Set a Custom Password for Okta Users
Aug 25, 2025
Administration
Okta Classic Engine
Okta Identity Engine
Overview
NOTE: Some of the curl code examples on this page include SSWS API token authentication. However, Okta recommends using scoped OAuth 2.0 and OIDC access tokens to authenticate with Okta management APIs. OAuth 2.0 and OIDC access tokens provide fine-grain control over the bearer's actions on specific endpoints. See Okta API authentication methods.
Applies To
- Custom Password
- User Management
- API
Solution
A custom password can be set by an Okta admin only in two scenarios:
- When the user is created directly in Okta (Okta Sourced).
- After the Okta-sourced user was created and activated in Okta.
Check out the following video or the steps below.
A custom password, after a user has been created, can be added only through an API call:
curl -v -X POST \
-H "Accept: application/json" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Authorization: SSWS ${api_token}" \
-d '{
"credentials": {
"password" : { "value": "Insert Password" }
}
}' "https://${myOktaDomain}/api/v1/users/00ub0oNGTSWTBKOLGLNR"
This API call is already added to Postman. To add the user ID and the desired password, click Send.
