---
name: vpc-vsi-ts-ssh-key-add
title: Why can't I add my SSH key?
description: You try to add an SSH key to your account, but receive an error that the key can't be parsed.
last-updated: 2026-07-09
---

> ## Documentation Index
> The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?format=markdown
> The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use these files to discover more information as needed.

# Why can't I add my SSH key?
{: #troubleshooting-cant-add-ssh-key}
{: troubleshoot}
{: support}

You try to add an SSH key to your account, but receive an error that the key can't be parsed.
{: shortdesc}

You try to add an SSH key to your account and receive an error stating that the key can't be parsed.
{: tsSymptoms}

Line breaks were introduced when the SSH key was copied from a terminal.
{: tsCauses}

Make sure that the string contains no line breaks. An SSH key is a continuous string of characters. Sometimes line breaks are introduced when the SSH key is copied from a terminal. To avoid this issue, first paste your SSH key into a text editor and remove any line breaks. Then, copy the SSH key from the text editor and paste it into the VPC UI, CLI, or API.
{: tsResolve}