Fix Error User Not in Sudoer File on Ubuntu: 1 Best Solution

In this guide, we want to teach you How To Fix Error User Not in Sudoer File on Ubuntu. When you want to run Linux Commands with sudo privileges on your Ubuntu server, you may get this error that said User Not in Sudoer File. This will happen when the sudo user is not in the sudo group on your Ubuntu server. You can follow the steps below to fix it.

To complete this guide, you must have access to your server as a root user. Then, follow the steps below to Fix Error User Not in Sudoer File on Ubuntu.

How To Fix the Error User Not in Sudoer File on Ubuntu? — Fix Error User Not in Sudoer File on Ubuntu

Step 1 – Create a non-root User on Ubuntu

First, we will create a non-root user to show you how it will happen. To do this, run the command below:

adduser orcacore

Enter a password for your user:

Output
Adding user `orcacore' ...
Adding new group `orcacore' (1000) ...
Adding new user `orcacore' (1000) with group `orcacore' ...
Creating home directory `/home/orcacore' ...
Copying files from `/etc/skel' ...
New password:
Retype new password:
passwd: password updated successfully
Changing the user information for orcacore
Enter the new value, or press ENTER for the default
        Full Name []:
        Room Number []:
        Work Phone []:
        Home Phone []:
        Other []:
Is the information correct? [Y/n] y

Now switch to your user account with the following command:

su - orcacore

Step 2 – Fix User Not in Sudoers File Error on Ubuntu

At this point, when you want to try to run the sudo commands with your user, you will get the following error:

sudo -i

Output
[sudo] password for orcacore:
orcacore is not in the sudoers file.  This incident will be reported.

To Fix Error User Not in Sudoer File on Ubuntu, you must add your user to the correct group. In Ubuntu servers, you just add the user to the sudo group.

To do this, switch back to your root account with the following command:

su -

Enter your root password and press enter.

Then, use the following command to add your user in the sudoers file:

usermod -aG sudo orcacore

To apply the changes, reboot your Ubuntu server with the command below:

systemctl reboot

Step 3 – Verify that the User is in the Sudoers File

When you log back to your server, switch to your user account again:

su - orcacore

You will see the following output:

Output
To run a command as administrator (user "root"), use "sudo <command>".
See "man sudo_root" for details.

This means that you have added your user to the sudoers file correctly.

Conclusion

At this point, you have learned How To Fix Error User Not in Sudoer File on Ubuntu. As you saw, it will happen when your user is not in the correct sudo group.

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FAQs

What does the “User is not in the sudoers file” error mean?

It means that the current user has no access to admin privileges for running commands with sudo.

Why do I need sudo permissions on Ubuntu?

The sudo allows you to run commands with root privileges which is necessary for installing, managing, and performing admin tasks.

How do I verify if my user is in the sudo group?

You can use the groups username to check the membership.

Alternative Solutions to "User Not in Sudoers File"

While the method described above, adding the user to the sudo group, is the most common and recommended way to grant sudo privileges, there are alternative methods to Fix Error User Not in Sudoer File on Ubuntu. These methods are less commonly used but can be helpful in specific situations.

Alternative Solution 1: Modifying the `/etc/sudoers` File Directly

This method involves directly editing the /etc/sudoers file, which controls sudo access. However, it’s crucial to use the visudo command to edit this file, as it provides syntax checking and prevents you from accidentally corrupting the file and locking yourself out of sudo access.

Explanation:

The /etc/sudoers file contains a list of users and groups and the commands they are allowed to run with sudo. By adding a line for the user, you can grant them specific or unrestricted sudo access.

Steps:

Become the root user: su -
Open the /etc/sudoers file using visudo: visudo
- This will open the file in a text editor (usually vi or nano, depending on your system’s configuration).
Add a line for your user:
- To grant the user full sudo access (equivalent to being in the sudo group), add the following line, replacing orcacore with the actual username:
```
orcacore  ALL=(ALL:ALL) ALL
```
- This line means: "The user orcacore can run any command (ALL) on any host (ALL) as any user (ALL) and any group (ALL)".
- To grant the user access to specific commands only, you can replace the final ALL with a comma-separated list of commands (including their full paths). For example:
```
orcacore  ALL=(ALL:ALL) /usr/bin/apt-get update, /usr/bin/apt-get upgrade
```
Save the file and exit the editor:
- In vi, press Esc key, type :wq, and press Enter.
- In nano, press Ctrl+X, then Y to confirm saving, and press Enter.
Test the sudo access:
- Switch back to the user account: su - orcacore
- Try running a command with sudo: sudo apt-get update

Caution:

Incorrectly editing the /etc/sudoers file can prevent you from using sudo. Always use visudo to edit the file.
Be careful when granting full sudo access. It’s generally recommended to grant access only to the commands that the user needs.
Syntax errors in the /etc/sudoers file can be difficult to troubleshoot.

Alternative Solution 2: Creating a Custom Sudoers File

Instead of directly modifying the /etc/sudoers file, you can create a separate file within the /etc/sudoers.d/ directory. This directory is specifically designed for including additional sudoers configurations.

Explanation:

The /etc/sudoers.d/ directory allows for a modular approach to managing sudo privileges. Each file within this directory is read by sudo, allowing you to organize and manage permissions in a more structured way.