 11, Add-WindowsCapability can look “stuck” while it downloads from Windows Update. Don’t rely on Task Manager for progress. Do this:

1. Check if it’s already installed or pending

• Run (non-admin is fine):
  Get-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Client* | ft Name,State
• If State = Installed, you’re done: run ssh -V.
• If State = InstallPending, just Restart Windows and test again.

1. If it shows NotPresent or the install appears hung

• Cancel the current PowerShell with Ctrl+C, then Restart.
• In an elevated terminal run (shows progress and fixes component store issues):
  

  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
  DISM /Online /Add-Capability /CapabilityName:OpenSSH.Client~~~~0.0.1.0

• Make sure required services are running:
  

  Get-Service wuauserv,bits,TrustedInstaller | ft Name,Status
  # If any are Stopped:
  Start-Service wuauserv; Start-Service bits; Start-Service TrustedInstaller

• Ensure the connection isn’t metered (metered can block capability downloads):
  Settings > Network & internet > your network > turn off Metered connection.
  Or check:
  Get-NetConnectionProfile | ft Name,IsMetered

1. If it still won’t progress (no percentage after a few minutes)

• Install from local media (no internet needed). Mount the Windows 11 24H2 “Features on Demand” ISO that matches your build 26100, note the drive letter (e.g., D, then:
  DISM /Online /Add-Capability /CapabilityName:OpenSSH.Client~~~~0.0.1.0 /Source:D:\ /LimitAccess

1. Verify
   

   where ssh
   ssh -V

   If it errors instead of hanging, please share the exact State from Get-WindowsCapability and any DISM error code/percent you see.

 

[Henrythesecond]

Ok that took a really long time. I was trying your other suggestions in another terminal, but then noticed some progress.
Path :
Online : True
RestartNeeded : False
OpenSSH_for_Windows_9.5p2, LibreSSL 3.8.2

Looks good, so how do I get the GUI?

 

[ChatGPT]

Do you want the Settings “Optional features” page or an SSH app UI?​

You’ve got OpenSSH installed. There are two “GUIs” you might be after:
1) The Windows Optional features GUI (to view/remove OpenSSH)

• Open it directly: press Win+R and run: ms-settingsptionalfeatures
• Or go to Settings > Apps > Optional features > Installed features, then find “OpenSSH Client”.
• If “Optional features” still doesn’t appear, check if a policy is hiding Settings pages:
  • Run: reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer /v SettingsPageVisibility
  • If a value exists that hides optionalfeatures/apps, tell me what it shows and I’ll help clear it.

2) A GUI for using SSH (instead of the ssh command)

• PuTTY (lightweight), MobaXterm (tabbed SSH + built‑in SFTP), Termius/Tabby (modern UI), or WinSCP for drag‑and‑drop SFTP.
• You can also make a one‑click SSH profile in Windows Terminal:
  • Windows Terminal > Settings (Ctrl+,) > Add new profile > Command line:
    C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\ssh.exe user@host -p 22
  • Name it, pick an icon, Save. Now it opens directly into that SSH session.

Which of those are you looking for—the Settings page, or a GUI client for SSH?

 

[Henrythesecond]

• Open it directly: press Win+R and run: ms-settingsptionalfeatures worked going to Viw features.
• But OnenSSH Client checkbox is only for removing.

 

[ChatGPT]

That “remove” option means it’s already installed​

What you’re seeing is expected. In Optional features:

• “Installed features” shows OpenSSH Client with only one action: Uninstall (i.e., remove).
• “View features” (Add an optional feature) only lists items not already installed, so OpenSSH Client won’t appear there once it’s installed.

What do you want to do next?​

• Reinstall the client via GUI:
  1) Settings > Apps > Optional features > Installed features > OpenSSH Client > Uninstall.
  2) Wait a minute, click View features, search “OpenSSH Client,” check it, Next > Install.
• Add the server (if you need inbound SSH):
  1) View features > search “OpenSSH Server” > Install.
  2) Then enable the service: open Services (services.msc) > sshd > Start, and set Startup type to Automatic.
• Use a GUI for SSH sessions (instead of the ssh command): install PuTTY, MobaXterm, or create a profile in Windows Terminal pointing to C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\ssh.exe user@host.

If you tell me whether you want to reinstall, add the server, or use a GUI client, I’ll give exact steps for that path.

 

[Henrythesecond]

So it looks like ssh is available:
PS C:\Users\henle> ssh -V
OpenSSH_for_Windows_9.5p2, LibreSSL 3.8.2

But it is still not accepting my password.

 

[ChatGPT]

Got it—SSH works. If you’re seeing a password prompt, that’s controlled by the server you’re connecting to. You have two options:

• Client-only (just for your sessions): Refuse password from the client so it will only try keys.
  • One time: ssh -o PasswordAuthentication=no user@host
  • Permanent for a host: create %USERPROFILE%.ssh\config with:
    Host myserver
    HostName host.example.com
    User youruser
    PasswordAuthentication no
• Server-side (actually disable password logins for everyone):
  • If the server is THIS Windows PC (OpenSSH Server installed):
    1) Put your public key in C:\Users\YourUser.ssh\authorized_keys (create the .ssh folder if needed).
    Permissions (important):
    PowerShell (Admin):
    icacls "$env:USERPROFILE.ssh" /inheritance:r
    icacls "$env:USERPROFILE.ssh" /grant "$env:USERNAMEF)"
    icacls "$env:USERPROFILE.ssh\authorized_keys" /inheritance:r
    icacls "$env:USERPROFILE.ssh\authorized_keys" /grant "$env:USERNAMEF)"
    2) Edit C:\ProgramData\ssh\sshd_config (run Notepad as admin) and set:
    PubkeyAuthentication yes
    PasswordAuthentication no
    KbdInteractiveAuthentication no
    

    Optional: require keys only​

    AuthenticationMethods publickey
    3) Restart the service:
    Restart-Service sshd
    4) Test from another window before closing your current session:
    ssh -o PasswordAuthentication=no -v youruser@localhost
  • If the server is Linux/Unix: edit /etc/ssh/sshd_config with the same lines (PasswordAuthentication no, PubkeyAuthentication yes, optionally KbdInteractiveAuthentication no / AuthenticationMethods publickey), then sudo systemctl restart sshd and test.

Quick question to confirm: are you connecting to a remote server, or is your Windows 11 PC running OpenSSH Server and you want to lock it down?