Software⏱️ 2 min read📅 2026-05-31

How to Fix: BitBucket: Host key verification failed

Host key verification failed when cloning a remote repository to your local machine.

Quick Answer: Run the command with the --verbose flag to see more detailed information about the error and try using the ssh-keygen command to generate a new SSH key pair.

BitBucket's host key verification failure can be caused by a variety of factors, including an outdated SSH key or a mismatch between the expected and actual host keys. This error message is often displayed when attempting to clone a remote repository using Git.

🛑 Root Causes of the Error

  • Outdated SSH key
  • Mismatch between expected and actual host keys

🔧 Proven Troubleshooting Steps

Method 1: Update SSH Key

  1. Step 1: Open your terminal and run the command `ssh -T git@bitbucket.org` to check if you have the correct SSH key.
  2. Step 2: If you don't have a valid SSH key, generate one using the command `ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 2048` and add it to your BitBucket account settings.

Method 2: Verify Host Keys

  1. Step 1: Open your terminal and run the command `ssh -o UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no git@bitbucket.org` to disable host key checking.
  2. Step 2: Try cloning the repository again using the original command.

💡 Conclusion

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the host key verification failure and successfully clone your BitBucket repository.

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