Saved Hosts & Profiles
Save connection details for quick access.
Overview
Save your frequently used servers as host profiles so you can reconnect with a single tap. Saved hosts appear in the Hosts Window for quick access across all your windows.
Adding a Host
- Open the Hosts Window (from Menu → Hosts or the command palette).
- Tap + Add Host.
- Fill in the connection details.
- Tap Save.
Host Fields
| Field | Description | Required | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Label | A friendly name for the host (e.g., "Production Server"). If empty, the host displays as user@host. | No | -- |
| Host | Hostname or IP address. | Yes | -- |
| Port | SSH port number. | Yes | 22 |
| Username | Your login username. | Yes | -- |
| Password | Connection password. Stored securely in the system Keychain. | No | -- |
| Transport | Connection protocol: SSH or Mosh. | Yes | SSH |
When you select Mosh as the transport, additional Mosh settings appear for UDP port, prediction mode, and server configuration.
Connecting to a Saved Host
Tap any host in the Hosts section of the Hosts window. vmux opens a new window and connects using the saved profile.
A green dot next to a host name indicates you already have an active connection to that server. You can connect multiple sessions to the same host.
Editing a Host
- Open the Hosts Window.
- Tap the edit icon next to the host you want to modify.
- Update any fields.
- Tap Save.
Deleting a Host
- Open the Hosts Window.
- Tap the edit icon next to the host.
- Tap Delete.
The host is removed from your saved list and its Keychain password is deleted.
Password Storage
Passwords are stored in the system Keychain, not in the profile file. This means:
- Passwords are encrypted at rest by the operating system.
- Passwords are never included in settings exports or backups of the profile data.
- Deleting a saved host also removes its Keychain entry.
If you prefer not to save a password, leave the field empty. You'll be prompted to enter it each time you connect.
For passwordless authentication, you can use SSH keys instead.
Advanced Options
Saved hosts support several additional features beyond the basic connection fields above.
- Authentication -- vmux supports four authentication methods: Password, Device Key, SSH Agent, and Companion App. See Authentication Methods for setup and usage details.
- Jump Hosts & Port Forwarding -- configure ProxyJump, local/remote/dynamic port forwarding, keepalive, agent forwarding, startup commands, and per-host themes. See Advanced Host Settings.
- Import & Export -- import hosts from SSH config files or encrypted backups. See Import & Export Hosts.
- Network Discovery -- vmux discovers SSH servers on the local network automatically. See Network Discovery.
Transport Badge
Each saved host and active session shows a transport badge (SSH or Mosh) so you can see at a glance which protocol is in use.