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Change or recover your Linux VPS password

Your Linux login password, VPS panel password and billing account password are separate credentials. This guide changes the password inside a Linux VPS. It does not reinstall the operating system or reset your CloudExa helpaccount guide.login.

Change it from an existing SSH session

If you can still sign in, keep that session open while you test the replacement. Use the username shown in your welcome details; some operating systems use a sudo user instead of allowing root SSH login.

  1. Sign in to the VPS through SSH or its console.
  2. To change your current user's password, run passwd. If you are a sudo administrator and intend to change root's password, run sudo passwd root.
  3. Enter the new password twice when asked. Linux does not display dots or characters as you type a password.
  4. Wait for a success message. Save the new credential in your password manager.
  5. Open a second connection and test the appropriate account before closing your original session.

Changing a password does not enable SSH password authentication or root SSH access. An image configured for SSH keys can continue to require a key. Keep your working key and session until you verify access.

Request a change through the VPS panel

  1. Sign in at cloud.cloudexa-hosting.com and select the correct VPS.
  2. Open Settings → Security. Find Authentication and select Password.
  3. Enter a new value in Machine password. Use 8–191 characters, including uppercase and lowercase letters, a number and a symbol. Use ordinary US-keyboard characters to match the panel's validation.
  4. Use the eye icon to check your entry in private. Copy password copies the value you just entered; the empty field does not reveal an old machine password.
  5. Choose Save once. A queued-update confirmation means the request has been accepted, not that the guest has finished applying it.
  6. Allow the update to complete, then test a fresh login or the guest console. The form clears the entry after submission, so store it before leaving.

If you have lost access

Use the VPS console if you still have a working guest account. If the panel cannot apply the update, open a support ticket with your service ID, operating system, time of the attempt and error message. Custom images, guest-agent problems and SSH policy can require a different recovery path.

Do not use Reinstall Server to recover a password. Reinstallation erases and replaces the operating system. Do not send your password in a support ticket or a screenshot.

If Save fails or keeps loading

Check the displayed validation message, including accidental spaces or unsupported characters. Record the time before refreshing. Avoid submitting repeated password changes while the first one is pending; contact support if you cannot confirm the result.

Command reference: Debian's passwd manual.