What is Accounts-Daemon?
In Ubuntu, the accounts-daemon service is a background process that interfaces with the AccountsService D-Bus API. Its primary job is to query and manipulate user account information. It tracks which users are currently logged in, manages user profile pictures, handles password changes via the GUI, and populates the list of users on the GDM (GNOME Display Manager) login screen.
If you are managing a shared computer in a university lab with fifty different student accounts, this service is essential. However, if you are running a single-user desktop PC, a headless home server, or a Raspberry Pi where you are the only person who will ever log in, this service is completely redundant. It constantly runs in the background, consuming a small amount of memory to manage a single account. You can safely disable it to save resources.
How to Disable Accounts-Daemon in Ubuntu
To prevent this service from running, you must disable it via systemctl.
- Open your Ubuntu Terminal (shortcut:
Ctrl + Alt + T). - First, stop the daemon from running in your current session:
sudo systemctl stop accounts-daemon.service- Next, disable the service so it is permanently prevented from launching on the next system boot:
sudo systemctl disable accounts-daemon.service- If you want to ensure no other GNOME service accidentally wakes it up via D-Bus, you should mask it:
sudo systemctl mask accounts-daemon.serviceWhat happens when I disable it?
Your system will still boot normally, and you can still log in. However, the graphical “Users” section in the Ubuntu Settings app may fail to load properly, and you will need to use standard terminal commands (like passwd or usermod) if you ever want to change your password or modify your account details in the future.