How to retrieve/reset a password of the Plesk "admin" user in Plesk for Linux

Applicable to:

Plesk for Linux

Question

A password of the Plesk "admin" user is lost.

How to retrieve/reset it?

Answer

To get/reset a password of the Plesk "admin" user, an SSH access to the Plesk server is required.

Once connected, use the instructions for your Plesk version.

Plesk Onyx

Retrieving a password

Due to security reasons, the command to retrieve the Plesk "admin" password has been removed in Plesk Onyx.

Use a one-time login link to log in to Plesk without a password. To generate a one-time login link:
1. Run the following command to generate two links: One - to access Plesk by hostname, another - by server IP address:
  
  # plesk login
  
  Note: If a server hostname is not resolvable from the Internet, the link for it will not be generated.
2. Copy one of the generated links and open it in a web-browser.

Resetting a password

Run the command below replacing ***** with your new password and keeping ' ' on the sides:

# plesk bin admin --set-admin-password -passwd '*****'

Plesk 12.x / Plesk 11.x / Plesk 10.x

Retrieving a password

Run the command below to get the "admin" password:
- Plesk 12.x
  
  # plesk bin admin --show-password
- Plesk 11.x / Plesk 10.x
  
  # /usr/local/psa/bin/admin --show-password

Resetting a password

Run the command below replacing ***** with your new password and keeping ' ' on the sides:
- Plesk 12.x
  
  # plesk bin admin --set-admin-password -passwd '*****'
- Plesk 11.x / Plesk 10.x
  
  # /usr/local/psa/bin/init_conf -u -passwd '*****'

Comments

6 comments

Noam Harel December 12, 2017 10:42

plesk 12.5-

when i do:

plesk bin admin --show-password

i get:

Due to security reasons the option '-show-password' is no longer supported. Use '--get-login-link' to generate a one-time login link

you should update your article

0

Pavel Mikhaylov December 14, 2017 10:59

Hello Noam,

This message is displayed starting Plesk Onyx. In Plesk 12.5 option --show-password works as intended.

If you are sure that version of your Plesk is 12.5 and you have this message, please contact our technical support for further investigation.

0

Gaurav Sharma February 06, 2018 13:09 (Edited February 06, 2018 13:09)

Actually I have successfully reset my password via ssh, but still I can't login.. why???

0

Ivan Postnikov February 06, 2018 14:11

@Gaurav Sharma

Hello!

The issue may be caused by different reasons. Use this article to troubleshoot.

Also, consider contacting Plesk Technical Support.

0

markusk March 28, 2018 10:08

this implies to be valid for 'the Plesk "admin" user' only - but what if i have multiple users with administrator role?

does this also cause the effect that trying to use the "forgotten password" link at login returns:
"Error: Identification failed: invalid username or email address specified. Please try again."?

so administrator users can't reset their password at all anymore without being given ssh-access?

0

Ivan Postnikov March 30, 2018 19:41

@markusk

Indeed this article is applicable to build-in admin only.

However, in case there is a server access for built-in admin, to reset the password to additional, go to Tools & Settings > Additional Administrator Accounts > <Account Name> and set a new password.

As for the error "Error: Identification failed: invalid username or email address specified. Please try again.", it is a known Plesk bug, you may find the description and workaround here.

0