Changing Username in Linux

Before you begin! #

You should login as another user or become root

• To create a new user

  sudo usermod -aG sudo <other_user>
  

Let’s get started! #

Change the username

sudo usermod -l <new_name> <old_name>

Change the groups <old_name> to new username

sudo groupmod -n <new_name> <old_name>

Confirm this by looking into old home directory of <old_name>

ls -ld /home/<old_name>

• The owner and group owner should now be owned by <new_name>

Change username for home directory #

Your home directory still may have previous name, here’s the fix…

sudo usermod -d /home/<new_name> -m <new_name>

Check to confirm

ls -ld /home/<new_name>

Edit username in GDM login screen #

When you log back in, you may still have previous name, here’s the fix…

sudo usermod -c "<new_name>" <new_name>

That’s it!