---
name: "pam_mkhomedir"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "pam"
version: "1.7.3-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pam_mkhomedir"
---

# pam\_mkhomedir(8)

PAM module to create users home directory

## NAME

pam\_mkhomedir - PAM module to create users home directory

## SYNOPSIS

**pam\_mkhomedir.so** \[silent\] \[debug\] \[umask=*mode*\] \[skel=*skeldir*\]

## DESCRIPTION

The pam\_mkhomedir PAM module will create a users home directory if it does not exist when the session begins. This allows users to be present in central database (such as NIS, kerberos or LDAP) without using a distributed file system or pre-creating a large number of directories. The skeleton directory (usually /etc/skel/) is used to copy default files and also sets a umask for the creation.

The new users home directory will not be removed after logout of the user.

## OPTIONS

silent

Don't print informative messages.

debug

Turns on debugging via [**syslog**(3)](/syslog/3.md).

umask=mask

The file mode creation mask is set to *mask*. The default value of mask is 0022. If this option is not specified, then the permissions of created user home directory is set to the value of **HOME\_MODE** configuration item from /etc/login.defs. If there is no such configuration item then the value is computed from the value of **UMASK** in the same file. If there is no such configuration option either the default value of 0755 is used for the mode.

skel=/path/to/skel/directory

Indicate an alternative skel directory to override the default /etc/skel.

## MODULE TYPES PROVIDED

Only the **session** module type is provided.

## RETURN VALUES

PAM\_BUF\_ERR

Memory buffer error.

PAM\_PERM\_DENIED

Not enough permissions to create the new directory or read the skel directory.

PAM\_USER\_UNKNOWN

User not known to the underlying authentication module.

PAM\_SUCCESS

Environment variables were set.

## FILES

/etc/skel

Default skel directory

## EXAMPLES

A sample /etc/pam.d/login file:

```
  auth       requisite   pam_securetty.so
  auth       sufficient  pam_ldap.so
  auth       required    pam_unix.so
  auth       required    pam_nologin.so
  account    sufficient  pam_ldap.so
  account    required    pam_unix.so
  password   required    pam_unix.so
  session    required    pam_mkhomedir.so skel=/etc/skel/ umask=0022
  session    required    pam_unix.so
  session    optional    pam_lastlog.so
  session    optional    pam_mail.so standard
```

## SEE ALSO

[**pam.d**(5)](/pam.d/5.md), [**pam**(8)](/pam/8.md).

## AUTHOR

pam\_mkhomedir was written by Jason Gunthorpe \<jgg@debian.org\>.