How to find your Kali Linux username and password

If you installed Kali Linux yourself, your username and password are the ones you created during setup. If you received a Kali system from someone else or booted it from a USB drive without installing it, the default username is kali and the default password is kali. These defaults only work on fresh Kali installations that have never been customized — most systems in actual use have been changed.

The challenge is that Linux does not show you your password anywhere after you set it. Unlike some operating systems, there is no "password hint" file or recovery screen that displays what you typed. If you have forgotten your password, you will need to reset it rather than retrieve it. If you are locked out of a system someone else owns, you cannot recover the password — only the person who set it can reset it.

Key Takeaways

  • The default Kali Linux username is kali with password kali, but only on fresh installations that have never been customized.
  • Your username appears in the terminal prompt (the part before the @ symbol) and in the output of the whoami command.
  • Passwords are not stored anywhere you can read them — Linux only stores an encrypted version that cannot be reversed.
  • If you forgot your password on a system you own, you can reset it by booting into single-user mode or using a live USB.
  • If you are locked out of a system you do not own, only the account holder or system administrator can reset the password.

Finding your username in Kali Linux

Your username is visible every time you open a terminal. Look at the prompt — the text that appears before your cursor. It usually looks like this: kali@kali:~$. The part before the @ symbol is your username. In this example, the username is kali.

You can also type whoami and press Enter. The terminal will print your username on the next line. This works whether you are logged in as a regular user or have switched to a different account. Another command, id, shows your username along with your user ID number and group memberships.

If you are not sure which account you are currently using, or if multiple people use the same Kali system, you can list all user accounts on the machine. Type cat /etc/passwd and press Enter. This shows every account that can log in, one per line. The username is the first part of each line, before the first colon. System accounts (like root, bin, and daemon) appear here too, but regular user accounts are usually at the bottom of the list.

Why you cannot find your password

Linux does not store passwords in a way that lets you read them back. When you create a password, the system runs it through a one-way mathematical function called a hash. The result is stored in a file, but you cannot reverse the process to get your original password back — that is the whole point. Even the system administrator cannot tell you what your password is. They can only reset it to something new.

This is different from some other systems that email you your password or show it to you after you set it. Linux treats passwords as secrets that only you should know. If you write it down or tell someone, that is your choice — but the system itself will never display it again after you type it during setup.

If a file on your Kali system claims to contain your password, it is either a note you wrote yourself or a security risk. Legitimate system files do not contain readable passwords.

Resetting your password if you forgot it

If you own the Kali system and have forgotten your password, you can reset it. The process requires you to restart the computer and interrupt the normal boot sequence. When Kali starts up, you will see a menu with boot options. Press the down arrow key to highlight an option that says something like "Advanced options for Kali GNU/Linux" or similar, then press Enter.

From the advanced menu, look for an option containing the word "recovery" or "single" — this is single-user mode, where the system boots with minimal services and usually does not ask for a password. Select it and press Enter. The system will boot and eventually show you a prompt. Type passwd kali (replacing "kali" with your actual username if it is different). The system will ask you to type a new password twice. You do not need to know the old password to set a new one.

If you cannot find a recovery option in the boot menu, you can use a Kali live USB instead. Boot from the USB, open a terminal, and use the chroot command to access your installed system's files. This is more technical, but it works on any system you have physical access to. Search for "Kali Linux password reset" and your specific Kali version for detailed steps.

What to do if you are locked out of someone else's system

If you are trying to access a Kali system that belongs to someone else, you cannot reset the password yourself. Only the person who set it up, or a system administrator they designated, can do that. Attempting to bypass the password on a computer you do not own is illegal in most places, even if you have physical access to it.

If you have a legitimate reason to access the system — you are the owner but forgot the password, or you are an authorized administrator — contact the person who set it up. They can reset your password or create a new account for you. If the system is part of a workplace or school, contact your IT department or help desk.

Checking if you are using the default password

If you have a Kali system and are not sure whether it still uses the default username and password, try logging in with kali and kali. If it works, the defaults have not been changed. If it does not work, someone has customized the system.

Do not try to guess the password repeatedly. After several wrong attempts, Kali may lock the account temporarily or require you to wait before trying again. If you know the password but are having trouble typing it, remember that the password field does not show dots or asterisks — it appears completely blank as you type. This is normal and intentional.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see my password if I am logged in?

No. Even if you are currently logged in and using the system, there is no command that will show you your password. The system only stores an encrypted version. If you need to change your password, use the passwd command in a terminal, but you will need to know your current password to do so.

What if I know my username but forgot my password?

If you own the Kali system, you can reset it using single-user mode or a live USB, as described above. You do not need to know the old password to set a new one. If you do not own the system, only the account holder can reset it for you.

Is the default password kali/kali on every Kali system?

Only on fresh installations that have never been customized. Most Kali systems in actual use have had the default password changed. If the default does not work, the system has been set up with a different password that only the person who installed it knows.

Can I recover a password from a backup or file?

No. Backups contain the same encrypted password file as the live system, so they cannot help you recover a forgotten password. Only a reset using single-user mode or a live USB will work.

What if the system asks for a password at startup but I do not know it?

This is usually the login password for a user account. If you own the system, you can reset it using the methods described above. If you do not own it, contact the person who set it up or your system administrator.