Change Root Password & Switch Accounts on Ubuntu Server

Change Root Password on Ubuntu Server

To change the root password on an Ubuntu server, log in with a user that has sudo privileges and run sudo passwd root. You will be prompted to enter your current user password, followed by the new password for the root account.

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Steps to Change Root Password

1. Log In to Your Ubuntu Server

Connect via SSH or open a terminal:

ssh user@your-server-ip
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Or simply open a terminal window locally.

2. Run the Password Change Command

sudo passwd root
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3. Enter Your Current User Password

When prompted, type your current user's password (not the root password):

[sudo] password for user:
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4. Enter the New Root Password

Type the new root password:

New password:
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Re-type it to confirm:

Retype new password:
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Once confirmed, the root password is updated.

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Optional: Lock the Root Account After

If you want to disable root login after setting the password:

sudo passwd -l root
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This locks the root account so it cannot be used directly (you can still use sudo commands).

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If You're Already Logged In as Root

If you're already running as the root user, you can simply type:

passwd
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No sudo required—it will directly change the root password.

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If You Forgot the Root Password

If you've forgotten the root password and need to reset it:

1. Restart the server
2. Access the GRUB menu during boot (hold Shift)
3. Select recovery mode or single-user mode
4. You'll have root shell access without a password
5. Run passwd to set a new root password
6. Reboot normally

This requires physical or console access to the server.

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Switch Accounts on Ubuntu Server

Switch to Root Account

su -
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The - flag loads the root user's profile and environment variables. You'll be prompted for the root password.

Switch to Another User Account

su - ExampleUserName
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Replace ExampleUserName with the actual username. You'll be prompted for that user's password.

Quick Account Switch (Without Profile)

To switch accounts without loading their shell profile:

su root        # Just the username, no environment loaded
su ExampleUserName
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The difference is subtle—su - is generally preferred because it fully loads the user's environment.

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Quick Reference

Task	Command
Change root password	sudo passwd root
Change password as root	passwd
Lock root account	sudo passwd -l root
Unlock root account	sudo passwd -u root
Switch to root	su -
Switch to another user	su - username
Switch without profile	su username

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Security Notes

• Root access should be restricted to necessary operations only
• Use sudo for individual commands rather than switching to root
• Consider locking the root account (passwd -l) if direct root login isn't needed
• Always use strong passwords for the root account
• Keep sudo access auditable by using it instead of direct root login