How to Reset a MySQL Password

A MySQL password can be reset in 5 easy steps:

1. Stop the mysqld daemon process.
2. Start the mysqld daemon process with the –skip-grant-tables option.
3. Start the mysql client with the -u root option.
4. Execute the UPDATE mysql.user SET Password=PASSWORD(‘password’) WHERE User=’root';
5. Execute the FLUSH PRIVILEGES; command.

These steps reset the password for the “root” account to “password.” To change the password for a different account or to set a different password, just edit the variables in single quotes in step 4.

If the user knows his/her existing MySQL root password, steps 1-3 are not necessary.