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Timeline for answer to Git - How to use .netrc file on Windows to save user and password by VonC

Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0

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40 events
when toggle format what by license comment
S Dec 23, 2025 at 15:41 history suggested n0099 CC BY-SA 4.0
update commit author
Dec 23, 2025 at 13:59 review Suggested edits
S Dec 23, 2025 at 15:41
Jun 12, 2022 at 14:32 comment added VonC @AndreyS If you see HOME defined in your user environment variables, but you don't see it when typing set HOME in your current CMD, you need to open a new CMD in order for said shell session to inherit the variables you have defined.
Jun 12, 2022 at 12:40 comment added vel @VonC can you please help me? I am having WIndows Server 2019 and I am not able to set HOME environment variable. When I list vars with set I do not see that in the list only HOMEPATH, but if I open manually Edit environment variables I do see HOME env. What is the issue? I have defined _netrc file but it seems it does not work for that reason. echo %HOME% has as output %HOME% Thanks a lot!
Aug 29, 2018 at 6:11 comment added VonC @PeterMortensen I have reorganized the answer as requested. Let me know how I can improve it further, if needed.
Aug 29, 2018 at 6:10 history edited VonC CC BY-SA 4.0
reformat answer
Aug 28, 2018 at 19:23 comment added VonC @PeterMortensen I see... a bit more complex than "active reading", then ;) I'll get on it shortly.
Aug 28, 2018 at 19:20 comment added Peter Mortensen This is important content (I got here while researching something at work). Perhaps reverse the order so that the most important information comes first (information about newer versions of Git comes first)? And perhaps remove the historical information, "(Original answer)", "Update late 2012", etc. The dates should be the release dates for the Git versions, not when this post was updated. This answer could be divided into subsections, for each Git version range.
Jun 3, 2018 at 22:51 history edited VonC CC BY-SA 4.0
add Git 2.18
Jan 7, 2018 at 20:19 history edited VonC CC BY-SA 3.0
add Windows syntax
May 23, 2017 at 12:02 history edited URL Rewriter Bot
replaced http://stackoverflow.com/ with https://stackoverflow.com/
Apr 12, 2015 at 23:07 comment added Iulian Onofrei Well, the _netrc didn't work for me on a Windows 7 PC, but the .netrc worked for youtube-dl with the --netrc argument passed to it.
Jul 14, 2014 at 18:27 comment added VonC @JohnLittle strange: it works fine for me (with msysgit, not tested with TortoiseGit). Note, openssh has nothing to do with this credential helper, which is only for https url, not ssh.
Jul 14, 2014 at 18:23 comment added John Little This method does not work for me. Git always prompts for passphrase. Using windows 8, openssh, tortoise git and windows git. For machine am just using github.com. I set the HOME dir to my home, where the _netrc file is, no luck.
Aug 23, 2013 at 6:31 comment added HyperGroups @VonC Fine, today it's ok now, I'm not sure which method makes it works well, wish it'll good as always. If it doesn't work well, then I'll edit and add more details and ask you again, thanks.
Aug 22, 2013 at 14:09 comment added VonC @HyperGroups you can try and restart your computer, but if it still fails, ask a question on Stack Overflow with as many details as you can, and the exact error message.
Aug 22, 2013 at 13:25 comment added HyperGroups @Vonc I've tried that, seems failed,,,bad ,,,Should I restart computer? Let me check and do that again...
Aug 22, 2013 at 13:21 comment added VonC @HyperGroups yes: use an encrypted _netrc file in your %HOME%, as described in this answer. By the way, your question is a Stack Overflow question, not a programmers.SE one.
Aug 22, 2013 at 13:10 history edited VonC CC BY-SA 3.0
add link
Aug 22, 2013 at 13:01 comment added HyperGroups Do you know how to solve this question?programmers.stackexchange.com/questions/209140/…
Jun 12, 2013 at 6:27 comment added SurfRat On my work machine the _netrc method would not work when placed into my profile C:\Users\Name.Domain. Moved to C:\Users\Name and it works.
Apr 23, 2013 at 12:10 history edited VonC CC BY-SA 3.0
update credential helper
Apr 23, 2013 at 8:32 history edited VonC CC BY-SA 3.0
add encrypted netrc
Feb 20, 2013 at 7:31 history edited VonC CC BY-SA 3.0
add link to credential helper
Jun 28, 2012 at 22:03 comment added VonC @HawkeyeParker yes, it should be the fqn (fully qualified name) of your Git server.
Jun 28, 2012 at 21:57 comment added Hawkeye Parker In the _netrc file, the value for "machine" should be something like: "githubenterprise.mycompany.com"
May 11, 2012 at 6:41 comment added Sam Saffron @VonC I am on 1.7.6 ... but Marc is on 1.7.8, so it must be a different issue
May 11, 2012 at 6:35 comment added VonC @SamSaffron What version of Git are you using? Just to make sure it isn't related to stackoverflow.com/questions/10464250/remote-pushurl-wont-work and github.com/git/git/blob/master/Documentation/RelNotes/…
May 11, 2012 at 5:29 comment added Sam Saffron @VonC I just added another trap both Marc and I hit to the bottom.
May 11, 2012 at 5:28 history edited Sam Saffron CC BY-SA 3.0
added 570 characters in body
S Mar 27, 2012 at 8:37 history suggested Vincent Scheib CC BY-SA 3.0
Clarifying netrc format
Mar 27, 2012 at 4:13 review Suggested edits
S Mar 27, 2012 at 8:37
Feb 10, 2012 at 10:36 history edited VonC CC BY-SA 3.0
include comments
Feb 3, 2012 at 4:58 comment added VonC @爱国者 netrc is used by curl, and works for http protocol, as shown in this example (look for 'netrc' in the page): maymay.net/blog/2008/08/08/… . Also used with http protocol here: stackoverflow.com/questions/5193643/…
Jan 23, 2012 at 21:39 comment added VonC @Luke: yes, the git-cmd.bat included in msysgit does set the %HOME% environment variable, as I mentioned last December: stackoverflow.com/questions/8514097/…
Nov 11, 2011 at 10:31 history edited David Schmitt CC BY-SA 3.0
fixed syntax error
S Nov 9, 2011 at 11:54 history suggested Abdulrhman Alkhodiry CC BY-SA 3.0
adding the way to set %HOME% in windows 7
Nov 9, 2011 at 11:36 review Suggested edits
S Nov 9, 2011 at 11:54
May 17, 2011 at 13:23 vote accept Bernd Klaus
May 17, 2011 at 13:13 history answered VonC CC BY-SA 3.0
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