Download the latest PuTTY (recommended)
1) Use the official PuTTY download page
- Open the official PuTTY download page.
- Find the most recent release (typically shown near the top).
- Choose the installer or the appropriate executable for your system (commonly Windows x86/x64).
- Download the files and keep the checksum file if provided.
2) Verify the download (important)
- If the release provides a SHA256 or MD5 checksum, compare it with your downloaded file.
- This helps ensure the download wasn’t tampered with.
Example checksum verification (Windows PowerShell)
If a SHA256 checksum is provided, you can verify like this:
Get-FileHash .\putty.exe -Algorithm SHA256Then compare the output hash to the one listed on the release page.
Which file should you download?
- Windows: Look for installer packages or the correct architecture build (x86 vs x64).
- Linux: Many distros provide PuTTY via their package manager, but the “latest” upstream release may be newer than your distro.
- Portable use: Some builds are suitable for running without a full installer, but always confirm what the release provides.
Common issues
- Wrong architecture: If you install an x86 build on a 64-bit system it usually still works, but always prefer the correct one.
- Old version: If you downloaded from a mirror, you may get an older release. Prefer the official release page.
- Security warnings: Verify checksums and ensure you’re downloading from the official domain.
Need the exact latest release?
For the most up-to-date “latest” PuTTY version number and direct downloads, use the official release pages first, then optionally cross-check with the PuTTY changelog/release notes.