How to Update Bitbucket SSH Hostname to ssh.bitbucket.org

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If you use Git over SSH to connect to Bitbucket Cloud, you need to update your SSH hostname from bitbucket.org to ssh.bitbucket.org.

Atlassian is separating SSH and HTTPS traffic to improve security, protect its services against denial-of-service abuse, and provide better isolation between different types of traffic.

This change affects Git operations over SSH, including git clone, git pull, git fetch, and git push. HTTPS connections are not affected.

Atlassian has announced a migration grace period, with SSH brownouts starting November 12, 2026, and the old SSH hostname scheduled to stop accepting connections after December 10, 2026.

Here is how to update your configuration.

1. Update Your SSH Config

If you use SSH keys for Bitbucket, open your SSH configuration file:

~/.ssh/config

Find the existing Bitbucket configuration:

Host bitbucket-personal
    HostName bitbucket.org
    User git
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519_personal
    IdentitiesOnly yes

Change HostName to ssh.bitbucket.org:

Host bitbucket-personal
    HostName ssh.bitbucket.org
    User git
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519_personal
    IdentitiesOnly yes

If you use multiple Bitbucket accounts with different SSH keys, update the hostname in each corresponding configuration while keeping your existing SSH aliases and private key paths.

Note: You do not need to generate new SSH keys or upload your public keys to Bitbucket again.

2. Update Your Git Remote URLs

If your Git repositories connect directly to bitbucket.org, you need to update their remote URLs.

First, check your current remote URL:

git remote -v

You might see:

origin  git@bitbucket.org:workspace/repository.git (fetch)
origin  git@bitbucket.org:workspace/repository.git (push)

Update the remote URL:

git remote set-url origin git@ssh.bitbucket.org:workspace/repository.git

Replace workspace and repository with your actual Bitbucket workspace and repository names.

Check the updated URL:

git remote -v

If you use SSH aliases in your Git remote URLs, such as git@bitbucket-personal:workspace/repository.git, you do not need to change those URLs. Updating the HostName in your SSH configuration is sufficient.

3. Update Your known_hosts File

SSH stores previously trusted server host keys in the following file:

~/.ssh/known_hosts

When connecting to ssh.bitbucket.org for the first time, SSH might display a host authenticity verification message.

For example:

The authenticity of host 'ssh.bitbucket.org' can't be established.

ED25519 key fingerprint is:
SHA256:ybgmFkzwOSotHTHLJgHO0QN8L0xErw6vd0VhFA9m3SM

Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no/[fingerprint])?

Before accepting the connection, verify the fingerprint against Atlassian’s official announcement.

The published ED25519 fingerprint is:

SHA256:ybgmFkzwOSotHTHLJgHO0QN8L0xErw6vd0VhFA9m3SM

If the fingerprint matches, enter:

yes

SSH will automatically save the new hostname’s trusted host key in your known_hosts file.

You do not need to remove your existing bitbucket.org entry. Both entries can coexist.

4. Test Your SSH Connection

After updating the configuration, test your connection:

ssh -T git@bitbucket-personal

Replace bitbucket-personal with your actual SSH alias.

If authentication succeeds, try running:

git pull

and:

git push

Your Git repository should now connect using the new SSH hostname.

5. Check Other Applications and Automation

If you use Bitbucket SSH connections in other environments, remember to update them too.

Check the following:

• CI/CD pipelines
• Deployment scripts
• Build servers
• Automated backup scripts
• Other computers using Git over SSH

Also, if your firewall restricts outbound SSH connections, ensure that ssh.bitbucket.org on port 22 is allowed.

Conclusion

Updating your Bitbucket SSH hostname is a straightforward migration. You only need to change the hostname in your SSH configuration, update direct Git remote URLs where necessary, and trust the new hostname in your known_hosts file.

Your existing SSH keys and multiple-account configurations can remain unchanged.

It is recommended to complete this migration before Atlassian’s December 10, 2026 deadline to avoid interruptions to your Git operations.

Official References

1. Atlassian: Upcoming Change to Bitbucket Cloud SSH Access
2. Atlassian: Bitbucket Cloud Changelog
3. Atlassian: Change the Remote URL to Your Repository

Related posts:

How to use different SSH keys for multiple Bitbucket accounts

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