diff --git a/pkg/apis/kubekey/v1alpha1/default.go b/pkg/apis/kubekey/v1alpha1/default.go
index a7ded496..7ec829b3 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/kubekey/v1alpha1/default.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/kubekey/v1alpha1/default.go
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 package v1alpha1
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+	"github.com/kubesphere/kubekey/pkg/util"
 	"strconv"
+	"strings"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -74,6 +77,13 @@ func SetDefaultHostsCfg(cfg *ClusterSpec) []HostCfg {
 		if host.Port == "" {
 			host.Port = strconv.Itoa(22)
 		}
+		if host.Password == "" && host.PrivateKeyPath == "" {
+			host.PrivateKeyPath = "~/.ssh/id_rsa"
+		}
+		if host.PrivateKeyPath != "" && strings.HasPrefix(strings.TrimSpace(host.PrivateKeyPath), "~/") {
+			homeDir, _ := util.Home()
+			host.PrivateKeyPath = strings.Replace(host.PrivateKeyPath, "~/", fmt.Sprintf("%s/", homeDir), 1)
+		}
 
 		hostscfg = append(hostscfg, host)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/util/util.go b/pkg/util/util.go
index a2b6ab19..59acec76 100644
--- a/pkg/util/util.go
+++ b/pkg/util/util.go
@@ -1,18 +1,22 @@
 package util
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"encoding/binary"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"net"
 	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"os/user"
+	"runtime"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"text/template"
 )
 
 const (
-	VERSION = "KubeKey Version v1.0.0-dev\nKubernetes Version v1.17.6\nKubeSphere Version 3.0.0"
+	VERSION      = "KubeKey Version v1.0.0-dev\nKubernetes Version v1.17.6\nKubeSphere Version 3.0.0"
 	VersionBig   = 1
 	VersionSmall = 2
 	VersionEqual = 0
@@ -293,3 +297,51 @@ func compareByBytes(verA, verB []byte) int {
 
 	return VersionEqual
 }
+
+// returns the home directory for the executing user.
+func Home() (string, error) {
+	user, err := user.Current()
+	if nil == err {
+		return user.HomeDir, nil
+	}
+
+	if "windows" == runtime.GOOS {
+		return homeWindows()
+	}
+
+	return homeUnix()
+}
+
+func homeUnix() (string, error) {
+	if home := os.Getenv("HOME"); home != "" {
+		return home, nil
+	}
+
+	var stdout bytes.Buffer
+	cmd := exec.Command("sh", "-c", "eval echo ~$USER")
+	cmd.Stdout = &stdout
+	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	result := strings.TrimSpace(stdout.String())
+	if result == "" {
+		return "", errors.New("blank output when reading home directory")
+	}
+
+	return result, nil
+}
+
+func homeWindows() (string, error) {
+	drive := os.Getenv("HOMEDRIVE")
+	path := os.Getenv("HOMEPATH")
+	home := drive + path
+	if drive == "" || path == "" {
+		home = os.Getenv("USERPROFILE")
+	}
+	if home == "" {
+		return "", errors.New("HOMEDRIVE, HOMEPATH, and USERPROFILE are blank")
+	}
+
+	return home, nil
+}