How to Change Your Password in Linux Using Terminal

Last Updated: September 3, 2020 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.

Steps

1
Open the Terminal if using a desktop environment. The keyboard shortcut to do this is Ctrl+Alt+T.
2
Type passwd in the terminal. Then press ↵ Enter.

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3
If you have the right permissions, it will ask you for your old password. Type it in. 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
After entering your old password, enter in the new desired password. You will need to confirm it again after the first time. Then hit ↵ Enter and you will have reset your password using the terminal.

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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.