AUTHCTL(1)

📦
version 0.7.1 · 2 versions
, in ubuntu stonking

💖 AUTHCTL 💖

okay bestie, buckle up — this is authctl, a general commands manual page, and it's literally the glow-up your user management needed ✨

✨ NAME ✨

authctl — manage authd users and groups 🫶

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

authctl [options] <command> [args]

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

So like, authctl is that command-line tool for managing users and groups handled by authd. That's it, that's the vibe. No cap. 💅

👑 COMMANDS 👑

🎀 user lock <user>

Lock a user so they cannot log in. bye bestie 👋🔒

🎀 user unlock <user>

Unlock a locked user so they can log in again. welcome back queen 👑✨

🎀 user set-uid <user> <uid>

Set the UID of a user managed by authd to the specified value. icon behavior fr.

  • The new UID must be unique and non-negative.
  • The command must be run as root.

The ownership of the user's home directory, and any files within the directory that the user owns, will automatically be updated to the new UID. slay, automatic. 💅

Files outside the user's home directory are not updated and must be changed manually. And bestie, listen — note that changing a UID can be unsafe if files on the system are still owned by the original UID: those files may become accessible to a different account that is later assigned that UID. 😭 that's the drama.

🎀 user set-shell <name> <shell>

Set the login shell for a user. cute little wardrobe change for their terminal. 🐚✨

🎀 user set-home <user> <path>

Set the home directory of a user managed by authd to the specified path.

  • The path must be absolute.
  • The command must be run as root.

If the user's current home directory exists, its contents are moved to the new location. The move is performed with rename(2), so the new path must be on the same filesystem as the current home directory; otherwise the command fails and the directory must be moved manually. no shortcuts, bestie.

The command fails without making any change if the new path already exists. If the user's current home directory does not exist, only the database record is updated and no directory is created. lowkey clean, highkey specific.

The command refuses to run while the user has active processes. like, it's not gonna fight them. ✋😤

🎀 user delete <user> [flags]

Delete a user from the authd database. periodt. 🗑️

Warning: Deleting a user that still owns files on the filesystem can lead to security issues. 🚨

Any existing files owned by this user may become accessible to a different user that is later assigned the same UID. You should manually check that no files remain owned by this user. fr fr, go check. 🙈

If you only want to prevent the user from logging in, consider using 'authctl user lock' instead. A locked user retains their UID, ensuring no other user can be assigned the same UID. The command must be run as root.

Options:

  • -r, --remove-home — Remove the user's home directory 🏠💥
  • -y, --yes — Skip confirmation prompt (no "are you sure" moment, just chaos) 💀

🎀 group set-gid <group> <gid>

Set the GID of a group managed by authd to the specified value.

  • The new GID must be unique and non-negative.
  • The command must be run as root.

When a group's GID is changed, any users whose primary group is set to this group will have the GID of their primary group updated. The home directories of these users, and any files within these directories that are owned by the group, will be updated to the new GID. the way it cascades... iconic. 🌈

Files outside users' home directories are not updated and must be changed manually. And again bestie — note that changing a GID can be unsafe if files on the system are still owned by the original GID: those files may become accessible to a different group that is later assigned that GID. 😭

🎀 group delete <group> [flags]

Delete a group from the authd database.

Warning: Deleting a group that still owns files on the filesystem can lead to security issues. 🚨

Any existing files owned by this group may become accessible to a different group that is later assigned the same GID. You should manually check that no files remain owned by this group. The command must be run as root.

Options:

  • -y, --yes — Skip confirmation prompt 🙈

🌟 SEE ALSO 🌟

For more information, please refer to the authd documentation[1]. iykyk 📖✨

📝 NOTES 📝

  1. authd documentation https://ubuntu.com/docs/authd

that's the whole page bestie, you ate that 💅✨ and for the sign-off: this was authd, dated 2026-06-10 — go forth and manage your users responsibly, mwah 🎀🦋💖

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