---
title: Disable or delete the initial root account
description: The initial root user account that setup creates should only be used to apply an initial set of configuration changes and create individual accounts for all of the other administrators.
component: pingdirectory
version: 11.0
page_id: pingdirectory:pingdirectory_security_guide:pd_sec_disable_delete_init_root_acct
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingdirectory/11.0/pingdirectory_security_guide/pd_sec_disable_delete_init_root_acct.html
revdate: September 13, 2023
---

# Disable or delete the initial root account

The initial root user account that `setup` creates should only be used to apply an initial set of configuration changes and create individual accounts for all of the other administrators.

From that point on, each administrator should use their own account for managing the server, and the initial root account is no longer needed.

To ensure that the initial root user account cannot be compromised or otherwise used inappropriately, it should be disabled by setting its `disabled` property to true or by setting the `ds-pwp-account-disabled` operational attribute to true in the configuration entry or completely removed from the server.

See the `config/sample-dsconfig-batch-files/disable-or-remove-the-initial-root-user.dsconfig` batch file for more information about disabling or removing this account.