How to Reset Your Linux Mint Login Password: Easy Steps

Steps to Reset Your Linux Mint Login Password

1. Boot into the GRUB Menu

• Restart Your Computer: Shut down or reboot your Linux Mint system.
• Access GRUB: As the system starts, hold down the Shift key (or press Esc repeatedly, depending on your setup) to bring up the GRUB menu. You’ll see a list of boot options.
  • Timing: You need to press the key right after the BIOS/UEFI screen disappears but before Linux Mint starts loading.

2. Edit the GRUB Entry

Select Your Kernel: Highlight the default Linux Mint entry (usually the top one) but don’t press Enter yet.

• Press ‘e’: This opens the GRUB editor for that entry.
• Find the Kernel Line: Look for a line starting with linux that includes parameters like ro (read-only) and possibly quiet splash. It might look something like this:

  linux /boot/vmlinuz-5.15.0-73-generic root=UUID=your-uuid-here ro quiet splash

• Modify the Line: Replace ro (read-only) with rw (read-write) and add init=/bin/bash at the end. After editing, it should look like:

linux /boot/vmlinuz-5.15.0-73-generic root=UUID=your-uuid-here rw init=/bin/bash

• Why: rw mounts the filesystem as writable, and init=/bin/bash boots directly into a root shell, bypassing the login.

3. Boot into Single-User Mode

• Press Ctrl + X or F10: This boots the system with your modified settings.
• Root Shell: You’ll drop into a command-line prompt (e.g., bash#) with root privileges. There’s no login required here.

4. Reset Your Password

• Sync Filesystem (Optional): If the prompt seems unresponsive, type sync and press Enter to ensure the filesystem is ready.
• Change Password: Type the following command and press Enter:

  passwd

  • You’ll be prompted to enter a new password twice. Note: You won’t see the characters as you type (this is normal in Linux terminals).
  • Example:

  Enter new UNIX password:
  Retype new UNIX password:
  passwd: password updated successfully

• If you know your username and want to reset that specific account (not root), use

passwd your-username

Replace your-username with your actual login name (e.g., passwd john).

5. Save Changes and Reboot

• Sync Changes: Type sync and press Enter to write the changes to disk.
• Reboot: Type reboot or press Ctrl + Alt + Delete to restart the system.
• Normal Boot: Let the system boot as usual (no need to hold Shift this time). You should now see the login screen.

6. Log In

• Use your new password at the login screen. If you reset your user account’s password, it should work immediately.

Troubleshooting

• GRUB Doesn’t Appear: If GRUB is hidden (common with single-OS setups), try pressing Shift or Esc repeatedly right after the BIOS splash. If it still doesn’t show, you may need to edit /etc/default/grub from a live USB (see below).
• “Authentication Token Manipulation Error”: This happens if the filesystem is still read-only. Reboot, ensure rw is set in GRUB, and try again.
• Encrypted Home Directory: If your home folder is encrypted, resetting the password won’t decrypt it. You’ll need your encryption passphrase or a backup key (a rarer setup in Mint).
• No Root Access: If your system has a root password you don’t know, use a live USB (below) instead.

Alternative: Use a Linux Mint Live USB

If the GRUB method fails (e.g., GRUB is inaccessible or you’re locked out of root), you can reset the password using a Linux Mint live session:

1. Create a Live USB: Download the Linux Mint ISO from linuxmint.com and write it to a USB drive using a tool like Rufus or Etcher.
2. Boot from USB: Insert the USB, restart your PC, and enter the BIOS/UEFI (usually F2, Del, or F12) to set the USB as the boot device.
3. Start Live Session: Choose “Try Linux Mint” from the live USB menu.
4. Mount Your Drive: Open a terminal and find your installed Mint partition:

   sudo fdisk -l

   Look for your root partition (e.g., /dev/sda1). Mount it:

   sudo mkdir /mnt/root
   sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/root

5. Chroot In: Change into the installed system:

   sudo chroot /mnt/root

6. Reset Password: Run passwd or passwd your-username as above.
7. Exit and Reboot: Type exit, unmount with sudo umount /mnt/root, remove the USB, and reboot.

Tips

• Write Down the New Password: Use something memorable or store it securely to avoid repeating this.
• Test Immediately: Log in right after resetting to confirm it works.
• Update Recovery Options: After regaining access, consider setting a root password or adding a recovery email (if using a GUI password manager).

You should be back into your Linux Mint system with these steps! Enjoy your newly reset Linux Mint Box!