How to enable and disable automatic login on Ubuntu Linux via the GUI and CLI

Ubuntu makes it easy to manage user login settings, including automatic login. Whether you’re streamlining a home setup or locking down a shared machine, here’s how to enable or disable auto login using both the graphical interface and the command line.

🔧 Method 1: Enable/Disable Automatic Login via the GUI

This is the easiest route if you’re using Ubuntu Desktop.

✅ Enable Automatic Login

1. Open Settings (gear icon in the system menu).
2. Scroll down and select Users.
3. Click Unlock (top-right) and enter your password.
4. Select the user account you want to modify.
5. Toggle Automatic Login to ON.

❌ Disable Automatic Login

Just reverse the process:

• Go to Settings > Users.
• Select the user.
• Toggle Automatic Login to OFF.

That’s it. Simple, fast, done.

💻 Method 2: Enable/Disable Automatic Login via the Command Line

If you’re working remotely, configuring headless systems, or just prefer the terminal, here’s how to do it using the CLI.

🔍 Step 1: Open a Terminal

You’ll need superuser privileges, so prefix with sudo as needed.

✅ To Enable Automatic Login:

1. Edit the GDM custom configuration file: sudo nano /etc/gdm3/custom.conf
2. Uncomment or add these lines under the [daemon] section: [daemon] AutomaticLoginEnable = true AutomaticLogin = your-username
3. Save and exit (Ctrl + O, Enter, then Ctrl + X).
4. Reboot: sudo reboot

Replace your-username with your actual Ubuntu username.

❌ To Disable Automatic Login:

Just set AutomaticLoginEnable to false:

[daemon]
AutomaticLoginEnable = false

Then save, exit, and reboot.

🧠 Bonus Tip: Check Current Settings

To verify if auto login is active without opening a config file:

grep -i automatic /etc/gdm3/custom.conf

Final Notes

Automatic login is convenient, but it bypasses password security at startup. If you’re on a shared or sensitive system, it’s best left off. That said, for a kiosk, media center, or VM, it’s a time-saver.

Need to automate this via a script or during provisioning? Let me know—I can help write that too.