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For local Linux accounts, use the distribution’s account-management tools: on Ubuntu and Debian, sudo adduser username is the friendly choice for creating a user, and sudo usermod -aG groupname username adds that user to a group without discarding existing supplementary memberships. Before changing an account, confirm it is local: commands that edit local account files do not administer identities held by LDAP, Active Directory, or another central identity provider.
First, confirm whether the account is local
On Ubuntu, local user and group records are stored in /etc/passwd and /etc/group. Linux can also obtain identities through Name Service Switch (NSS), which may connect the system to a remote directory. Ubuntu’s user-management guide cautions that a system’s identity source affects what account commands can see and change.
For a focused lookup, query one name with getent passwd username. This can return a local record or an entry supplied by NSS; it is not a local-only test. To inspect local records specifically, look in /etc/passwd. Avoid treating getent passwd with no name as a harmless local listing on centrally managed systems: enumerating all entries may generate network load, and some NSS services do not support enumeration.
After a change, id username is a useful check of the account’s UID and group memberships. Administrative commands below use sudo; replace username and groupname with the actual login and group names.
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How do I add a user in Linux?
Ubuntu and Debian: use adduser
For a regular local account on Ubuntu or Debian, run:
sudo adduser usernameThe command guides you through account setup, including password prompts. Debian’s Noble adduser manual describes adduser as a policy layer that chooses IDs according to Debian policy and normally creates a home directory with skeleton configuration. On Ubuntu, /etc/skel provides baseline files copied into a new home.
When setup finishes, check that the account has the intended home path, login shell, ownership, and access permissions. For example:
getent passwd username
ls -ld /home/username
id usernameThe account record shows the configured home and shell; the other commands help verify the home directory’s mode and the user’s ID and memberships. Do not assume the home is private based only on the distribution name: current Ubuntu guidance says homes are private by default on Ubuntu 21.10 and later, while Ubuntu 21.04 and earlier used broader 0755 permissions. Check the actual mode.
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Lower-level alternative: useradd
The lower-level utility offers more explicit control, but its defaults can vary with distribution and local configuration. A common pattern is:
sudo useradd -m -s /bin/bash username
sudo passwd usernameHere, -m requests creation of a home directory and -s sets the login shell. Run passwd separately if the account needs password authentication. Review the target system’s man useradd for its configured defaults, including home creation, group behavior, and ID allocation. Do not pass a plaintext password on the command line: the useradd manual says -p expects an encrypted password and warns that command-line values may be visible to users who can inspect process listings.
UID ranges are conventions, not guarantees
Ubuntu’s 2026 server documentation describes dynamically created system users as generally using UIDs 100–999, with regular-user allocation conventionally starting at 1000 and running through 59999. The shadow-utils useradd manual, accessed in 2026, separately gives UID_MIN=1000 and UID_MAX=60000 as defaults when they have not been changed. These figures describe documented conventions and defaults, not universal Linux rules; local configuration may differ.
How do I add a user to a group?
On Ubuntu and Debian, the helper command is:
sudo adduser username groupnameAlternatively, use usermod and append the group to the user’s existing supplementary groups:
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sudo usermod -aG groupname usernameThe -a matters. With usermod -G, the listed groups replace the existing supplementary-group list unless -a is also supplied. Omitting it can unexpectedly remove access the user had through other groups. The group must already exist for this usermod operation; check whether it is local or centrally managed before trying to create or change it.
To create or delete a local Ubuntu group, the Ubuntu guide documents:
sudo addgroup groupname
sudo delgroup groupnameConfirm the result with id username. Group membership changes may not be reflected in sessions that were already open, so verify from a fresh login when testing access.
How do I change a user’s shell or home directory?
Use usermod for supported changes to a local account. For example, to set the login shell:
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sudo usermod -s /bin/bash usernameTo change the recorded home path and move the existing home contents to that location:
sudo usermod -d /new/home -m usernameCheck the destination’s ownership, permissions, and contents after a move. Changing a login name does not automatically rename the home directory or mail spool, so inspect and handle those separately if required. Avoid changing a user’s login, UID, or home while the user has active processes; first identify and resolve those processes according to your system’s policy. The usermod manual describes these options and their effects.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How do I lock an account or revoke its access?
To lock password authentication, Ubuntu documents either of these forms:
sudo passwd -l username
# or
sudo usermod -L usernameUnlocking a password lock with the corresponding password command is:
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sudo passwd -u usernameA password lock is not comprehensive access revocation. It does not necessarily block SSH public-key authentication, remove keys from ~username/.ssh/authorized_keys, or terminate sessions that are already established. If the goal is to prevent further access, check authorized keys and other configured authentication methods, inspect current sessions and processes, and take the appropriate steps for each. For centrally authenticated users, disable access at the identity provider as well; local changes cannot reliably replace central account administration.
How do I remove a user without losing needed data?
On Ubuntu, remove a local account with:
sudo deluser usernameAccount removal and home-directory removal are separate decisions. Ubuntu’s guide notes that the home directory remains after this command. Retain or remove it according to your data-retention needs; if keeping the data, archive it securely and record its ownership. Files owned by the user may exist outside the home directory, including on mounted filesystems, so do not assume deleting the account finds or removes every such file.
Before deleting an account, check for active processes and files still owned by its UID. If retained files remain, protect them against unintended access: a future account could receive the same UID or GID and thereby gain ownership-based access. Consult the target system’s current man userdel or distribution guidance before choosing destructive options, since exact flags and behavior should be confirmed for that system.
Which user-management command should I choose?
| Need | Ubuntu/Debian policy helper | Lower-level utility | Important consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Create a user | adduser username |
useradd, with options such as -m and -s |
adduser follows Debian policy; useradd defaults depend on configuration. |
| Add a supplementary group | adduser username groupname |
usermod -aG groupname username |
With usermod -G, omitting -a replaces the supplementary-group list. |
| Change supported account settings | Not stated in the cited Ubuntu guidance as a separate helper for these examples | usermod |
Review active processes and the consequences of changes to login, UID, or home. |
| Remove an account | deluser username |
userdel |
Decide separately what to do with the home and other owned files; confirm destructive options in the target system’s current manual. |
For this Ubuntu-focused workflow, use the policy helpers for straightforward account tasks and the lower-level tools when you need their explicit options. The Ubuntu Server user-management documentation quotes its own guidance plainly: “User management is a critical part of maintaining a secure system.” Treat group privileges and retained files accordingly: on Ubuntu, membership in the sudo group grants full root access through sudo, so reserve it for administrators.
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