---
name: "x11-ssh-askpass"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "ssh-askpass"
version: "1:1.2.4.1-3"
release: "Debian 3.1 (Sarge)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/x11-ssh-askpass"
---

# x11-ssh-askpass(1)

prompts an X user for a passphrase

## NAME

ssh-askpass - prompts an X user for a passphrase

## SYNOPSIS

**ssh-askpass**\

## DESCRIPTION

This manual page documents briefly the **ssh-askpass** command. This manual page was written for the Debian GNU/Linux distribution because the original program does not have a manual page.

**ssh-askpass** (also known as x11-ssh-askpass) is an X11-based passphrase dialog for use with OpenSSH.  It is intended to replace the Perl/Tk-based ssh-askpass dialog and GNOME-based ssh-askpass dialog which accompany OpenSSH-1.2.

These dialogs are intended to be called by the [**ssh-add**(1)](/ssh-add/1.md) program and not invoked directly.  They allow [**ssh-add**(1)](/ssh-add/1.md) to obtain a passphrase from a user, even if not connected to a terminal (assuming that an X display is available).  This happens automatically in the case where ssh-add is invoked from one's **~/.xsession** or as one of the Gnome startup programs, for example.

## SEE ALSO

The program's home page:

http://www.jmknoble.net/software/x11-ssh-askpass/

## AUTHOR

This manual page was written by Philip Hands \<phil@hands.com\>, for the Debian GNU/Linux system (but may be used by others).