How can I restore the MySQL root user’s full privileges?

I accidentally removed some of the privileges from my MySQL root user, including the ability to alter tables. Is there some way I can restore this user to its original state (with all privileges)?

UPDATE mysql.user SET Grant_priv = 'Y', Super_priv = 'Y' WHERE User = 'root';
# MySQL returned an empty result set (i.e. zero rows).
FLUSH PRIVILEGES ;
# MySQL returned an empty result set (i.e. zero rows).


#1045 - Access denied for user 'root'@'localhost' (using password: YES)
GRANT ALL ON *.* TO 'root'@'localhost'

If the GRANT ALL doesn't work, try:

1. Stop mysqld and restart it with the --skip-grant-tables option.

2. Connect to the mysqld server with just: mysql (i.e. no -p option, and username may not be required).

3. Issue the following commands in the mysql client:

   UPDATE mysql.user SET Grant_priv='Y', Super_priv='Y' WHERE User='root';

   FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

After that, you should be able to run GRANT ALL ON *.* TO 'root'@'localhost'; and have it work.

If you've deleted your root user by mistake you can do one thing:

1. Stop MySQL service
2. Run mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables &
3. Type mysql -u root -p and press enter.
4. Enter your password
5. At the mysql command line enter: use mysql;

Then execute this query:

insert into `user` (`Host`, `User`, `Password`, `Select_priv`, `Insert_priv`, `Update_priv`, `Delete_priv`, `Create_priv`, `Drop_priv`, `Reload_priv`, `Shutdown_priv`, `Process_priv`, `File_priv`, `Grant_priv`, `References_priv`, `Index_priv`, `Alter_priv`, `Show_db_priv`, `Super_priv`, `Create_tmp_table_priv`, `Lock_tables_priv`, `Execute_priv`, `Repl_slave_priv`, `Repl_client_priv`, `Create_view_priv`, `Show_view_priv`, `Create_routine_priv`, `Alter_routine_priv`, `Create_user_priv`, `ssl_type`, `ssl_cipher`, `x509_issuer`, `x509_subject`, `max_questions`, `max_updates`, `max_connections`, `max_user_connections`) 
values('localhost','root','','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','','','','','0','0','0','0');

then restart the mysqld

EDIT: October 6, 2018

In case anyone else needs this answer, I tried it today using innodb_version 5.6.36-82.0 and 10.1.24-MariaDB and it works if you REMOVE THE BACKTICKS (no single quotes either, just remove them):

insert into user (Host, User, Password, Select_priv, Insert_priv, Update_priv, Delete_priv, Create_priv, Drop_priv, Reload_priv, Shutdown_priv, Process_priv, File_priv, Grant_priv, References_priv, Index_priv, Alter_priv, Show_db_priv, Super_priv, Create_tmp_table_priv, Lock_tables_priv, Execute_priv, Repl_slave_priv, Repl_client_priv, Create_view_priv, Show_view_priv, Create_routine_priv, Alter_routine_priv, Create_user_priv, ssl_type, ssl_cipher, x509_issuer, x509_subject, max_questions, max_updates, max_connections, max_user_connections) 
values('localhost','root','','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','','','','','0','0','0','0');

i also remove privileges of root and database not showing in mysql console when i was a root user, so changed user by mysql>mysql -u 'userName' -p; and password;

UPDATE mysql.user SET Grant_priv='Y', Super_priv='Y' WHERE User='root';

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

after this command it all show database's in root .

Thanks

I had denied insert and reload privileges to root. So after updating permissions, FLUSH PRIVILEGES was not working (due to lack of reload privilege). So I used debian-sys-maint user on Ubuntu 16.04 to restore user.root privileges. You can find password of user.debian-sys-maint from this file

sudo cat /etc/mysql/debian.cnf

Just insert or update mysql.user with value Y in each column privileges.

GRANT ALL ON *.* TO 'user'@'localhost' with GRANT OPTION;

Just log in from root using the respective password if any and simply run the above command to whatever the user is.

For example:

GRANT ALL ON *.* TO 'root'@'%' with GRANT OPTION;

If you are using WAMP on you local computer (mysql version 5.7.14) Step 1: open my.ini file Step 2: un-comment this line 'skip-grant-tables' by removing the semi-colon step 3: restart mysql server step 4: launch mySQL console step 5:

UPDATE mysql.user SET Grant_priv='Y', Super_priv='Y' WHERE User='root';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Step 6: Problem solved!!!!

1. "sudo cat /etc/mysql/debian.cnf" to use debian-sys-maint user
2. login by this user throgh "mysql -u saved-username -p;", then enter the saved password.
3. mysql> UPDATE mysql.user SET Grant_priv='Y', Super_priv='Y' WHERE User='root';
4. mysql> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
5. mysql> exit
6. reboot Thanks

MariaDB on RHEL:

sudo systemctl stop mariadb.service
sudo mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables --skip-networking &
mysql -u root

Then, eg.

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON mysql.user TO 'root'@'localhost';
UPDATE mysql.user SET Grant_priv='Y', Super_priv='Y' WHERE User='root';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Sadly, there's no graceful restart when having detached with &:

sudo kill `pidof mysqld`
sudo systemctl start mariadb.service

---

But one could as well set skip-grant-tables and skip-networking inside /etc/my.cnf.