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Asked: 2024-09-23T14:58:19+05:30 In:

What are the steps to grant sudo privileges to a new user via the command line in Ubuntu?

I’m really stuck on something that’s probably super simple, but I want to make sure I get it right before I mess anything up. So, here’s the deal: I just created a new user on my Ubuntu system, and I want to give them sudo privileges so they can perform administrative tasks without running into constant permission issues. I went ahead and added the user, but now I’m scratching my head about what steps I need to follow to grant them sudo access.

I imagine there’s a command or two involved, maybe something with adding the user to a specific group? I think the ‘sudo’ group is what I heard, but I’m honestly not sure how to do that from the command line. I’ve seen a few tutorials that mention editing the sudoers file, but I really don’t want to break anything by messing that up.

Could someone walk me through the exact steps I need to follow? Like, what commands should I type in? Do I need to use ‘visudo’ for editing the sudoers file, or is there a quicker method that avoids potential errors? Also, after I add the user to the group, do I need to log out and log back in for the changes to take effect, or what’s the deal with that?

I’d really appreciate any tips you have on this, especially if there are any common pitfalls to avoid. Just want to make sure I do it correctly the first time, so I don’t have to go through all the troubleshooting later! Thanks!

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    2 Answers



    1. Granting Sudo Privileges on Ubuntu

      How to Grant Sudo Privileges to a New User on Ubuntu

      No worries, this is a common question! Here’s a simple way to give your new user sudo access.

      1. Add the User to the Sudo Group

      First, you’re right about the sudo group. You can easily add the user to this group by using the following command in the terminal:

      sudo usermod -aG sudo username

      Just replace username with the actual username you created.

      2. Check Group Membership (Optional)

      If you want to confirm that the user has been added to the sudo group, you can check the user’s groups by running:

      groups username

      3. Logging Out and Back In

      Yes, to make sure the changes take effect, it’s a good idea to log out and then log back in. This ensures that the user session recognizes the new group permissions.

      4. No Need to Edit the Sudoers File!

      You don’t need to mess with the /etc/sudoers file directly, especially if you’re just adding a user to the sudo group. Using visudo is for more advanced configurations, and it’s safer to avoid it unless you really need to edit the file for specific reasons.

      5. Common Pitfalls

      • Ensure that you spell the username correctly!
      • Double-check that you added the user to the correct group.
      • If the user still can’t use sudo after logging back in, you might want to verify the groups again.

      That’s about it! You should be all set. Don’t worry if it feels overwhelming; just take it step by step!


    2. To grant sudo privileges to a new user on your Ubuntu system, you can add the user to the ‘sudo’ group, which allows them to execute commands with elevated permissions. First, open your terminal and use the following command, replacing `` with the actual username you want to grant privileges to:

      sudo usermod -aG sudo

      This command utilizes `usermod` to append the user to the ‘sudo’ group without removing them from any other groups (due to the `-a` flag). After running the command, the changes should take effect immediately; however, if the user is logged in already, they may need to log out and log back in for the new group membership to be active. While editing the sudoers file using `visudo` is safer for advanced configurations, it’s usually unnecessary for granting basic sudo access. Common pitfalls include forgetting to replace `` with the actual username, or accidentally omitting the `-a` flag, which could remove the user from other groups.

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