---
title: "How to Add a User and Grant Root Privileges on CentOS 6.5"
source: "https://docs.nexcess.com/hosting/server-administration/linux/how-to-add-a-user-and-grant-root-privileges-on-centos-6-5/"
description: "Working from a CentOS 6.5 server as root, these instructions are intended specifically for adding a user on this operating system."
vertical: "Hosting"
date: "2014-07-18"
last_modified: "2026-07-02"
---

# How to Add a User and Grant Root Privileges on CentOS 6.5

Pre-Flight Check

- These instructions are intended specifically for adding a user on CentOS 6.5.
- I’ll be working from a Liquid Web [Core Managed CentOS 6.5 server](https://www.liquidweb.com/dedicated-server-hosting/managed-servers/), and I’ll be logged in as root.
- You can view all our [dedicated server solutions](https://www.liquidweb.com/dedicated-server-hosting/) at your leisure.

Step 1: Add the User

It’s just one simple command to add a user. In this case, we’re adding a user called mynewuser :

`adduser mynewuser`

Now set the password for the new user:

`passwd mynewuser`

Step 2: Grant Root Privileges to the User

`visudo`

Find the following code:

\## Allow root to run any commands anywhere  
root ALL=(ALL) ALL

In this case, we’re granting root privileges to the user mynewuser . Add the following below that code:

`mynewuser    ALL=(ALL)       ALL`

Then exit and save the file with the command :wq .

If you’ve followed the instruction above correctly, then you should now have a user setup by the name of mynewuser which can use sudo to run commands as root!

If you need to remove a user, check out our step-by-step article on [deleting a user on CentOS 6](https://docs.nexcess.com/hosting/server-administration/linux/how-to-remove-delete-a-user-on-centos-6/).