# Remove specific key with ansible.posix.authorized\_keys

**URL:** <https://forum.ansible.com/t/remove-specific-key-with-ansible-posix-authorized-keys/5951>\
**Category:** Get Help\
**Created:** [May 23, 2024, 11:53am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/remove-specific-key-with-ansible-posix-authorized-keys/5951 "2024-05-23T11:53:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BiloxiGeek](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/biloxigeek/32/3568_2.png) [@BiloxiGeek](https://forum.ansible.com/u/BiloxiGeek)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2024, 11:53am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/remove-specific-key-with-ansible-posix-authorized-keys/5951/1 "2024-05-23T11:53:29Z")

</div>

Running ansible [core 2.16.6]

I need to remove a specific key from the authorized\_keys file while leaving all other keys intact. I’ve been able to add a key but it seems that removing a specific key isn’t an option. As I understand things I can add a key to be exclusive but that isn’t a solution as some systems have different keys that need to be there.

Added:  
I looked at the state parameter and now see that I can use absent. As long as I don’t have the exclusive parameter set to true will this do what I need?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ptn](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/ptn/32/481_2.png) [@ptn](https://forum.ansible.com/u/ptn)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2024, 4:23pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/remove-specific-key-with-ansible-posix-authorized-keys/5951/2 "2024-05-23T16:23:52Z")

</div>

Hi,

Here is a simplified and condensed example of how you could do it:

```yaml
- hosts: localhost
  connection: local
  gather_facts: false
  vars:
    my_pubkeys:
      - {user: ptn, pubkeys: ['ssh-rsa myKey1','ssh-rsa myKey2']}
  tasks:
    - name: Add authorizedkeys
      ansible.posix.authorized_key:
        user: "{{ item.0.user }}"
        key: "{{ item.1 }}"
        path: "/tmp/{{ item.0.user }}.authorized_keys"
        manage_dir: no
        state: present
      loop: "{{ my_pubkeys|d([]) | subelements('pubkeys') }}"
      register: _addauthorizedkeys_debug

    - name: "[DEBUG] Print added public keys"
      ansible.builtin.debug:
        msg:
        - "Pubkeys : {{ item.key }}"
        - "Added to file: {{ item.keyfile }}"
        - "For user : {{ item.user }}"
      with_items: "{{ _addauthorizedkeys_debug | json_query('results[*].invocation.module_args') }}"

    - name: Remove specific authorizedkey
      ansible.posix.authorized_key:
        user: "{{ item.0.user }}"
        key: 'ssh-rsa myKey2'
        path: "/tmp/{{ item.0.user }}.authorized_keys"
        manage_dir: no
        state: absent
      loop: "{{ my_pubkeys|d([]) | subelements('pubkeys') }}"
      register: _removeauthorizedkeys_debug

    - name: "[DEBUG] Print removed public keys"
      ansible.builtin.debug:
        msg:
        - "Pubkeys : {{ item.key }}"
        - "Removed from file: {{ item.keyfile }}"
        - "For user : {{ item.user }}"
      with_items: "{{ _removeauthorizedkeys_debug | json_query('results[*].invocation.module_args') }}"

```

```bash
$ cat /tmp/ptn.authorized_keys 
ssh-rsa myKey1

```

To adjust to your needs.