Linux chage Guide

Complete beginner-friendly guide to chage on Linux, covering Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other distributions including password expiration, account aging, and user account policies.

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Table of Contents

1. Understanding chage
2. chage Basics
3. Password Expiration
4. Account Aging
5. Troubleshooting

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Understanding chage

What is chage?

chage changes user password aging information.

Uses:

• Password expiration: Set password expiry
• Account aging: Configure account lifetime
• Password policies: Enforce security policies
• Account management: Manage account settings

Why it matters:

• Security: Force password changes
• Compliance: Meet security requirements
• Account management: Control account lifecycle

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chage Basics

View Information

Check user:

# Show password aging info
sudo chage -l username

# Shows:
# - Last password change
# - Password expires
# - Password inactive
# - Account expires
# - Minimum days
# - Maximum days
# - Warning days

Interactive Mode

Interactive setup:

# Interactive configuration
sudo chage username

# Follow prompts

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Password Expiration

Set Expiration

Password expiry:

# Set password to expire in 90 days
sudo chage -M 90 username

# -M: Maximum days

Force Change

Require change:

# Force password change on next login
sudo chage -d 0 username

# User must change password

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⏰ Account Aging

Account Expiration

Set expiry:

# Account expires on date
sudo chage -E 2024-12-31 username

# Or days from now
sudo chage -E $(date -d "+90 days" +%Y-%m-%d) username

Inactive Days

Account inactivity:

# Lock after inactive days
sudo chage -I 30 username

# Lock after 30 days inactive

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Troubleshooting

chage Errors

Check user:

# Verify user exists
id username

# Check current settings
sudo chage -l username

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Summary

This guide covered chage usage, password expiration, and account aging for Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other distributions.

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Next Steps

• passwd Guide - Password management
• User and Groups - User management
• PAM Guide - Authentication
• chage Documentation: man chage

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This guide covers Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other Linux distributions. For distribution-specific details, refer to your distribution's documentation.