Why can't I reset the root user password for my AWS account in IAM?

Resolution

Root user password reset failures occur for several reasons. Use the following sections to identify which scenario applies to your AWS account.

Contact your AWS Organizations administrator

If your AWS account is a member account in AWS Organizations and your organization has activated centralized root access, then your member account doesn't have root user credentials. You don't have permissions to sign in as a root user, and you can't reset the root user password for a member account.

If you need to perform a task that requires root user credentials, then contact your AWS Organizations administrator.

Reset your root user password

If AWS Organizations doesn't manage your AWS account with centralized root access, then reset your root user password.

Troubleshoot password reset issues

Password reset links from AWS are time sensitive. If you receive a password reset link that you didn't request, then review your AWS CloudTrail logs for PasswordRecoveryRequested events to review for unexpected reset activity.

If you didn't receive the password reset email, then see I don't have access to the email for my AWS account.

If you have issues with the multi-step verification process during account recovery, then see My MFA device is lost or stopped working.

Related information

Troubleshoot issues with the root user

Root user best practices for your AWS account

Sign in to the AWS Management Console as the root user