How to Change User Password in MySQL

MySQL is an open-source relational database management system that is widely used in web applications. It is essential to secure your MySQL database by changing the user password regularly. Changing the password of a user in MySQL is a straightforward process that can be accomplished in a few simple steps. This article will guide you on how to change the user password in MySQL, including code examples and related concepts.

Prerequisites

Before we proceed with the steps to change the user password in MySQL, ensure that you have the following:

A MySQL server installed on your system
Access to the MySQL server with administrative privileges
Knowledge of basic SQL commands

Steps to Change User Password in MySQL

Follow the steps below to change the user password in MySQL:

Step 1: Connect to MySQL Server

To connect to the MySQL server, you can use the MySQL command-line client. Open your terminal or command prompt and type the following command:

mysql -u root -p

This command will prompt you to enter the MySQL root user password. Enter the password and press Enter to log in to the MySQL server.

Step 2: Select the Database

Once you have logged in to the MySQL server, select the database in which the user is located. For example, if the user is located in the test database, type the following command:

use test;

Step 3: Change User Password

To change the password of a user, use the following command:

UPDATE mysql.user SET authentication_string = PASSWORD('new_password') WHERE User = 'user_name';

In this command, replace new_password with the new password you want to set for the user, and user_name with the name of the user whose password you want to change.

For example, to change the password of the user john to newpassword, type the following command:

UPDATE mysql.user SET authentication_string = PASSWORD('newpassword') WHERE User = 'john';

Step 4: Flush Privileges

After changing the user password, you need to flush the privileges to apply the changes. To do this, type the following command:

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

This command will reload the grant tables and apply the changes you made.

Step 5: Verify User Password

To verify that the user password has been changed successfully, you can try to log in to the MySQL server using the new password. Type the following command:

mysql -u user_name -p

Replace user_name with the name of the user whose password you changed. Enter the new password when prompted. If you can log in successfully, the password has been changed.

Conclusion

Changing the user password in MySQL is an important security measure that can help protect your database from unauthorized access. In this article, we have discussed the steps to change the user password in MySQL, including code examples and related concepts. By following these steps, you can easily change the user password in your MySQL database and keep your data secure.