Free SSH/SFTP Desktop Client: Install Electerm in 5 Min

// Before you start

What you need

Windows 7+, macOS 10.15+, or Linux (any modern distro)
Internet connection to download the installer
SSH server credentials (hostname, username, password or key) if you plan to connect remotely
Admin/sudo rights on your machine to install software

Step 1 of 5

Download and install Electerm

3 min

Pick the install method for your operating system below. Each is a single command or a standard installer download. You only need one of these — skip the others.

Terminal · mac

$ # Windows (paste into PowerShell or Command Prompt):

$ winget install electerm.electerm

$ # macOS (paste into Terminal):

$ brew install --cask electerm

$ # Ubuntu / Debian Linux (paste into Terminal):

$ sudo snap install electerm --classic

$ # Or download a GUI installer directly from:

$ # https://electerm.org

What you should see

Windows: 'Successfully installed' message in the terminal. Mac: Homebrew finishes with no errors. Linux snap: 'electerm 1.x.x from electerm installed'. GUI installer: standard install wizard completes.

This might happen

winget or brew command not found

Windows: install winget from https://aka.ms/getwinget. Mac: install Homebrew from https://brew.sh. Alternatively, just download the installer directly from https://electerm.org.

Step 2 of 5

Launch Electerm for the first time

1 min

Open Electerm like any other desktop app — from your Start Menu, Applications folder, or app launcher. The first launch shows a clean terminal window with a sidebar on the left for saved connections (called bookmarks).

Terminal · mac

$ # No command needed — open Electerm from your system's app launcher.

$ # Tip: the global hotkey Ctrl+2 (Windows/Linux) toggles the window at any time.

What you should see

A dark terminal window opens. You see a tab bar at the top, a left sidebar, and a blinking cursor in the main area.

Step 3 of 5

Create your first SSH bookmark

2 min

A bookmark saves your server's address and login details so you can reconnect with one click. Click the '+' (new tab) button or the bookmark icon in the sidebar, then choose SSH. Fill in your server's hostname or IP address, port (default 22), username, and password. Give the bookmark a name you'll recognise, then click Save.

Terminal · mac

$ # This step is done entirely through the Electerm GUI — no command needed.

$ # Fields to fill in:

$ # Host: your server IP or domain, e.g. 192.168.1.10

$ # Port: 22 (default SSH port)

$ # Username: your server login name

$ # Password: your server password

$ # (or choose 'Private Key' and browse to your .pem/.key file)

What you should see

The bookmark appears in the left sidebar under your chosen name.

This might happen

Connection refused or timeout when you test the bookmark

Double-check the hostname/IP and port. Make sure the remote server has SSH enabled and that your firewall allows port 22. If you use a non-standard port, change the Port field accordingly.

Step 4 of 5

Connect and open a terminal session

1 min

Click your saved bookmark in the sidebar. Electerm opens a new tab and connects. Within a few seconds you will see the remote server's shell prompt — you are now logged in and can type commands directly.

Terminal · mac

$ # Click the bookmark name in the left sidebar.

$ # A new tab opens and connects automatically.

$ # You will see a prompt like: username@hostname:~$

What you should see

A new tab appears with a live shell prompt from your remote server. Type 'ls' and press Enter to confirm you are connected.

This might happen

Host key verification warning appears on first connect

This is normal. Electerm is asking you to confirm the server's identity. Click 'Accept' or 'Yes' to continue. Only do this if you trust the server you are connecting to.

Step 5 of 5

Browse and transfer files with the built-in SFTP panel

2 min

Electerm has a file manager built in. While connected via SSH, click the folder icon in the tab toolbar (or press the SFTP toggle button). A split panel opens showing your local files on one side and the remote server's files on the other. Drag files between panels to upload or download. Double-click small text files to edit them directly.

Terminal · mac

$ # Done entirely in the GUI — no command needed.

$ # Local panel: your computer's files.

$ # Remote panel: your server's files.

$ # Drag a file from local to remote = upload.

$ # Drag a file from remote to local = download.

What you should see

Both file panels load directory listings. Dragging a file triggers a progress bar and the file appears in the destination folder when complete.

This might happen

Permission denied when uploading to a remote folder

The remote folder may be owned by root or another user. Try uploading to your home directory (/home/yourusername/) first, or ask your server admin for write access to the target folder.

// Status

cooked. baked. worked.

A fully working SSH terminal and SFTP file manager on your desktop. You can connect to remote servers, run commands, and drag-and-drop files — all for free, with no subscription.

// the honest bit

The honest part

Electerm is a desktop GUI app, not a web service — it runs only on your local machine. RDP and VNC support exists but can be finicky depending on your remote OS version; check the known issues wiki at https://github.com/electerm/electerm/wiki/Know-issues if those connection types fail. The AI assistant feature requires a separate API key from a provider like OpenAI or DeepSeek and is not free. Sync to GitHub Gist requires a GitHub account and a personal access token.