Windows secpol.msc password policy equivalent in Linux
Shows password-aging settings for a user.
secpol.msc password policy
chage -l username
chage -l username
chage -l username
Overview
What this command does
On Windows, "secpol.msc password policy" is used to inspect password aging. On Linux, the closest practical mapping shown here is "chage -l username". Shows password-aging settings for a user. This reference is grouped under Security & Permissions → Policy.
Windows → Linux context
What changes when you use this on Linux?
Equivalent task, different tool
Windows secpol.msc password policy maps to chage -l username for this task. Treat this as a workflow mapping rather than a character-for-character syntax translation.
Portable across the compared distros
The Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch rows use the same command in this mapping. Package availability or defaults can still vary, so check the installed tool version when an option behaves differently.
For the broader concept behind this mapping, read Linux permissions for Windows users.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
Inspect password aging
Shows password-aging settings for a user.
chage -l username
Inspect password aging
chage --help
Show command help when supported
man chage
Open the manual page when installed
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
chage -l username
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows equivalent: secpol.msc password policy
chage -l usernameReference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
chage -l username | Inspect password aging |
chage --help | Show command help when supported |
man chage | Open the manual page when installed |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch all use "chage -l username" for this mapping. The command syntax shown here is portable across the three rows, although installed versions and system defaults can still vary.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | chage -l username |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | chage -l username |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | chage -l username |
Same command on this distribution. |
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