mTPuTTY - Multi-Tab PuTTY Manager

Manage multiple PuTTY sessions efficiently with tabbed interface and advanced features

What is mTPuTTY?

mTPuTTY (Multi-Tabbed PuTTY) is a free, open-source wrapper for PuTTY that adds powerful multi-tabbing and session management capabilities. Instead of dealing with multiple PuTTY windows cluttering your taskbar, mTPuTTY consolidates all your SSH sessions into a single window with tabs.

Key Features

  • Tabbed Interface: Multiple SSH sessions in one window
  • Session Management: Import and organize PuTTY sessions
  • Scripting Support: Automate repetitive tasks
  • Port Forwarding Manager: Easy SSH tunnel management
  • Session Notes: Add documentation to your connections
  • Keyboard Shortcuts: Quick navigation between tabs
  • Multi-Cast Input: Type commands to multiple servers simultaneously
  • Session Filters: Quickly find connections in large lists

How mTPuTTY Extends PuTTY

mTPuTTY doesn't replace PuTTY – it enhances it by:

  • Using the original putty.exe in the background
  • Providing a modern tabbed interface on top
  • Adding organizational features for managing many connections
  • Maintaining full compatibility with PuTTY settings and sessions

Download & Setup

System Requirements

  • Windows XP or later (Windows 10/11 recommended)
  • PuTTY installed (any recent version)
  • .NET Framework 2.0 or later
  • 50 MB free disk space

Installation Steps

  1. Download mTPuTTY:
    • Visit the official site: http://ttyplus.com/multi-tabbed-putty/
    • Or search for "mTPuTTY download" to find the latest version
  2. Install PuTTY First:

    mTPuTTY requires PuTTY to be installed. If you haven't already:

    • Download PuTTY from putty.org
    • Install it or extract putty.exe to a known location
  3. Run mTPuTTY Installer:
    • Run the downloaded mTPuTTY installer
    • Follow the installation wizard
    • Choose installation directory (default is fine)
  4. Configure PuTTY Path:
    • Launch mTPuTTY
    • Go to Tools → Options
    • Set the path to putty.exe
    • Click "Apply" and "OK"

Portable Installation

For a portable setup (USB drive, no installation):

  1. Download the portable/zip version of mTPuTTY
  2. Extract to a folder (e.g., D:\PortableApps\mTPuTTY\)
  3. Copy putty.exe to the same folder
  4. Run mtputty.exe directly
  5. Configure the PuTTY path to the local putty.exe

Managing Multiple Sessions

Importing PuTTY Sessions

mTPuTTY automatically imports your existing PuTTY sessions:

  1. Click the "Servers" button or press F2
  2. All your saved PuTTY sessions will appear in the tree view
  3. Double-click any session to open it in a new tab
  4. Sessions are organized alphabetically by default

Creating Session Folders

Organize your connections into logical groups:

  1. Right-click in the Servers panel
  2. Select "New Folder"
  3. Name it (e.g., "Production", "Development", "Clients")
  4. Drag and drop sessions into folders
  5. Create nested folders for complex hierarchies

Creating New Sessions

  1. Click "New Session" or press Ctrl+N
  2. Fill in connection details:
    • Session Name: Descriptive name
    • Host Name: Server IP or domain
    • Port: Usually 22 for SSH
    • Protocol: SSH, Telnet, etc.
    • Username: Login username
  3. Click "Save"
  4. Double-click to connect

Quick Connect

For one-time connections without saving:

  1. Click the "Quick Connect" button
  2. Enter: username@hostname:port
  3. Press Enter to connect immediately
  4. Example: admin@192.168.1.100:22

Tab Shortcuts & Navigation

Essential Keyboard Shortcuts

ActionShortcut
New SessionCtrl+N
Close Current TabCtrl+W or Ctrl+F4
Next TabCtrl+Tab or Ctrl+Page Down
Previous TabCtrl+Shift+Tab or Ctrl+Page Up
Switch to Tab 1-9Ctrl+1 through Ctrl+9
Show Servers PanelF2
Duplicate SessionCtrl+D
Rename TabF2 (when tab selected)
Search ServersCtrl+F
SettingsCtrl+Alt+O

Tab Management Features

  • Drag & Drop: Reorder tabs by dragging
  • Right-click Menu: Access tab-specific options
  • Middle-click: Close tabs with middle mouse button
  • Tab Colors: Color-code tabs for different environments
  • Tab Icons: Assign custom icons to session types

Session Groups

Open multiple related sessions at once:

  1. Create a folder with related sessions (e.g., "Web Servers")
  2. Right-click the folder
  3. Select "Connect All"
  4. All sessions in the folder open in separate tabs

Advanced Features

Multi-Cast Input (Send to All)

Powerful Feature: Execute commands on multiple servers simultaneously

  1. Open multiple session tabs
  2. Click "Broadcast" button or press Ctrl+Shift+B
  3. Anything you type will be sent to ALL open tabs
  4. Perfect for:
    • Deploying updates across servers
    • Checking status on multiple machines
    • Running identical commands on clusters

Scripting & Automation

Automate login sequences and repetitive tasks:

  1. Right-click a session → Properties
  2. Go to the "Scripts" tab
  3. Add commands to run automatically after connection:
    cd /var/www
    ls -la
    tail -f /var/log/app.log
  4. Scripts execute in sequence after login

Port Forwarding Manager

Easily manage SSH tunnels:

  1. Right-click a session → Edit
  2. Navigate to "Port Forwarding" section
  3. Add local/remote/dynamic forwards
  4. Example: Forward local port 3306 to remote MySQL server
  5. Tunnels activate when session connects

Session Notes & Documentation

  • Right-click session → Add Note
  • Store important information:
    • Server purpose and applications
    • Important file paths
    • Common commands
    • Troubleshooting steps
  • Notes appear when hovering over session name

Search & Filter

  1. Press Ctrl+F or use the search box
  2. Type part of a session name
  3. Sessions are filtered in real-time
  4. Great for managing hundreds of connections

Customization Options

Appearance Settings

Tools → Options → Appearance:

  • Tab position (top, bottom, left, right)
  • Show/hide server panel
  • Font size for server list
  • Icon size
  • Theme options

Behavior Settings

Tools → Options → General:

  • Confirm before closing tabs
  • Auto-reconnect on disconnect
  • Minimize to system tray
  • Remember window size/position
  • Start with Windows

Limitations & Tips

Known Limitations

  • Windows Only: No macOS or Linux version available
  • PuTTY Dependency: Requires PuTTY to be installed
  • Performance: Many tabs (50+) can slow down the interface
  • Copy/Paste: Uses PuTTY's copy/paste behavior (right-click paste)
  • Terminal Emulation: Limited by PuTTY's capabilities

Performance Tips

  • Close unused tabs to free memory
  • Use session folders to organize large numbers of connections
  • Disable unnecessary features in PuTTY settings
  • Limit scrollback buffer size
  • Use session groups strategically

Pro Tips

  • 💡 Use color coding for different environments (prod=red, dev=green)
  • 💡 Create session templates with common settings
  • 💡 Export your session list: File → Export for backup
  • 💡 Use Ctrl+D to duplicate a tab quickly (same session)
  • 💡 Set up keepalives in PuTTY settings to prevent timeouts
  • 💡 Use Pageant with SSH keys to avoid repeated password prompts
  • 💡 Right-click tab for quick options (reconnect, duplicate, close others)

Alternatives to mTPuTTY

SuperPuTTY

  • Another tabbed PuTTY wrapper
  • More actively maintained
  • Similar features with different UI

PuTTY Tray

  • Modified PuTTY with additional features
  • System tray integration
  • Hyperlink support

MobaXterm

  • All-in-one SSH client for Windows
  • Built-in tabbed interface
  • X11 server, SFTP, and more
  • Free and paid versions

Windows Terminal + SSH

  • Modern Microsoft terminal with tabs
  • Native OpenSSH support
  • GPU-accelerated rendering
  • Free and open-source

Troubleshooting

mTPuTTY Won't Start

  • Verify .NET Framework is installed
  • Check Windows Event Viewer for errors
  • Try running as administrator
  • Reinstall mTPuTTY

Sessions Not Importing

  • Ensure PuTTY path is correctly configured
  • Verify PuTTY sessions exist (open PuTTY directly)
  • Try manual import: File → Import Sessions

Tabs Not Responding

  • Individual PuTTY process may have frozen
  • Close the problematic tab
  • Reconnect to the session
  • Check network connectivity

Related Resources

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