---
name: "vncpasswd"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "tigervnc"
version: "1.16.2-5"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/vncpasswd"
---

# vncpasswd(1)

change the VNC password

## NAME

vncpasswd - change the VNC password

## SYNOPSIS

**vncpasswd** \[*passwd-file*\]\
 **vncpasswd** -f

## DESCRIPTION

**vncpasswd** allows you to set the password used to access VNC desktops.  Its default behavior is to prompt for a VNC password and then store an obfuscated version of this password to *passwd-file* (or to *$XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/tigervnc/passwd* if no passwordfile is specified.)  The **vncserver** script runs **vncpasswd** the first time you start a VNC desktop, and it invokes **Xvnc** with the appropriate **-rfbauth** option. **vncviewer** can also be given a password file to use via the **-passwd** option.

The password must be at least six characters long (unless the **-f** command-line option is used-- see below), and only the first eight characters are significant.  Note that the stored password is **not** encrypted securely - anyone who has access to this file can trivially find out the plain-text password, so **vncpasswd** always sets appropriate permissions (read and write only by the owner.)  However, when accessing a VNC desktop, a challenge-response mechanism is used over the wire making it hard for anyone to crack the password simply by snooping on the network.

## OPTIONS

- **-f**

  Filter mode.  Read a plain-text password from stdin and write an encrypted version to stdout.  Note that in filter mode, short or even empty passwords will be silently accepted.

  A view-only password must be separated from the normal password by a newline character.

## FILES

- *$XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/tigervnc/passwd* *$HOME/.config/tigervnc/passwd*

  Default location of the VNC password file.

## SEE ALSO

[**vncviewer**(1)](/vncviewer/1.md), [**Xvnc**(1)](/Xvnc/1.md) [**vncconfig**(1)](/vncconfig/1.md), [**vncsession**(8)](/vncsession/8.md)\
 https://www.tigervnc.org

## AUTHORS

Tristan Richardson, RealVNC Ltd., Antoine Martin, D. R. Commander and others.

VNC was originally developed by the RealVNC team while at Olivetti Research Ltd / AT&T Laboratories Cambridge.  TightVNC additions were implemented by Constantin Kaplinsky. Many other people have since participated in development, testing and support. This manual is part of the TigerVNC software suite.