If you forgot a Linux login password, you can usually set a new one without reinstalling the operating system. The simplest option is to sign in with a second administrator account and run sudo passwd username. If no administrator account is available, Ubuntu users can reset a local password from the GRUB recovery menu. The recovery steps below are Ubuntu-specific; other distributions may use different menu labels and procedures.
Use these steps only on a system you own or administer. Resetting a local password does not unlock encrypted storage or change a centrally managed account.
sudo passwd alex, replacing alex with the target account’s login name.If sudo asks for a password, enter the password of the administrator account you are using. Then type the new password for the locked account twice. The terminal does not echo the characters. A successful reset means the account can use the new password at the next sign-in.
sudo passwd alex to set another local account’s password.The superuser can change another local account’s password without its old one, but the account you use must already have sudo rights.
If no other administrator account is available, Ubuntu’s GRUB recovery menu provides a root shell for resetting a local password. Commands there can change system files, so follow the steps carefully.
mount -o remount,rw /. The remount option changes an existing mount; no output can be normal.
ls /home. On most desktop installs, the home-directory name matches the login name, while the display name may differ. If the home path or account is unclear, check the account records instead of guessing.
/home is also the login name.passwd alex, replacing alex with the login name. Enter the new password twice; nothing appears as you type. The passwd utility may reject passwords that do not meet system rules.
reboot. Remove any installation USB, then sign in with the new password and store it securely.
passwd command may not control them.Recovery labels vary, and Fedora, openSUSE, Linux Mint, and other distributions may use different procedures. Avoid copying fixed device paths such as /dev/sda1; disks may use encryption, LVM, Btrfs subvolumes, or separate home partitions. Use your distribution’s current recovery guide. If passwd reports an authentication-token error, verify that you are in the installed system’s root shell and that its root filesystem is writable. Stop if you cannot identify the correct account or partition.
Capture Linux desktop audio in Audacity by routing its recording stream to your output device’s monitor source. Follow PulseAudio and PipeWire steps, export tips, and fixes for silent tracks.
Install Dropbox on Linux from the official package, sign in, sync a local folder, manage selective sync, and check status from the command line.
Install Inkscape from your Linux distribution’s repositories, the Ubuntu stable PPA, Snap, or Flathub, with current commands and notes for choosing a package source.
Use FSlint to scan selected Linux folders, review duplicate groups, and safely delete redundant files or learn when hard-link merging is appropriate.
Install SABnzbd on Ubuntu or Debian, or run it in Docker on another Linux host. Then open the web interface and configure your provider and download folders.
Install the Paper GTK theme from supported Linux repositories, enable it for GTK apps in GNOME Tweaks, and see what the legacy theme can and cannot change.
The old OpenMediaVault Plex plugin is archived. Set up Plex on OMV 8 with OMV-Extras, the Compose plugin, persistent storage, and Plex’s official container.
Clean and speed up Ubuntu with safe APT cleanup, storage checks, and startup controls that help free space and troubleshoot a sluggish desktop.
Install Hiri on Linux with its Snap package or official tarball, add a desktop launcher, and check supported accounts plus a warning about Hiri’s old Snap release.
Use Fastfetch and built-in Linux commands to check your distro, kernel, CPU, memory, graphics, storage, and connected devices, then save a clear report.
