When you build a WordPress website, understanding user roles in WordPress is key to keeping things organized and secure. Every new user you add, whether through user registration or manually, gets a specific role that controls what they can do. By default, most registered users are given the subscriber user role, which provides very limited access. They can typically view comments, leave comments, or manage their own account and password, but they can’t do much more. So, if you ever need to make a subscriber an admin, it’s important to know how to do it safely and correctly.
In this guide, you’ll learn step-by-step how to find the users section, open the users menu on the left sidebar, browse your subscriber list, and upgrade a user’s role to admin. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to make a subscriber an admin without risking your website security.
Understanding WordPress User Roles
Before you jump in to change user roles or give admin privileges, it’s important to understand how WordPress user management works. By default, WordPress provides a few different user roles designed to help you control access and responsibilities across your entire site.
Let’s break down the default user roles:
- Subscriber Role: This is the most basic role. Subscribers can usually manage their own posts (if allowed), update their account information, view comments, and leave comments on posts. They have very limited access and cannot add or edit other content. This role is perfect for visitors or customers who just need to log in and interact with content.
- Contributor: Contributors can write and edit their own posts but cannot publish posts. They also don’t have permission to upload files or manage categories. Someone with this role usually needs an Editor or Administrator to approve and publish their work.
- Author: Authors can write, edit, and publish posts, and can also delete their own content. They can upload files and manage their own media, but they cannot manage categories or edit other users’ posts.
- Editor: Editors have broader permissions. They can manage and edit posts created by other users, moderate comments, and manage categories and tags. Editors don’t have access to site-wide settings but are great for overseeing content.
- Administrator Role: This is the highest level in the WordPress user management system. An administrator has complete control over the site. They can install plugins and themes, change settings, delete anything, click confirm deletion for posts, manage categories, and even add or remove other users. With admin privileges, they can do just about anything, so it’s critical to give the administrator role only to trusted people.
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Reasons to Make a Subscriber an Admin on WordPress
Most of the time, a subscriber role is all that’s needed for casual visitors, commenters, or customers. However, there are situations where you may want to upgrade a subscriber to an admin. Here are some common reasons why site owners do this:
- Adding a Trusted Team Member: As your website grows, you might bring on new team members to help manage daily tasks. Giving them the administrator role means they can handle updates, moderate posts, manage categories, and ensure everything runs smoothly.
- Giving a Client Full Control: If you build websites for clients, you may need to hand over full access once the site is ready. Changing their role from subscriber to admin gives them complete control so they can manage every aspect of the site without needing your help for every small change.
- Delegating Website Management: Sometimes, you might need someone else to take care of plugins, themes, or user management. Promoting a trusted user to admin makes it easy to delegate these tasks without sharing your own login details.
How to Make a Subscriber an Admin on WordPress: Step-by-Step Guide
Changing a subscriber’s role to admin in WordPress is quick and easy when you follow these steps. This guide helps you safely update user access without confusion.
Step 1: Log in to Your WordPress Dashboard
First, log in to your WordPress account using your username and password. Once logged in, you’ll see your WordPress admin dashboard, which is the main control panel where you can handle everything from posts to user access. If you’re not sure how to find it, your dashboard is usually at yourwebsite.com/wp-admin.
Step 2: Navigate to the Users Page
On the left sidebar of your dashboard, look for the Users menu. Click on Users, then select All Users. Here you’ll see a list of everyone who has an account on your site, along with their roles and access levels. This is where you’ll manage default WordPress user roles and any additional user roles you’ve added with plugins.
Step 3: Find the Subscriber You Want to Promote
Scroll through the list or use the search box to find the specific subscriber you want to promote. You can search by their username or email address. If you have lots of subscribers, this search box saves time.
Step 4: Edit the User Profile
Once you locate the user, hover over their name, and you’ll see options appear underneath, click Edit. This opens their profile, where you can change details like their name, contact info, and most importantly, their role and access levels.
Step 5: Change the Role to Administrator
Scroll down to the Role dropdown menu in the user’s profile. Click the dropdown, and select Administrator. By choosing this, you’re upgrading their user access from subscriber (which has very limited permissions) to admin, giving them full administrative privileges. They’ll now be able to manage posts, install plugins, and handle the entire site. Be sure you trust this user before giving them this much control.
If you need them to help only with specific tasks, consider if a different role, like Editor or shop manager, might be safer than full admin rights. This helps you keep tighter control over your site’s access levels.
Step 6: Save Changes
Once you’ve selected Administrator, scroll to the bottom and click Update User to save your changes. That’s it! You’ve successfully changed the user’s role from subscriber to admin.
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Security Tips Before Making a Subscriber an Admin on WordPress
While it’s easy to change a user’s role, it’s just as important to think about website security and user access first. Giving someone administrative privileges means you trust them with complete control over your entire site, they can add or delete content, change settings, install plugins, and even remove other users. So, follow these tips before you make a subscriber an admin.
Only Grant Admin Access to Trusted Users
The administrator role is the highest level in the default WordPress user roles. An admin can do anything, including changing passwords, removing other admins, and managing sensitive settings. That’s why you should only give this level of user access to people you fully trust, like long-term team members or site co-owners.
If someone only needs to manage posts, publish posts, or moderate comments, consider assigning them an Editor or shop manager role instead. These roles offer just enough permission without risking your website security.
Always Back Up Your Site Before Making Changes
Before you change any user roles, it’s smart to back up your entire site. This protects your data in case something goes wrong, for example, if a new admin accidentally deletes important posts or changes settings that break your site. Use a reliable backup plugin or your web host’s backup feature.
Limit the Number of Admins
More admins mean more risk. To keep your site secure, try to limit the number of people with full access. Too many admins can lead to accidental changes or conflicts. Review your users section regularly and downgrade roles if needed. Good WordPress user management is about giving the right permissions to the right people and avoiding unnecessary additional user roles with high access.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Sometimes, you might run into small problems when trying to make a subscriber an admin. Here are a few quick fixes to help you out.
- Can’t Find the User in the List?: If you don’t see the user in your subscriber list, double-check that they’re registered. Go to the Users menu, click on All Users, and search by their email or username. Make sure you don’t have any filters applied that might hide some roles. If they haven’t created an account yet, ask them to sign up through your site’s user registration form, or you can manually add a new user and assign them the desired role.
- Need to Change Roles for Many Users at Once? If you have multiple subscribers to upgrade, for example, if you’re promoting several new team members or staff, doing it one by one can be time-consuming. In this case, you can use a trusted WordPress plugin designed for bulk role management. Plugins like User Role Editor or Members let you quickly select multiple users and update their roles in a few clicks.
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Conclusion
Learning how to make a subscriber an admin on WordPress is a simple but powerful way to manage your team and grow your site. However, with great power comes great responsibility. Always remember that the administrator role has complete control over your entire site, including sensitive settings, plugins, and the ability to delete posts or even other users.
This is why smart WordPress user management is so important. Only upgrade subscriber roles when you’re confident the person is trustworthy and truly needs admin privileges. If someone only needs to manage posts, publish posts, or oversee content, consider giving them a lower role like Editor or shop manager instead.
To keep your website security strong, back up your site regularly, review your users section often, and limit who has full access. By following these simple best practices, you can protect your hard work and avoid headaches later on.
FAQs About How to Make a Subscriber an Admin on WordPress
Can a subscriber become an admin without permission?
No. A subscriber cannot upgrade their own role or gain admin privileges without your approval. Only someone with an existing admin account can change user access for other users. This is why it’s crucial to protect your admin login and use strong passwords to prevent unauthorized changes.
How many admins should a WordPress site have?
There’s no official limit, but for better website security, it’s best to keep the number of admins low. Most small sites only need one or two trusted admins. Too many people with administrative privileges increases the risk of mistakes or conflicts. If others just need to manage posts or moderate comments, assign them an Editor or another suitable role instead.
Is there a plugin to manage user roles more easily?
Yes! If you want more control over different user roles, try a plugin like User Role Editor or Members. These plugins make it easy to customize default WordPress user roles, create additional user roles, and adjust access levels without coding. They’re great for large sites or if you often need to change roles for subscribers, Editors, or shop managers.
What’s the difference between a Subscriber and an Administrator in WordPress?
A Subscriber has the most basic role in the default WordPress user roles. Subscribers can manage their own account, update their profile, and leave comments, but they have very limited access, they can’t manage posts, upload content, or change settings.
On the other hand, an Administrator has complete control over the entire site. They can add or remove other users, install plugins, switch themes, delete posts, click confirm deletion on content, and adjust all settings. Because the administrator role comes with full administrative privileges, it should only be given to trusted users to maintain strong website security.
Can I create custom user roles in WordPress?
Yes! By default, WordPress comes with roles like Subscriber, Contributor, Author, Editor, and Administrator. But if you need more flexibility, you can create additional user roles with specific permissions.
To do this easily, use a plugin like User Role Editor. This lets you build new roles or tweak existing ones to fine-tune user access and access levels for your team or community. Custom roles are perfect when you want to grant certain permissions, like allowing someone to manage categories or publish posts, without giving them full admin privileges.
