---
name: "systemd-tty-ask-password-agent"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "systemd"
version: "262.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/systemd-tty-ask-password-agent"
---

# systemd-tty-ask-password-agent(1)

List or process pending systemd password requests

## NAME

systemd-tty-ask-password-agent - List or process pending systemd password requests

## SYNOPSIS

**systemd-tty-ask-password-agent** \[OPTIONS...\] \[VARIABLE=VALUE...\]

## DESCRIPTION

**systemd-tty-ask-password-agent** is a password agent that handles password requests of the system, for example for hard disk encryption passwords or SSL certificate passwords that need to be queried at boot-time or during runtime.

**systemd-tty-ask-password-agent** implements the **Password Agents Specification**\[1\], and is one of many possible response agents which answer to queries formulated with [**systemd-ask-password**(1)](/systemd-ask-password/1.md).

## OPTIONS

The following options are understood:

- **--list**

  Lists all currently pending system password requests.

  Added in version 186.

- **--query**

  Process all currently pending system password requests by querying the user on the calling TTY.

  Added in version 186.

- **--watch**

  Continuously process password requests.

  Added in version 186.

- **--wall**

  Forward password requests to [**wall**(1)](/wall/1.md) instead of querying the user on the calling TTY.

  Added in version 186.

- **--plymouth**

  Ask question with [**plymouth**(8)](/plymouth/8.md) instead of querying the user on the calling TTY.

  Added in version 186.

- **--console**\[=*DEVICE*\]

  Ask question on TTY *DEVICE* instead of querying the user on the calling TTY. If *DEVICE* is not specified, /dev/console will be used.

  Added in version 186.

- **-h**, **--help**

  Print a short help text and exit.

- **--version**

  Print a short version string and exit.

## EXIT STATUS

On success, 0 is returned, a non-zero failure code otherwise.

## SEE ALSO

[**systemd**(1)](/systemd/1.md), [**systemctl**(1)](/systemctl/1.md), [**systemd-ask-password-console.service**(8)](/systemd-ask-password-console.service/8.md), [**wall**(1)](/wall/1.md), [**plymouth**(8)](/plymouth/8.md)

## NOTES

- 1\.

  Password Agents Specification

  https://systemd.io/PASSWORD\_AGENTS/