Reset MySQL root password (Homebrew)

homebrew_mysql_pass_reset.txt

$> launchctl unload -w ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.mysql.mysqld.plist

$> /usr/local/Cellar/mysql/5.5.9/bin/mysqld --basedir=/usr/local/Cellar/mysql/5.5.9 --datadir=/usr/local/Cellar/mysql/5.5.9/data --plugin-dir=/usr/local/Cellar/mysql/5.5.9/lib/plugin --log-error=/usr/local/Cellar/mysql/5.5.9/data/errors.err --pid-file=/usr/local/Cellar/mysql/5.5.9/data/pidfile.pid --skip-grant-tables

$> mysql

mysql> UPDATE mysql.user SET Password=PASSWORD('root_password') WHERE User='root';
mysql> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

$> kill `cat /usr/local/Cellar/mysql/5.5.9/data/pidfile.pid`

$> ps auwx | grep mysql

$> launchctl load -w ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.mysql.mysqld.plist

Note that on my current 5.7 install, you can just:

mysql.server restart --skip-grant-tables

..and then set your password.

This is what worked for me for mysql 5.7.9

UPDATE mysql.user
    SET authentication_string = PASSWORD('MyNewPass'), password_expired = 'N'
    WHERE User = 'root' AND Host = 'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

The utility mysql_secure_installation can do the trick as well.

Thanks all for sharing this info.

Hey i know im way late to the party but i just want to thank you all for this. this helped a lot!

I have mysql 5.7 on my OS majave 10.14.6 - installed using Brew. I can start and stop mysql with brew services start [email protected], but I can't connect to mysql, it throws this error ERROR 1045 (28000): Access denied for user' (using password: NO). My question is if I can't connect to mysql, how can I run @raags script. Also, I tried executing @preston mysql.server restart --skip-grant-tables but it erred out with unable to restart due to PID issue and the error said it's stopped mysql server - but when I ran brew services list it showed 3 local mysql instances still running, which I ended up killing all 3 instances with kill -9 {PID} - what is the cleanest way to reset my root password at this point - do you know if Brew offers this option? Help would be greatly appreciated!

When I installed MySQL on Homebrew, I tried mysql_secure_installation and I put the new password (because there was no assigned password) but when I pressed enter, I got a 'ERROR 1045 (28000): Access denied for user 'root'@'localhost' (using password: YES)'. Any way to help?

same with @aristonlorenzo

No reinstall needed for me,
Iam using Catalina and use this mysql_secure_installation command and now works for me:

$ mysql_secure_installation
NOTE: RUNNING ALL PARTS OF THIS SCRIPT IS RECOMMENDED FOR ALL MariaDB
      SERVERS IN PRODUCTION USE!  PLEASE READ EACH STEP CAREFULLY!

In order to log into MariaDB to secure it, we'll need the current
password for the root user. If you've just installed MariaDB, and
haven't set the root password yet, you should just press enter here.

Enter current password for root (enter for none): << enter root here >>

i enter root as current password

OK, successfully used password, moving on...

Setting the root password or using the unix_socket ensures that nobody
can log into the MariaDB root user without the proper authorisation.

and do the rest

mysql_secure_installation

it doesn't work for me :(

try :
sudo mysql_secure_installation

try :
sudo mysql_secure_installation

it working for me on Catalina 10.15.6

I did brew install mysql and then ran sudo mysql_secure_installation. The first thing it asks is the password for root. I've tried my login password, root, and no password and nothing and everything gives an Access denied for user 'root'@'localhost' error. It supposedly said it installed it without a password but not supplying one doesn't work. I've also tried mariadb and that doesn't work either. Can anyone help me get unstuck? Thanks!

$ brew services stop mysql
$ pkill mysqld
$ rm -rf /usr/local/var/mysql/ # NOTE: this will delete your existing database!!!
$ brew postinstall mysql
$ brew services restart mysql
$ mysql -uroot

this work perfectly for me

$ brew services stop mysql
$ pkill mysqld
$ rm -rf /usr/local/var/mysql/ # NOTE: this will delete your existing database!!!
$ brew postinstall mysql
$ brew services restart mysql
$ mysql -uroot

this work perfectly for me

Thanks @imamalys! This was the only thing that worked for me!

$ brew services stop mysql
$ pkill mysqld
$ rm -rf /usr/local/var/mysql/ # NOTE: this will delete your existing database!!!
$ brew postinstall mysql
$ brew services restart mysql
$ mysql -uroot

this work perfectly for me

Thanks @imamalys! It is worked for me!

$ brew services stop mysql
$ pkill mysqld
$ rm -rf /usr/local/var/mysql/ # NOTE: this will delete your existing database!!!
$ brew postinstall mysql
$ brew services restart mysql
$ mysql -uroot

this work perfectly for me

@imamalys! It worked, Thanks so much!

$ brew services stop mysql
$ pkill mysqld
$ rm -rf /usr/local/var/mysql/ # NOTE: this will delete your existing database!!!
$ brew postinstall mysql
$ brew services restart mysql
$ mysql -uroot

this work perfectly for me

@imamalys! It works for me, Thanks

$ brew services stop mysql
$ pkill mysqld
$ rm -rf /usr/local/var/mysql/ # NOTE: this will delete your existing database!!!
$ brew postinstall mysql
$ brew services restart mysql
$ mysql -uroot

this work perfectly for me
@imamalys THANK YOU!!!

Everytime I restart my system, I will have to re-do these steps to work with mysql! Is there a way I can make this a permanent change?

brew services restart mysql

thanks for this. it worked for me

/opt/homebrew/opt/mysql/bin/mysqld_safe --datadir=/opt/homebrew/var/mysql to run safe server

Everytime I restart my system, I will have to re-do these steps to work with mysql! Is there a way I can make this a permanent change?

@rajeswarivmarimuthu Did you ever figure out what is causing this? mine is doing the same thing

$ brew services stop mysql $ pkill mysqld $ rm -rf /usr/local/var/mysql/ # NOTE: this will delete your existing database!!! $ brew postinstall mysql $ brew services restart mysql $ mysql -uroot

this work perfectly for me @imamalys THANK YOU!!!

Not working form me in macOS Sonoma 14.1.1
Any other solution?

$ brew services stop mysql $ pkill mysqld $ rm -rf /usr/local/var/mysql/ # NOTE: this will delete your existing database!!! $ brew postinstall mysql $ brew services restart mysql $ mysql -uroot
this work perfectly for me @imamalys THANK YOU!!!

Not working form me in macOS Sonoma 14.1.1 Any other solution?

try this, It's works for me :)

https://aungzanbaw.medium.com/how-to-reset-root-user-password-in-mysql-8-0-a5c328d098a8