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Forgot Password Recovery ​

Step-by-step guide to recover access when you've forgotten your password.

Overview ​

If you've forgotten your Mist password, you can reset it using the mist-cli command-line tool. This tool provides direct database access to change user passwords without requiring dashboard access.

Server Access Required

You need SSH or direct access to the server where Mist is installed to use this method.

Quick Recovery Steps ​

1. SSH into Your Server ​

Connect to your server where Mist is installed:

bash
ssh user@your-server-ip

2. Reset Password Using CLI ​

Run the password reset command:

bash
sudo mist-cli user change-password --username YOUR_USERNAME

You'll be prompted to enter and confirm your new password:

Enter new password: 
Confirm new password: 
✓ Password changed successfully for user 'YOUR_USERNAME'

3. Log Back In ​

Navigate to your Mist dashboard and log in with your new password:

https://your-mist-domain.com

Detailed Instructions ​

For Admin Users ​

If you're the admin and forgot the admin password:

bash
# SSH to server
ssh user@your-server-ip

# Reset admin password
sudo mist-cli user change-password --username admin

# Enter and confirm new password when prompted

Example session:

bash
$ sudo mist-cli user change-password --username admin
Enter new password: ****************
Confirm new password: ****************
✓ Password changed successfully for user 'admin'

For Other Users ​

If you're helping another user who forgot their password:

bash
# First, list all users to verify the username
sudo mist-cli user list

# Output:
# Users:
# ----------------------------------------------
# ID    Username             Email                          Role      
# ----------------------------------------------
# 1     admin                admin@example.com              owner     
# 2     developer            dev@example.com                member    
# ----------------------------------------------

# Reset the specific user's password
sudo mist-cli user change-password --username developer

Non-Interactive Mode ​

If you need to reset a password in a script or automation, you can provide the password directly:

bash
sudo mist-cli user change-password --username admin --password NewSecurePass123

Security Notice

Using the --password flag will expose the password in:

  • Shell history
  • Process list (visible via ps command)
  • Log files

Use this method only when necessary and clear your shell history afterward:

bash
history -c

Troubleshooting ​

CLI Command Not Found ​

Error:

bash
mist-cli: command not found

Solution:

Check if the CLI is installed:

bash
ls -la /usr/local/bin/mist-cli

If not found, rebuild and install the CLI:

bash
cd /opt/mist/cli
sudo go build -o mist-cli
sudo cp mist-cli /usr/local/bin/
sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/mist-cli

# Verify installation
mist-cli version

Permission Denied ​

Error:

bash
Error: open /var/lib/mist/mist.db: permission denied

Solution:

Run the command with sudo:

bash
sudo mist-cli user change-password --username admin

Database Not Found ​

Error:

bash
Error: database file not found at /var/lib/mist/mist.db

Solution:

Verify Mist is installed and running:

bash
# Check service status
sudo systemctl status mist

# Check if database file exists
ls -la /var/lib/mist/mist.db

# If service is not running, start it
sudo systemctl start mist

User Not Found ​

Error:

bash
Error: User 'johndoe' not found

Solution:

List all users to find the correct username:

bash
sudo mist-cli user list

Usernames are case-sensitive, so ensure you're using the exact username as shown in the list.

Passwords Don't Match ​

Error:

bash
Error: Passwords do not match

Solution:

When entering passwords in interactive mode, make sure you type the same password twice. If you keep getting this error:

  1. Copy your desired password to clipboard
  2. Paste it when prompted for "Enter new password"
  3. Paste it again when prompted for "Confirm new password"

Or use non-interactive mode:

bash
sudo mist-cli user change-password --username admin --password YourNewPassword123

Security Best Practices ​

After Password Reset ​

  1. Clear shell history if you used non-interactive mode:
bash
history -c

  1. Use a strong password:

    • At least 12 characters
    • Mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols
    • Avoid common words or patterns

  2. Consider using a password manager like:

    • Bitwarden
    • 1Password
    • KeePassXC

Prevent Future Lockouts ​

  1. Store passwords securely:

    • Use a password manager
    • Keep encrypted backup of credentials
    • Document recovery procedures

  2. Set up multiple admin accounts:

bash
# Create a backup admin account (via dashboard)
# Or add an additional user with owner role
  1. Keep SSH access secure:
    • Use SSH keys instead of passwords
    • Document server access procedures
    • Maintain backup access methods

Alternative Recovery Methods ​

If You Don't Have Server Access ​

If you cannot access the server directly, you'll need to:

  1. Contact your hosting provider or system administrator
  2. Access the server console through your cloud provider's dashboard (AWS, DigitalOcean, etc.)
  3. Use server recovery mode if available

If CLI is Not Available ​

If the CLI tool is not installed or not working, you can reset the password directly in the database:

Advanced Users Only

Direct database manipulation can corrupt your data. Use the CLI method when possible.

bash
# Connect to database
sqlite3 /var/lib/mist/mist.db

# Generate password hash (use a temporary Go script or online bcrypt generator)
# Then update the database
UPDATE users SET password_hash = 'YOUR_BCRYPT_HASH' WHERE username = 'admin';
.quit

Testing the New Password ​

After resetting your password:

  1. Open your browser and navigate to Mist dashboard
  2. Clear browser cookies (recommended):
    • Chrome: Settings → Privacy → Clear browsing data → Cookies
    • Firefox: Settings → Privacy → Clear Data → Cookies
  3. Log in with your username and new password
  4. Verify access to all dashboard features

Common Scenarios ​

Scenario 1: Locked Out as Only Admin ​

bash
# SSH to server
ssh user@server

# Reset your admin password
sudo mist-cli user change-password --username admin

# Log back into dashboard
# https://your-mist-domain.com

Scenario 2: Reset Password for Another User ​

bash
# List users first
sudo mist-cli user list

# Reset specific user's password
sudo mist-cli user change-password --username developer

# Notify the user of their password reset

Scenario 3: Bulk Password Reset ​

bash
# Reset multiple users (requires bash loop)
for user in developer tester; do
  sudo mist-cli user change-password --username $user --password TempPassword123
  echo "Reset password for $user"
done

# Notify users to change their temporary passwords

Getting Help ​

If you're still having trouble recovering access:

Check Documentation ​

Community Support ​

Provide This Information ​

When asking for help, include:

bash
# Mist version
curl http://localhost:8080/api/updates/version

# Service status
sudo systemctl status mist

# CLI version
mist-cli version

# User list (remove sensitive info)
sudo mist-cli user list

Released under the MIT License.

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