> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://mariadb.com/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://mariadb.com/docs/maxscale/maxscale-management/administrative-tools-for-mariadb-maxscale-maxctrl/deleting-a-rest-api-user-for-maxscale-with-maxctrl.md).

# Deleting a REST API User for MaxScale with MaxCtrl

Remove unwanted or obsolete REST API users from your MariaDB MaxScale instance. This guide demonstrates how to safely delete user credentials using the MaxCtrl command-line utility.

## Overview

MaxScale has a [REST API](/docs/maxscale/reference/maxscale-rest-api.md), which can be configured to require authentication. When it is first installed, it has a single default admin user (admin) and password (mariadb). However, this user can be deleted, and other users can be created.

[MaxCtrl](/docs/maxscale/maxscale-management/administrative-tools-for-mariadb-maxscale-maxctrl.md) is a command-line utility that can perform administrative tasks using MaxScale's [REST API](/docs/maxscale/reference/maxscale-rest-api.md). It can be used to delete a user for the REST API.

## Deleting a User

1. [Configure the REST API](/docs/maxscale/maxscale-management/configuring-maxscales-rest-api.md) if the default configuration is not sufficient.
2. Use *MaxCtrl* to execute the [destroy user](/docs/maxscale/reference/maxscale-maxctrl.md#destroy-user) command:

```bash
$ maxctrl --secure
   --user=maxscale_rest_admin
   --password=maxscale_rest_admin_password
   --hosts=192.0.2.100:8443
   --tls-key=/certs/client-key.pem
   --tls-cert=/certs/client-cert.pem
   --tls-ca-cert=/certs/ca.pem
   destroy user "admin"
```

Replace `admin` with the actual user.

{% hint style="info" %}
MaxScale will refuse to delete the last remaining admin user.
{% endhint %}

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