Answers to common questions and solutions for issues you might run into.

Frequently Asked Questions

What authentication methods does Echo support?

Password and SSH key authentication (Ed25519, RSA, and ECDSA). See the SSH Keys guide for details on key-based authentication.

Does Echo support Mosh?

Not currently. Echo connects via standard SSH only.

Can I use Echo with AI coding agents?

Yes — Echo works well with any terminal-based agent like Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, or Amp. SSH into a machine where your agent is set up and interact with it directly. No special configuration in Echo is needed.

Where are my passwords and keys stored?

All credentials are stored in the iOS Keychain, encrypted at rest by the operating system. They're never stored in plain text or sent anywhere other than the server you're connecting to.

Does Echo validate host keys?

Echo currently accepts server host keys automatically without prompting. This means you won't see a "trust this host?" dialog on first connection. We recommend only connecting to servers on networks you trust.

Connection issues

Connection timed out

The default timeout is 30 seconds. Check that the hostname and port are correct, that the server is reachable from your network, and that any firewalls allow SSH traffic on the port you're using.

Authentication failed (password)

Double check that your username and password are correct. You can edit the server from the server list to update your credentials.

Authentication failed (SSH key)

Make sure your public key is in the ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file on the server. Check that the file permissions are correct: ~/.ssh should be 700 and authorized_keys should be 600. See the SSH Keys guide for more.

RSA key not accepted

Echo requires SSH keys in OpenSSH format. If your RSA key starts with -----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY----- instead of -----BEGIN OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY-----, it needs to be converted. See RSA key format for instructions.

Terminal issues

Text wrapping looks wrong after resizing

If you rotate your device or change the split-view layout, the terminal will resize to match. In rare cases, running programs may not immediately update their layout. Running clear or resizing your tmux pane will fix this.

Key repeat isn't working

Echo's custom key repeat settings only apply to the keys in the toolbar above the keyboard. If you want to use the system keyboard's repeat behaviour instead, enable Use System Settings in Settings → Keyboard. You can also turn key repeat off entirely by setting the rate to Off.

Biometric lock

When Require Face ID (or Touch ID) is enabled in Settings, Echo will ask you to authenticate each time the app comes back from the background. This is separate from biometric protection on individual SSH keys — you can use one, both, or neither.

If biometric authentication fails, your device passcode will be offered as a fallback.

Report an Issue

To get in touch about any issue you're experiencing with Echo you can email [email protected] and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.