Migrate from Xshell

From Xshell to Tempest, without retyping the list

Tempest reads Xshell's own .xsh session files. For a handful of hosts that is the whole migration; for the server list that has grown for years, the spreadsheet importer moves everything — folders and passwords included — in one pass.

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Windows, macOS, Linux, Android & iOS. Free plan available.

Tempest host list after migrating from Xshell

Path one

Import .xsh files directly

Xshell stores each session as its own .xsh file, usually under Documents, NetSarang Computer, then the version folder and Sessions.

In Tempest: host list, Import, choose Xshell, and select a .xsh file.
Host, port, session name and username are read straight out of the file.
One file per import — which is fine for a few favourites, and the wrong tool for two hundred.

Path two

Two hundred hosts, one spreadsheet

For a real Xshell library, go through Excel instead. It is the only route that carries credentials and folder structure, and it is faster than any per-file importer could be.

Download the template from the import dialog — it has the columns already: name, host, port, username, password, group.
The group column rebuilds your Xshell folder tree; passwords in the sheet are stored encrypted on import.
Per-host encoding is a column too, which matters if your fleet is a mix of UTF-8 and GBK or Big5 boxes.
Delete the sheet afterwards — from that point the credentials live zero-knowledge encrypted and sync to your other devices. Where credentials are stored
Tempest with a large imported host list open across several panes

The honest part

Xshell passwords cannot be exported

Xshell encrypts saved passwords inside the .xsh file with a key tied to the installation, so no importer — ours or anyone else's — can read them out. That is a property of Xshell, not a gap in the import.

A .xsh import brings the host identity; you supply the secret once.
If you still know the passwords, the spreadsheet route moves them in bulk.
If you do not, this is a good moment to move that fleet onto keys — or onto certificates issued at connect time. HashiCorp Vault credentials

After the move

What Xshell users notice first

Xshell is a solid Windows terminal. The differences show up the moment your work stops being on one Windows machine.

The same list on macOS and Linux, and on Android and iOS.
SFTP in the same window rather than Xftp as a separate purchase. SFTP file manager
Tunnels saved on the host, with local, remote and dynamic SOCKS5 forwards. Port forwarding guide
Snippets and scheduled runs instead of a folder of scripts. Snippets & scheduled runs

Frequently asked questions

Where does Xshell keep .xsh session files?
By default under Documents, NetSarang Computer, the version number, then Sessions — one .xsh per saved session. Xshell can also be pointed at a custom session folder in its options.
Can I import every .xsh at once?
The .xsh importer takes one file at a time. For a whole library, use the spreadsheet importer — one row per host, and it carries folders and passwords too.
Do saved passwords transfer?
Not from .xsh files: Xshell encrypts them with a key bound to the install, so they cannot be read outside it. Passwords typed into the import spreadsheet do transfer.
Does Tempest handle GBK and Big5 sessions?
Yes. Encoding is a per-host setting, and a column in the import sheet, so mixed fleets keep displaying correctly.
Is Tempest cheaper than Xshell plus Xftp?
There is a free plan that already includes SSH, Mosh and SFTP together. Pro is a subscription or a one-time lifetime purchase and adds RDP, VNC, Kubernetes, serial, RCON and the AI agent.

Keep exploring

Xshell alternative Tempest vs Xshell Import hosts from Excel Import MobaXterm sessions SSH client for Windows

One list, every machine you sit at.

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