# Default Password Not Working

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/default-password-not-working/87317>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [May 27, 2017, 1:24am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/default-password-not-working/87317 "2017-05-27T01:24:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bjmaynard01](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/bjmaynard01/32/26112_2.png) [@bjmaynard01](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/bjmaynard01)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 1:24am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/default-password-not-working/87317/1 "2017-05-27T01:24:41Z")

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Hi all, I am running into an issue on a newly installed cluster running elasticsearch 5.4. After installing x-pack on a node and restarting the service, I am attempting to change the password, but the default that is present in the documentation (changeme) isn't working for me.

I am typing in and getting the results below:  
`curl -XPUT -u elastic 'http://localhost:9200/_xpack/security/user/elastic/_password?pretty' -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d '{ "password": "whatnewpasswordwillbe" }'
Enter host password for user 'elastic':
{
"error" : {
"root_cause" : [
{
"type" : "security_exception",
"reason" : "failed to authenticate user [elastic]",
"header" : {
"WWW-Authenticate" : "Basic realm="security" charset="UTF-8""
}
}
],
"type" : "security_exception",
"reason" : "failed to authenticate user [elastic]",
"header" : {
"WWW-Authenticate" : "Basic realm="security" charset="UTF-8""
}
},
"status" : 401
}
`  
At the password prompt I am entering changeme as outlined in the documentation and still receiving a 401 error.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![thiago](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/thiago/32/32096_2.png) [@thiago](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/thiago)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2017, 2:39am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/default-password-not-working/87317/3 "2017-05-29T02:39:36Z")

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Hello,

The default password `changeme` is the right one if you have not changed it already.

Can you try using `curl` like below to make sure you are typing it right?  
`curl -XPUT -u elastic:changeme`

Cheers

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 2:40am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/default-password-not-working/87317/4 "2017-06-26T02:40:24Z")

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