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The usermod command is brief for consumer modification, and, because the title implies, means that you can modify numerous features of a consumer account.
For a Linux administrator, this command is essential. For Linux customers, the command most definitely turns out to be useful, particularly given what it may possibly do.
Let’s dive down this rabbit gap and see what’s what with the Linux usermod command.
1. Change consumer particulars
Once you create a Linux consumer with the adduser command, you may embrace sure particulars to associate with the brand new consumer (equivalent to full title, workplace and residential telephone numbers, and different data, which can be utilized as an outline. After you have created the consumer, the one technique to change or add such data is by way of the usermod command. Say, as an example, you need to add a remark for a consumer. To do this, you’d difficulty the command:
sudo usermod -c “INFORMATION” USER
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The place INFORMATION is what you need to add, and USER is the consumer account you need to change.
This may be helpful when you have two customers with the identical first title and also you need to differentiate them of their consumer data.
2. Change a username
You may also change a username. Earlier than you do that, know that it doesn’t change the consumer’s house listing title. So if I’ve the consumer sam and I need to change it to samantha, usermod is there to assist me. Such a command would appear like this:
sudo usermod -l samantha sam
The -l choice is for the login title.
3. Rename a house listing
After you alter a username, you may additionally need to rename the consumer’s house listing. Earlier than you do that, you will need to make sure that the consumer is logged out; in any other case, it may wreak havoc on their account (or their information). You additionally have to be sure that the consumer’s information is added to the brand new house listing (in any other case, the consumer winds up with an empty house). To vary a listing title (and add the information), you’d use a command like this (sticking with our sam/samantha instance):
sudo usermod -d /house/samantha -m sam
The -d choice units the brand new house listing path, and the -m choice strikes the information.
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4. Lock and unlock a consumer’s account
There could also be occasions when it’s worthwhile to lock a consumer out of their account (and later permit them again in). This might be used for non permanent workers or grounded youngsters. To lock a consumer account, the command can be:
sudo usermod -L USER
The place USER is the username to which the lock applies.
To unlock the account, you’d difficulty the command:
sudo usermod -U USER
The place USER is the consumer account.
6. Change a consumer’s account expiry date
Do you know you may expire a consumer account in Linux? For example you might have a temp worker whose contract ends on October 31, 2025. If you wish to set the particular person’s consumer account to run out on that date (as a substitute of getting to recollect it when the date arrives), you should use the expiry characteristic of usermod like so:
sudo usermod -e 2025-10-31 USER
The place USER is the consumer account title.
7. Add a consumer to a gaggle (or teams)
I’ve had to make use of this characteristic so many occasions. For instance, I exploit Docker so much, and once I set up it, I’ve so as to add customers to the group (in any other case it will not work for them with out utilizing sudo, which might result in safety points). You may need additionally created a gaggle that will likely be utilized by a number of accounts to entry a selected folder. For example you have created the editorial group and need to add sam to it. The command for that will be:
sudo usermod -aG editorial sam
Additionally: 7 Linux terminal basics every beginner should learn first – and why
8. Modify a consumer’s house listing
For those who’ve renamed a consumer account, you will discover their house listing remains to be listed as the unique username. If you want to rename the consumer’s house listing (to keep away from confusion), usermod has your again. Earlier than you do that, nevertheless, it is vital that you just make certain the consumer is logged out of their account (in any other case, it may trigger critical issues).
To vary the title of a consumer’s house listing, the command can be:
sudo usermod -d /house/NEWNAME OLDNAME
The place NEWNAME is the brand new title for the listing and OLDNAME is the present title.
9. Change a consumer’s shell
Chances are high fairly slim that you’re going to ever want to do that, however you may change a consumer’s shell. For example you need to change samantha’s shell from bash to zsh. To do this, you must first make certain the brand new shell is definitely put in with the command:
cat /and so forth/shells
If zsh is listed, you may change it for samantha with the next command:
sudo usermod -s /bin/SHELL samantha
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