🔧 Resetting the Root Password on Debian

If you've forgotten the root password on your Debian system, you can reset it by following these steps:

1. Reboot the System

If your system is running, restart it.

2. Access the GRUB Menu

As the system begins to boot, you should see the GRUB menu.

If it doesn’t appear automatically, hold the Shift key during startup until it does.

3. Edit Boot Parameters

• Use the arrow keys to highlight the default boot option (usually the first one).
• Press e to edit the boot entry.

4. Modify the Linux Line

• Locate the line starting with linux.
• Navigate to the end of this line, add a space, and append the following:

  init=/bin/bash

5. Boot into Recovery Mode

Press Ctrl + X (or F10 on some systems) to boot using the modified parameters.

This will launch a minimal shell environment.

6. Remount the Root Filesystem

Once at the shell prompt, make the root filesystem writable:

mount -o remount,rw /

7. Change the Root Password

Now reset the root password:

passwd

Enter your new password when prompted and confirm it.

8. Reboot the System

After updating the password, reboot:

reboot

Your system will restart normally, and you should now be able to log in as root with your new password.

Updated on: 23/03/2026