sp_password (Transact-SQL)

Adds or changes a password for a Microsoft SQL Server login.

Transact-SQL Syntax Conventions

Syntax

sp_password [ [ @old = ] 'old_password' , ]
     { [ @new =] 'new_password' }
     [ , [ @loginame = ] 'login' ]

Arguments

• [ @old= ] 'old_password'
  Is the old password. old_password is sysname, with a default of NULL.

• [ @new= ] 'new_password'
  Is the new password. new_password is sysname, with no default. old_password must be specified if named parameters are not used.

  Security Note:
  Do not use a NULL password. Use a strong password. For more information, see Strong Passwords.

• [ @loginame= ] 'login'
  Is the name of the login affected by the password change. login is sysname, with a default of NULL. login must already exist and can be specified only by members of the sysadmin or securityadmin fixed server roles.

Return Code Values

0 (success) or 1 (failure)

Remarks

sp_password calls ALTER LOGIN. This statement supports additional options. For information on changing passwords, see ALTER LOGIN (Transact-SQL).

sp_password cannot be executed within a user-defined transaction.

Permissions

Requires ALTER ANY LOGIN permission. Also requires CONTROL SERVER permission to reset a password without supplying the old password, or if the login that is being changed has CONTROL SERVER permission.

A principal can change its own password.

Examples

A. Changing the password of a login without knowing the old password

The following example shows how to use ALTER LOGIN to change the password for the login Victoria to B3r1000d#2-36. This is the preferred method. The user that is executing this command must have CONTROL SERVER permission.

ALTER LOGIN Victoria WITH PASSWORD = 'B3r1000d#2-36';
GO

B. Changing a password

The following example shows how to use ALTER LOGIN to change the password for the login Victoria from B3r1000d#2-36 to V1cteAmanti55imE. This is the preferred method. User Victoria can execute this command without additional permissions. Other users require ALTER ANY LOGIN permission.

ALTER LOGIN Victoria WITH 
     PASSWORD = 'V1cteAmanti55imE' 
     OLD_PASSWORD = 'B3r1000d#2-36';
GO

See Also

Reference

Security Stored Procedures (Transact-SQL)
ALTER LOGIN (Transact-SQL)
CREATE LOGIN (Transact-SQL)
sp_addlogin (Transact-SQL)
sp_adduser (Transact-SQL)
sp_grantlogin (Transact-SQL)
sp_revokelogin (Transact-SQL)
System Stored Procedures (Transact-SQL)

Help and Information

Getting SQL Server 2005 Assistance