How to disable password prompts in Ubuntu

This tutorial will explain How to disable password prompts in Ubuntu

Note:- Disabling password prompts might be a security risk

Open the terminal window from Applications --> accessories --> terminal, run the command:

sudo visudo

Find the line that says

%admin ALL=(ALL) ALL

and change it to

%admin ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL

Save and exit the file

Sponsored Link

You may also like...

68 Responses

  1. mrdreamers says:

    is this 4 all password prompts? or just for software center??

  2. Ozzy says:

    First of all some of these comments are hilarious! You guys (on both sides) need to relax, grab a cold beer, and say to yourselves “its just an operating system, no more, no less…” There is no reason to go all Bloods and Crips on each other.

    Now, I am definitely a Linux n00b. With the exception of some basic Unix commands I learned back in 1993-1994 when I was trying to hack into my schools “FreeNET” server (text-based internet, all we had in those days) this is all new to me. It’s certainly been “interesting” learning the ins and outs of a new OS, I have to say I really enjoy using Ubuntu. Everything is very well put together and streamlined once you understand how it functions. The one thing that does annoy me is the constant prompting for password authentication. It even seems like if I even try to move my mouse cursor or turn up the volume I’m prompted for my password. This is made even more annoying by the fact that I have the habit of selecting LOOOOONG and complex passwords for everything that I do. Now what I would like to do is leave my initial login password protected but remove the restrictions on things like updates, unlocking certain locked options in my apps, editing my software sources, and executing applications like Wireshark (which for some reason can’t access any interfaces unless I run as root, then gives me a stern lecture via prompt about the “dangers” of running it as root…wtf?) Now will the above method help me accomplish this or is there some other way to make this happen? Thanks to everybody for their suggestions and feedback…and some of you other lunatics may need to seek counseling :/

  3. Jack says:

    For a guy who use Windows all his life I amn testing 12.10 on Windows 8 through VMWARE, I can tell you the command doesn’t work. Any other bright ideas?

  4. raindog469 says:

    @Jack:

    I think they’ve added more restrictions through polkit in the last few versions. After being prompted for my very long and line-noise-esque password when I just wanted to change my time zone while traveling, I found this:

    sudo perl -i -pe ‘s/auth_admin_keep/yes/g’ /usr/share/polkit-1/actions/*.policy
    sudo perl -i -pe ‘s/auth_admin/yes/g’ /usr/share/polkit-1/actions/*.policy
    sudo perl -i -pe ‘s{no}{yes}g’ /usr/share/polkit-1/actions/*.policy

    If Ubuntu has a problem with people wiping all their carefully constructed policies away, they shouldn’t impose restrictions on doing something as simple as changing the time or pulling updates.

    Inevitably, someone will respond that these restrictions are in place because Linux is a multi-user OS, but I notice they haven’t removed the option to allow logins without a password, indicating they realize most desktop machines are single-user. Their move toward multi-user-hostile technologies like Wayland put the last nail in that coffin.

    The above commands are a blunt instrument. They worked fine on my 12.04 machines but who knows what’ll happen in the future. Use them at your own risk.

  5. Graham says:

    I’ve struggled with this password busniness (amongst other Linux basics) off and on for years also and have basically given up using my Linux computer as it’s so hard to find out how to do even the simplest things. Here we have several totally different solutions from different nice helpful people but none of them are any use to me as I can’t find anything called ‘Accessories’ or ‘Terminal’ or even ‘Applications’ and I don’t what a dash or a sudo is. You guys always assume a level of knowledge and experience which I don’t have to start with, so I don’t ever get to learn how to use this system 🙁 Is there anywhere a genuine idiot’s guide which actually starts from where we are as newcomers used to the ease and functionality of Windows?

  6. don bas says:

    Very good comment. And “roadsign” for uBuntu developers, and/or geeks. uBuntu and other Linux distros, became an important alternative to MS (Win)

    But using uBuntu is so complicated, that I am still keeping tying it in paralel to Win. Not USING. And tghe main goal of developers should be to make Lx possible to use as prime OS.

    One possibility is to build a network of volunteer geeks who will take “ON Duty” times so we the user can contact them anytime for anything.

    And one more thing about volunteering here or elswhere. We the users, should start building a new “culture” – to give a tip to any contact of the kind that halps us. Firsty, geeks should give their email, or can be this site email or similar, so I can send a $1 or more tip.

  7. sunil says:

    not working!

  8. Deirdre Kylie says:

    I tried this on Ubuntu 14.04lts and found that I had to move the file /etc/sudoers into /etc/sudoers.d/sudoers

    so after following the instructions posted November 17 2009 by ruchi and exiting from visudo, enter the following. Once you do that, you’re good to go!

    sudo mv /etc/sudoers /etc/sudoers.d/sudoers

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *