groupmod – Change group ID or name

The groupmod command is used to modify a group’s information on a Linux system. This includes changing the group’s name or ID, as well as modifying its password, membership, or other attributes.

Overview

The groupmod command can be used to change the name or ID of an existing group. To change a group’s name, use the -n option followed by the new name:

$ sudo groupmod -n newgroupname oldgroupname

To change a group’s ID, use the -g option followed by the new ID:

$ sudo groupmod -g newgroupid groupname

It is important to note that changing a group’s ID may have unintended consequences, such as invalidating permissions or ownership of files that are associated with the group.

Other options available with the groupmod command include:

• -o: Allow duplicate group IDs to be created
• -p: Set the group’s password to the specified encrypted password
• -A: Add a user to the group
• -R: Remove a user from the group
• -g: Set the group ID to the specified value
• -n: Set the group name to the specified value

Options

The following table lists the available options for the groupmod command:

Troubleshooting Tips

• If you receive an error message stating that the group does not exist, make sure that you have entered the correct group name or ID.
• If you change a group’s ID, be aware that this may affect file permissions and ownership. Make sure to update any affected files accordingly.
• If you receive a permission denied error, make sure that you are running the groupmod command with root privileges using sudo.

Notes

• The groupmod command can also be used to modify a group’s GID (group identification number) in /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow files.
• The groupmod command can be used in conjunction with other commands, such as usermod, to manage user and group accounts on a Linux system.