Raspberry Pi Default Password: What It Is and How to Change It - Raspberry Pi BD

In this post, we’ll cover the default login credentials, how to change the password, and why doing so is critical for security.

🔐 Default Username and Password

For Raspberry Pi OS (formerly Raspbian), the default credentials are:

• Username: pi
• Password: raspberry

These are used for both local login and remote access via SSH (if enabled).

⚠️ Why You Should Change the Default Password

Leaving the default password unchanged is a major security risk—especially if your Pi is connected to the internet or accessible via SSH. Anyone who knows the default credentials could potentially access your system.

🔄 How to Change the Password

To change the password for the current user (usually pi):

passwd

You’ll be prompted to enter the current password, then choose a new one.

⚙️ Change Password via Raspberry Pi Configuration Tool

You can also use the built-in configuration tool:

sudo raspi-config

Navigate to:

System Options → Password

Follow the prompts to set a new password.

🧠 Tip: Create a New User (Optional)

For better security, consider disabling the default pi user and creating your own user account:

sudo adduser yourname
sudo usermod -aG sudo yourname

Then disable the pi account if you no longer need it:

sudo usermod -L pi

💬 What if You Forgot the Password?

If you’ve changed the password and forgot it, you can reset it by:

• Booting into recovery mode from the SD card
• Mounting the root filesystem and editing /etc/shadow or using passwd from chroot

Or re-flashing the Raspberry Pi OS image as a last resort.