Changing the default user password
When your VPS is ready, the client area shows its initial login credentials. The password is generated automatically, so change it right after the first login.
Where to find the default password
Open the order details of your VPS in the client area. The Login field shows the default user name for your operating system, such as root on most Linux VPS or Administrator on Windows Server, and the Password field shows the default password. Use the icons next to the password to show it or copy it.
The client area does not have a button to change the password. You change it on the server itself, as described below.
Change the password on Linux
Connect to the server over SSH with the default login and password, then run:
passwd
Enter the new password twice. The characters are not shown while you type, this is normal.
To change the password of another user, add the user name. This requires root or sufficient privileges:
passwd username
For SSH access, key-based authentication is more secure than a password. After you set up a key, you can disable password login for SSH altogether.
Change the password on Windows Server
Connect to the server over RDP with the default login and password. Press Ctrl + Alt + End (in a remote session this replaces Ctrl + Alt + Delete) and select Change a password. Enter the old password once and the new one twice.
You can also do it in Command Prompt run as administrator:
net user Administrator *
The command asks for the new password twice. Other ways to change the password, including Computer Management and PowerShell, are described in the tutorial "Password change".
After you change the password
The client area keeps showing the default password: it is not synchronized with the server. Use the new password for SSH or RDP from now on and keep it in a password manager.
If you do not want the old password to stay in the client area, remove it with the Delete password icon next to the Password field.
If you reinstall the operating system with the REINSTALL button, a new default password is generated and shown in the client area. Reinstalling erases all data on the VPS.
If you lost the new password
If you can no longer log in, you have two ways to get back in without losing data:
- IP-KVM console. Request access with the REQUEST button in the order details. In the console you see the server screen and can use the recovery tools of your operating system to reset the password.
- Rescue mode. Start the VPS in RESCUE MODE from the order details. Depending on the operating system, you can use the rescue environment to regain access or reset the password.
If neither option suits you, create a support ticket and specify your VPS.
For VPS with MikroTik CHR or pfSense, where the default account is not root, see the manual "Obtaining root access when not provided by default".
