What is the default system administrator password for my NAS?

Last modified date: 2026-09-01

Applicable Products

QTS
QuTS hero

Introduction

All NAS devices have the default system administrator account "admin". This account can configure settings, create users, and install applications. This account cannot be deleted and depending on your QTS/QuTS hero version may be disabled by default.

The default password of the "admin" account varies depending on your QTS/QuTS hero versions. Please check your versions before proceeding.

Concepts

Understanding NAS Account & Cloud Key & QNAP ID

Tip

We recommend understanding the differences between these three concepts before proceeding to steps.
Whenever you log in to your NAS or to a QNAP service, please double-check the account type you are prompted to provide.

NAS Account: A NAS account is a local account on your QNAP NAS, used to log in to this specific device. "admin" is the NAS account created by default on every NAS. For QTS/QuTS hero 5.2.0 and later, this account is disabled by default and is automatically re-enabled after a system reset. This FAQ explains how to retrieve the password of this default "admin" NAS account. If you have created a different administrator account during device setup, the passwords described in this FAQ do not apply to that account.

Cloud Key: A Cloud Key is a unique identifier that comes with every QNAP NAS, regardless of whether you have configured any cloud settings. You can usually find the Cloud Key on a sticker on your device, in your Quick Installation Guide or in your device details on Qfinder Pro. For QTS/QuTS hero 5.2.0 and later, this Cloud Key serves as the default password for the "admin" NAS account. Outside of that specific use, do not treat your Cloud Key as a login credential.

QNAP ID (QNAP Account): A QNAP ID (QNAP Account) is an account (typically your email address or phone number) used to access various QNAP services (such as myQNAPcloud) and to manage your NAS remotely. Your QNAP ID and your NAS account are separate credentials with separate passwords.

Details

QTS/QuTS hero 5.2.0 and later (such as 5.2.x, 5.3.x, 6.0.0)

Note

The default "admin" account is disabled by default but will be automatically enabled after a system reset or system restore. To protect your system from malicious attacks, we recommend creating a new administrator account and disable the default administrator account "admin".
To comply with the EU’s cybersecurity requirements, manufacturers must avoid universal default credentials. Corresponding EU/industry standards require no universal default passwords, mandating unique per-device credentials or enforcing a password change on first use. Accordingly, starting with QTS/QuTS hero 5.2.0, the default administrator password was changed to the device’s Cloud Key (earlier versions used the first NIC’s MAC; much older versions used admin/admin), aligning with these requirements.

The credentials of the default administrator NAS account:

Username: admin
Password: The Cloud Key of your device in uppercase letters and without any special characters. For example, if the Cloud Key is Q1234-5678, the password is Q12345678

Finding your device's Cloud Key

You can find the Cloud Key of your device with any of the following methods:

Method A: From the device sticker or the Quick Installation Guide

You can find your Cloud Key from the sticker attached to the cover of your NAS or from the Quick Installation Guide that comes with your NAS.

Method B: Use Qfinder Pro

Use Qfinder Pro without a NAS user account:
1. Power off your NAS.
2. Remove all hard drives from your NAS.
3. Remove all internal M.2 SSDs and QM2 PCIe expansion card if any.
4. Power on your NAS.
5. Download and install Qfinder Pro.
6. Open Qfinder Pro.
7. Select your device.
8. Click Details.
9. The Device Details window appears.
  Your device's Cloud Key is displayed in the Device Details window.
Use Qfinder Pro with a NAS user account:
1. Download and install Qfinder Pro.
2. Open Qfinder Pro.
3. Select your device.
4. Click Details.
  The Login window appears. Enter your NAS account username and password and click OK.
5. The Device Details window appears.
  Your device's Cloud Key is displayed in the Device Details window.

Method C: Use myQNAPcloud

Log in to myQNAPcloudwith your QNAP ID:
1. Login to myQNAPcloud.
2. Go to Device Management.
3. Locate and click on your device.
4. Click Device Detail.
  Your device's Cloud Key is displayed in the Device Detail tab.

If you cannot find your device's Cloud Key from the above methods, please contact QNAP customer support.

If you manually enable the "admin" account in Control Panel, you will need to specify a new password that is different from the Cloud Key of your device. If your firmware was updated from version 5.1.x or earlier, and you were using the default "admin" account with the default password, you will be required to change the password to something different than the Cloud Key of your device.

QTS/QuTS hero 4.4.2 - 5.1.x

The following default system administrator account is used:

Warning

To protect your system from malicious attacks, it is recommended to create a new administrator account and disable the default administrator account "admin".

Username: admin
Password: The first MAC address of the NAS in uppercase letters and without special characters. For example, if the MAC address was 00-08-9B-F6-15-75, the password is 00089BF61575

The MAC address sticker is physically attached to the rear of the NAS. If your NAS has multiple NICs, use the MAC address listed as MAC1:

In Qfinder Pro, the value is listed in the MAC Address column:

QTS/QuTS hero 4.4.1 - 4.3.6 or earlier