Outcome: You’ll turn visible password feedback on or off for sudo in Ubuntu 26.04, so you can confirm typing during privilege prompts.

Who this is for: Ubuntu users (especially beginners or SSH users on laggy connections) who dislike the “blank” sudo password prompt.

Time required: About 1–2 minutes.

Quick Answer

On Ubuntu 26.04 (sudo-rs), password feedback is typically on by default. To force classic silent mode, run sudo visudo and add Defaults !pwfeedback. To restore feedback, remove or comment that line. Test with sudo ls.

Prerequisites

  • Ubuntu 26.04+ terminal access
  • A user account with sudo privileges
  • Basic comfort editing sudoers via visudo

Step-by-step: Toggle sudo password feedback

  1. Check sudo implementation.
    Run sudo --version.
    Expected result check: Output references sudo-rs on Ubuntu 26.04 builds.
  2. Test current behavior.
    Run sudo ls and type your password.
    Expected result check: You either see asterisks or silent input.
  3. Set silent mode.
    Run sudo visudo, add Defaults !pwfeedback, save.
    Expected result check: Next sudo prompt is silent.
  4. Re-enable feedback.
    Open sudo visudo and remove/comment Defaults !pwfeedback.
    Expected result check: Asterisks return.
  5. SSH check.
    Reconnect over SSH and run sudo ls again.
    Expected result check: Prompt behavior matches your chosen mode.

Common mistakes

  • Editing sudoers without visudo
  • Using wrong flag direction (!pwfeedback disables feedback)
  • Testing in stale shell session

Troubleshooting

  • Use include file: sudo visudo -f /etc/sudoers.d/pwfeedback
  • Run sudo -V | grep -i pwfeedback to inspect setting
  • Open a fresh terminal and retest after changes

Reference links

Next step

Pick one mode now, then run one real command (sudo apt update or sudo ls) to confirm the prompt behavior fits your workflow.