[This was written in a MSYS2 environment - perhaps this will work in other environments, too.]

Set up ssh-agent (without this, tramp will fail to connect)

• Add the following to ~/.bashrc [source]:

  export SSH_AUTH_SOCK=/tmp/.ssh-socket ssh-add -l > /dev/null if [ $? = 2 ]; then rm -f $SSH_AUTH_SOCK echo Starting new ssh-agent… eval $(ssh-agent -a $SSH_AUTH_SOCK) > /dev/null ssh-add && echo “ssh-agent set up successfully with the following keys:” && ssh-add -l fi

• With this, after every reboot you will be asked for your key’s passphrase when starting bash the first time.

Open files via sshx-Prefix

• Start MSYS2.
• MSYS2 starts a bash asks for your key’s passphrase after every reboot.
• Enter your key’s passphrase.
• Start Emacs via emacs.
• In Emacs open remote file via C-x C-f /sshx:username@host:path-to-file.
• Note that the well-known ssh-prefix (without the x-suffix) does not work for some reason.

Open files via bookmarks

• To not have to type in those long commands every time you open a remote file, add a bookmark via C-x r m.
• Reopen files through bookmarks via C-x r b.