How to Change Sudo Password Prompt in Ubuntu

This guide explains how to customize the password prompt message displayed when using the sudo command in Ubuntu. By editing the sudoers configuration file safely with the visudo tool, you can replace the default text with a custom warning or instruction. Follow the steps below to modify the system settings without compromising security or breaking sudo functionality.

Prerequisites

You need administrative access to your Ubuntu system to modify sudo settings. Ensure you have your current user password ready, as you will need to authenticate to edit the configuration file.

Edit the Sudoers File

Never edit the /etc/sudoers file directly with a standard text editor. Doing so can lock you out of sudo commands if syntax errors occur. Instead, use the visudo command, which checks for errors before saving changes.

Open your terminal and run the following command:

sudo visudo

Enter your password when prompted. This will open the sudoers file in your default text editor, usually nano or vim.

Modify the Password Prompt

Locate the section containing Defaults entries near the top of the file. To change the password prompt, you need to add or modify the passwd_prompt setting.

Add the following line to the file, replacing the text inside the quotes with your desired message:

Defaults passwd_prompt="Enter your custom password message: "

If a Defaults passwd_prompt line already exists, update the text within the quotes instead of creating a duplicate entry. Ensure there is a space at the end of your message if you want space between the prompt and the user input.

Save and Exit

After making the change, you must save the file correctly.

• If using nano: Press Ctrl + O, then Enter to save, and Ctrl + X to exit.
• If using vim: Type :wq and press Enter.

The visudo command will automatically check the file for syntax errors. If there is an issue, it will warn you and allow you to fix it before exiting. If no errors are found, the changes take effect immediately.

Verify the Changes

Test the new configuration by running a sudo command. Enter the following in your terminal:

sudo ls

You should see your custom password prompt message instead of the default [sudo] password for user:. Enter your password to confirm the command executes successfully.

Revert to Default

To restore the original password prompt, open the sudoers file again using sudo visudo. Locate the Defaults passwd_prompt line you added or modified and delete it. Save and exit the file to apply the default settings.