OS Manuals

/usr/bin/systemd-ask-password

The systemd System and Service Manager

From systemd 262.2-r1 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running systemd-ask-password --help (exit 0). permalink

> systemd-ask-password [OPTION…] MESSAGE

Query the user for a passphrase, via the TTY or a UI agent.

Options:
  -h --help                 Show this help
     --version              Show package version
     --icon=NAME            Icon name
     --timeout=SEC          Timeout in seconds
     --echo[=yes|no|masked] Control whether to show password while typing
  -e                        Equivalent to --echo[=yes]
     --emoji=yes|no|auto    Show a lock and key emoji
     --no-tty               Ask question via agent even on TTY
     --accept-cached        Accept cached passwords
     --multiple             List multiple passwords if available
     --id=ID                Query identifier (e.g. "cryptsetup:/dev/sda5")
     --keyname=NAME         Kernel key name for caching passwords
     --no-output            Do not print password to standard output
     --credential=NAME      Credential name for ImportCredential=, LoadCredential= or SetCredential=
                            credentials
     --user                 Ask only our own user's agents
     --system               Ask agents of the system and of all users
  -n                        Do not suffix password written to standard output with newline

See the systemd-ask-password(1) man page for details.
Options (16)
OptionDescriptionSource
-h --helpShow this helphelp
--versionShow package versionhelp
--icon NAMEIcon namehelp
--timeout SECTimeout in secondshelp
-eEquivalent to --echo[=yes]help
--emoji yes|no|autoShow a lock and key emojihelp
--no-ttyAsk question via agent even on TTYhelp
--accept-cachedAccept cached passwordshelp
--multipleList multiple passwords if availablehelp
--id IDQuery identifier (e.g. "cryptsetup:/dev/sda5")help
--keyname NAMEKernel key name for caching passwordshelp
--no-outputDo not print password to standard outputhelp
--credential NAMECredential name for ImportCredential=, LoadCredential= or SetCredential= credentialshelp
--userAsk only our own user's agentshelp
--systemAsk agents of the system and of all usershelp
-nDo not suffix password written to standard output with newlinehelp

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.