---
title: The retire password and purge password controls
description: Including the retire password and purge password controls in a modify request or a password modify extended request affect a user's current password and a user's ability to authenticate.
component: pingdirectory
version: 11.0
page_id: pingdirectory:pingdirectory_security_guide:pd_sec_retire_purge_pw_controls
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingdirectory/11.0/pingdirectory_security_guide/pd_sec_retire_purge_pw_controls.html
revdate: September 13, 2023
---

# The retire password and purge password controls

Including the retire password and purge password controls in a modify request or a password modify extended request affect a user's current password and a user's ability to authenticate.

The [retire password request control](https://docs.ldap.com/ldap-sdk/docs/javadoc/index.html?com/unboundid/ldap/sdk/unboundidds/controls/RetirePasswordRequestControl.html) can be included in a modify request or a password modify extended request to indicate that the user's current password should be retired so that it can continue to be used to authenticate to the account, as an alternative to the new password, for a limited period of time.

The [purge password request control](https://docs.ldap.com/ldap-sdk/docs/javadoc/index.html?com/unboundid/ldap/sdk/unboundidds/controls/PurgePasswordRequestControl.html) can be used to indicate that the user's current password should be purged from the entry even if it would have otherwise been retired based on the password policy configuration.