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# How to change Sudo Session's Time Limit.
- URL: https://snubmonkey.com/how-to-change-the-time-limit-for-a-sudo-session/
- Published: 2022-11-28T00:24:37.000Z
- Updated: 2025-04-16T22:32:27.000Z
- Author: yannick Coffi
- Tags: how to 🪄, linux 🐧

The `sudo` command allows us to securely perform great administrative tasks. However, after some time running a command with `sudo`, will prompt for a password. Because of the 15 minutes grace period; your *sudo session* has by default. When the 15 minutes are out, you’ll be forced to reenter your password.

In some cases, you might want to change the duration limit for the *sudo session*.

## Set Sudo Timeout Sessions Globally

If you wish to adjust the default timeout limit for the *sudo session* system-wide, simply edit the `/etc/sudoers` file.

```
$ sudo visudo

Ouput

# This file MUST be edited with the 'visudo' command as root.
#
# Please consider adding local content in /etc/sudoers.d/ instead of
# directly modifying this file.
#
# See the man page for details on how to write a sudoers file.
#
Defaults        env_reset
Defaults        mail_badpass
Defaults        secure_path="/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/snap/bin"
Defaults        insults

# Host alias specification
###
##
#
```

Note: Never edit the `/etc/sudoers` file with any text editor; instead use the `visudo` command described above. The reason is that, unlike other text editors, the `visudo` checks the syntax and errors in the file. This prevents you from making mistakes that might have catastrophic consequences.  

... add `timestamp_timeout=x` to the end of the line. Where *x* is the timeout value for the *sudo session*. For instance, to set a timeout value for the sudo session to 8 minutes set the value of *x* to *8*.  

```
Defaults env_reset timestamp_timeout=x

Defaults env_reset,timestamp_timeout=8

```

  
Again, if you want the system to ask for a password every time you execute the `sudo` command, set the value of *x* to *0*. Similarly, if you want the system to never ask for the `sudo` password, then set the value of *x* to *\-1*.

##   
Set sudo session to run until Terminal exits
  
  
Simply run the `sudo` command with an `-s` or the `--shell` option command to make your *sudo session* stay on until you close the terminal, regardless of how long the terminal is open. You will not be required a password after running this command for any command that requires sudo privileges:

```
$ sudo -s

```

The **\-s** option allows you to run the shell as the target user who is running it.

##   
Exit the sudo session

After entering the `sudo` password, you can exit the *sudo session* before the time limit defined in the `/etc/sudoers` file.   
The command is as follows:  

```
$ sudo -k

```

  
However, keep in mind that if you have already issued the `sudo –s` command; the `-k` option will not terminate the sessions. You must exit to end that session.  

That’s it!