# How does one set passwords in a pod with x-pack true **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Tags:** elastic-stack-security\ **Created:** [July 26, 2019, 5:55am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-does-one-set-passwords-in-a-pod-with-x-pack-true/192360 "2019-07-26T05:55:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Soumitra\_Ghosh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/soumitra_ghosh/32/46221_2.png) [@Soumitra\_Ghosh](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Soumitra_Ghosh)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 5:55am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-does-one-set-passwords-in-a-pod-with-x-pack-true/192360/1 "2019-07-26T05:55:12Z")
All the examples are related to running bin/elasticsearch-setup-passwords interactive or auto however once elastic pod is started there is no way to shutdown to run these commands. Is there an env variable that can be passed? ---
**Author:** ![ikakavas](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/ikakavas/32/34430_2.png) [@ikakavas](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ikakavas)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 6:54am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-does-one-set-passwords-in-a-pod-with-x-pack-true/192360/2 "2019-07-26T06:54:35Z")
I'm not sure exactly what you refer to with `elastic pod` but Elasticsearch should be running for you to run `elasticsearch-setup-passwords` , so there is no need to shut it down. In any way , you can pass the password for the `elastic` user with the `ELASTIC_PASSWORD` env variable if you wish and then use the [Change Passwords API](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/7.2/security-api-change-password.html) to set the password for the rest of the users. See [our docs](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/7.2/configuring-tls-docker.html) ---
**Author:** ![ikakavas](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/ikakavas/32/34430_2.png) [@ikakavas](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ikakavas)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 1:29pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-does-one-set-passwords-in-a-pod-with-x-pack-true/192360/3 "2019-07-26T13:29:51Z")
Hi @Soumitra_Ghosh, As I was thankfully made aware by @joshbressers, you're probably talking about k8s. In that case, and assuming you are using our orchestrator, please take a look at our relevant [documentation](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/cloud-on-k8s/current/k8s-quickstart.html), more specifically step 2 under [this section](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/cloud-on-k8s/current/k8s-quickstart.html#k8s-request_elasticsearch_access) ---
**Author:** ![Soumitra\_Ghosh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/soumitra_ghosh/32/46221_2.png) [@Soumitra\_Ghosh](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Soumitra_Ghosh)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 3:35pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-does-one-set-passwords-in-a-pod-with-x-pack-true/192360/4 "2019-07-26T15:35:53Z")
Hi thank you. Yes correct its on k8s it is on a cluster I built. This example is for a single node. Will this not work for a multi node elasticsearch cluster on k8s? ---
**Author:** ![ikakavas](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/ikakavas/32/34430_2.png) [@ikakavas](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ikakavas)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 3:42pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-does-one-set-passwords-in-a-pod-with-x-pack-true/192360/5 "2019-07-26T15:42:27Z")
I don't see why it won't ---
**Author:** ![Soumitra\_Ghosh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/soumitra_ghosh/32/46221_2.png) [@Soumitra\_Ghosh](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Soumitra_Ghosh)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 4:58pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-does-one-set-passwords-in-a-pod-with-x-pack-true/192360/6 "2019-07-26T16:58:03Z")
Hi so you had originally said we could pass this through the env variable would that not work? I tried to seed it through yaml file but it does not take that value. - name: elasticsearch.user value: "elastic" - name: elasticsearch.password value: "changeme" ---
**Author:** ![ikakavas](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/ikakavas/32/34430_2.png) [@ikakavas](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ikakavas)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 5:26pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-does-one-set-passwords-in-a-pod-with-x-pack-true/192360/7 "2019-07-26T17:26:44Z")
My assumption for suggesting that previously, was that you use our docker image so I just mentioned [what our docs say](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/7.2/configuring-tls-docker.html). Since you are on k8s, please follow the relevant docs and the suggestions in there. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 5:26pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-does-one-set-passwords-in-a-pod-with-x-pack-true/192360/8 "2019-08-23T17:26:45Z")
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