Extract text from public files (PUBLIC)
To convert PUBLIC files to another format, you need OpenSSH or other Developer software.
To convert other file formats to the "Security & Authentication" file type, you need software like OpenSSH or a similar tool.
The .public file extension typically serves two distinct, high-friction purposes. Most commonly, it is a Public Cryptographic Key used for authentication in OpenSSH or SSL workflows. These files are plain text containers (often starting with ssh-rsa or -----BEGIN PUBLIC KEY-----) that servers use to verify your identity without requiring a password. Users often struggle with these when trying to use them in Windows-based tools like PuTTY, which requires conversion to the proprietary PPK format.
Alternatively, in Italy, .public files are frequently encountered as Digitally Signed Tender Documents from e-procurement platforms. In this context, the file is often just a renamed PDF or a P7M envelope. Users are often baffled because standard PDF readers reject the file until it is either renamed to DOCX / PDF or processed through specific government validation tools. While the cryptographic key is a developer asset, the tender document is a critical business file that requires immediate conversion to be readable.
Convert.Guru analyzes your PUBLIC file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted ID_RSA, SSHD_CONFIG and P8 files.
If you want to convert PUBLIC file to , you can use OpenSSH or similar software from the "Public Cryptographic Key" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert files to PUBLIC, try OpenSSH or another comparable tool in the "Public Cryptographic Key" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our PUBLIC converter.