How to Change Your Password in Linux Using Terminal

Last Updated: June 7, 2022 Tested

Changing a password on Linux can be confusing for those who are unfamiliar with it. This guide will show you how to change your account's password for most Linux systems.

1

Open a terminal window.

Open the Terminal if using a desktop environment. The keyboard shortcut to do this is Ctrl+Alt+T.

2

Type "passwd" at the prompt and press "Enter."

The passwd command will prompt you to enter your old password. You'll you’re your old password to create a new one.

3

Enter your old password and press "Enter."

If your password is correct, you'll be able to create a new one. The password characters will not be displayed on the screen while you type so onlookers will not be able to guess at the length of the password.

4

Enter and confirm a new password.

Type the new password and press ↵ Enter. You'll need to confirm by typing it one more time and pressing Enter again. You have now reset your password using the terminal.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I change the admin password?

Living Concrete

Top Answerer

To change the root password, you will need to log in as root. Depending on your Linux distribution, you can do this a variety of ways. Most common distributions require you to become root using the command "sudo -i", "sudo su -", or "su root". You may then change the root password by executing the "passwd" command.
Question

I can't type letters for my Terminal password. What should I do?

Somone

Community Answer

The password you type becomes invisible, but it's still there. Just be careful not to make a mistake in the password.
Question

I had forgetten my login password. How can I change it?

Somone

Community Answer

Refer to our article How to Reset Forgotten Password in Linux for help resetting your login password.