Overview

If you are unable to log in using your Kerio Connect administrator credentials, you can recover the admin account by manually modifying the users.cfg file or the mailserver.cfg file. Then you will be able to log in and set a new password.

Process

Editing the users.cfg File

1. Stop Kerio Connect.

2. Locate the users.cfg file. The default locations are:

   • On Windows: C:\Program Files\Kerio\MailServer

   • On macOS: /usr/local/kerio/mailserver

   • On Linux: /opt/kerio/mailserver

3. Open the users.cfg file in a text editor.

   Note: On macOS/Linux, use your root account to edit the file.

   

4. Find the name of your admin account next to the following variable: 

   <variable name="Name">

   For example: 

   <variable name="Name">jsmith</variable>

5. Under your administrator name, find the following variable: 

   <variable name="Password">

   For example: 

   <variable name="Password">D3S:1234ab56c7de89</variable>

6. Change the Password variable value to NUL:.

   <variable name="Password">NUL:</variable>

7. Under the same administrator name, find the following line:

   <variable name="Rights">0</variable>

8. Change its value to 1:

   <variable name="Rights">1</variable>

   

9. Save the updated file.

10. Start Kerio Connect.

11. Log in to the WebAdmin portal using your admin username (without any password).

12. Create a new password.

Editing the mailserver.cfg File

1. Stop Kerio Connect.

2. Locate the mailserver.cfg file. The default locations are:

   • On Windows: C:\Program Files\Kerio\MailServer

   • On macOS: /usr/local/kerio/mailserver

   • On Linux: /opt/kerio/mailserver

3. Open the mailserver.cfg file in a text editor.

   Note: On macOS/Linux, use your root account to edit the file.

4. Under the Administration table, set the BuiltInAdminEnabled variable value to 1.

5. Change the BuiltInAdminUsername variable value to kerioadmin.

6. Delete the value for the BuiltInAdminPassword variable.

   

7. Save the file.

8. Start Kerio Connect.

9. Log in to the WebAdmin portal using kerioadmin username (without any password).

10. Navigate to Configuration > Administration Settings.
    

    

11. Set a new password.

Video Illustrations

The following video shows the steps to edit the mailserver.cfg file and reset the admin password on Linux:

The following video shows the steps to edit the mailserver.cfg file and reset the admin password on Mac:

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