How to Add Users in Linux From Cinnamon Desktop

Updated June 10, 2019

Linux is a multi-user environment. That means you can have more than one user on a single computer, each with their own protected directory to house their files. Each user can log into their desktop, configure it how they see fit, create and save files, and browse the web: All without disturbing other users' information (and without other users seeing their data).

So if you have a household with a shared computer that everyone needs to use, Linux makes for an ideal environment.

How you create new users will depend on which desktop environment is installed on the computer. Let’s find out how this is done on the Cinnamon desktop (which is the default for Linux Mint), using both the GUI and the command line.

How We Tested

For this demonstration, we used Linux Mint 19 running Cinnamon 4.0.10. The version of Cinnamon should not change the process.

The GUI Method

We’ll first do this the easy way. To add a new user with the GUI tool, follow these steps:

Click the Cinnamon desktop menu.
Click Settings.
In the Settings window, scroll down and click Users and Groups.
When prompted, type your user password and click Authenticate.
Click Add.
Select either Standard or Administrator from the Account Type drop-down.
Type a Full Name for the user.
Type a username for the user. This is the name the user will use to log into the system.
Click Add.

At this point you have created a new user. However, the new user doesn’t have a password. In order for that new user to log into their account, it must be set. Here’s how:

From the Users and Groups window select the newly created user.
Click No password set.
Type and verify a new password.
Click Change.

That’s it. You’ve successfully created a new user that can log into the Linux machine. Log out of your current account and log in as that new user to make sure all is well.

The Command Line Method

We’re going to do the same thing now, only this time via the command line. You’ll be surprised at how simple this task is, even from the command line. Here’s how you add a new user with this method:

Click on the terminal launcher in the panel.
In the terminal window, issue the command
```
sudo adduser USERNAME
```
where USERNAME is the name of the new user to be added and type your own superuser (sudo)q password.
When prompted, enter and verify a password for the new user and then answer the questions. These questions are optional, but you should at minimum fill out the Full Name option.
Type Y to save the information.