Where Are Linux Users and Passwords Stored?
/etc/passwd, shadow, group and gshadow roles plus the useradd and passwd commands that edit them.
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Linux splits identity across four files: passwd maps names to UIDs and shells, shadow holds password hashes, group and gshadow cover memberships. Only shadow stays root only.
Edit with useradd, usermod and passwd, not a text editor. The pwck and grpck checkers validate the files after changes.
Where Linux stores this, by platform
/etc/passwd
World readable by design; hashes live in /etc/shadow (root only). Groups in /etc/group with secrets in /etc/gshadow.
Frequently asked questions
Why is there an x where the password should be?
Modern systems store hashes in shadow, leaving x as a pointer. That split is what keeps hashes out of world readable files.
How do I list all real users?
Filter passwd for interactive shells and UID ranges. System accounts share the same file withnologin shells.
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