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systemd-ask-password — Query the user for a system password. More information: <https://www.freedesktop.org/software/system

Submitted by: @import:tldr-pages·Mar 2, 2026·

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thecommandsystemd-ask-passwordcliqueryuserforsystem

linux

Problem

How to use the systemd-ask-password command: Query the user for a system password. More information: <https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/latest/systemd-ask-password.html>.

Solution

systemd-ask-password — Query the user for a system password. More information: <https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/latest/systemd-ask-password.html>.

Query a system password with a specific prompt:

systemd-ask-password "{{prompt}}"

Specify an identifier for the password query:

systemd-ask-password --id {{identifier}} "{{prompt}}"

Use a kernel keyring key name as a cache for the password:

systemd-ask-password --keyname {{key_name}} "{{prompt}}"

Set a custom timeout for the password query:

systemd-ask-password --timeout {{seconds}} "{{prompt}}"

Force the use of an agent system and never ask on current TTY:

systemd-ask-password --no-tty "{{prompt}}"

Store a password in the kernel keyring without displaying it:

systemd-ask-password --no-output --keyname {{key_name}} "{{prompt}}"

Pipe a password to a command, stripping the trailing newline:

systemd-ask-password -n | {{command}}

Display help:

systemd-ask-password {{[-h|--help]}}

Code Snippets

Query a system password with a specific prompt

systemd-ask-password "{{prompt}}"

Specify an identifier for the password query

systemd-ask-password --id {{identifier}} "{{prompt}}"

Use a kernel keyring key name as a cache for the password

systemd-ask-password --keyname {{key_name}} "{{prompt}}"

Set a custom timeout for the password query

systemd-ask-password --timeout {{seconds}} "{{prompt}}"

Force the use of an agent system and never ask on current TTY

systemd-ask-password --no-tty "{{prompt}}"

Context

tldr-pages: linux/systemd-ask-password

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