WordPress Users

WordPress users will have different roles that will allow the administrator to assign different capabilities to different people. For example, a website can have an Administrator, Editor, Author, Subscriber as well as many other user levels.

Default WordPress User Roles

By default, WordPress comes with 6 different user roles:

1. Super Admin

Super Admin can control all website functionalities including the network administration. If you are running a multi-website WordPress setup, you will have a super admin who can control all the websites in that network. A regular administrator cannot do that.

Super Admin Capabilities

• Create Sites
• Delete Sites
• Manage Network
• Manage Sites
• Manage Network Users
• Manage Network Plugins
• Manage Network Themes
• Manage Network Options
• Upgrade Network
• Setup Network
• Activate Plugins
• Delete Others Pages
• Delete Others Posts
• Delete Pages
• Delete Posts
• Delete Private Pages
• Delete Private Posts
• Delete Published Pages
• Delete Published Posts
• Edit Dashboard
• Edit Others Pages
• Edit Others Posts
• Edit Pages
• Edit Posts
• Edit Private Pages
• Edit Private Posts
• Edit Published Pages
• Edit Published Posts
• Edit Theme Options
• Export
• Import
• List Users
• Manage Categories
• Manage Links
• Manage Options
• Moderate Comments
• Promote Users
• Publish Pages
• Publish Posts
• Read Private Pages
• Read Private Posts
• Read
• Create Reusable Blocks
• Edit Reusable Blocks
• Read Reusable Blocks
• Delete Reusable Blocks
• Remove Users
• Switch Themes
• Upload Files
• Customize
• Delete Site

2. Administrator

Unless you are running a multi-website WordPress website, an administrator will be the highest capability you can have. Administrators will be able to control all website functionalities that can be configured from the WordPress backend. They can also create and manage users, change website configuration and settings, create and edit categories and tags, and a lot more.

Administrator Capabilities

• Activate Plugins
• Delete Others Pages
• Delete Others Posts
• Delete Pages
• Delete Posts
• Delete Private Pages
• Delete Private Posts
• Delete Published Pages
• Delete Published Posts
• Edit Dashboard
• Edit Others Pages
• Edit Others Posts
• Edit Pages
• Edit Posts
• Edit Private Pages
• Edit Private Posts
• Edit Published Pages
• Edit Published Posts
• Edit Theme Options
• Export
• Import
• List Users
• Manage Categories
• Manage Links
• Manage Options
• Moderate Comments
• Promote Users
• Publish Pages
• Publish Posts
• Read Private Pages
• Read Private Posts
• Read
• Create Reusable Blocks
• Edit Reusable Blocks
• Read Reusable Blocks
• Delete Reusable Blocks
• Remove Users
• Switch Themes
• Upload Files
• Customize
• Delete Site
• Update Core
• Update Plugins
• Update Themes
• Install Plugins
• Install Themes
• Delete Themes
• Delete Plugins
• Edit Plugins
• Edit Themes
• Edit Files
• Edit Users
• Add Users
• Create Users
• Delete Users
• Unfiltered Html

3. Editor

An editor will be able to manage posts and functionalities related to that. They can create, edit, delete their own posts or other posts that have been saved on the website whether it is in draft, pending, or published format. The editor can do exactly what it says.

Editor Capabilities

• Delete Others Pages
• Delete Others Posts
• Delete Pages
• Delete Posts
• Delete Private Pages
• Delete Private Posts
• Delete Published Pages
• Delete Published Posts
• Delete Reusable Blocks
• Edit Others Pages
• Edit Others Posts
• Edit Pages
• Edit Posts
• Edit Private Pages
• Edit Private Posts
• Edit Published Pages
• Edit Published Posts
• Create Reusable Blocks
• Edit Reusable Blocks
• Manage Categories
• Manage Links
• Moderate Comments
• Publish Pages
• Publish Posts
• Read
• Read Private Pages
• Read Private Posts
• Unfiltered Html (Not With Multisite)
• Upload Files

4. Author

Authors can write, edit, and publish their own articles. They will be able to make changes to their own posts but will not be able to edit other authors or editors posts. If you are giving capabilities to some new writers who will eventually become regular on your website, this might be the role you are looking for.

Author Capabilities

• Delete Posts
• Delete Published Posts
• Edit Posts
• Edit Published Posts
• Publish Posts
• Read
• Upload Files
• Create Reusable Blocks
• Read Reusable Blocks
• Edit Reusable Blocks (Own)
• Delete Reusable Blocks (Own)

5. Contributor

A contributor can write and edit their own posts. But they will not be able to publish them. They can submit the completed articles for the editors to check and publish. If you are allowing temporary writers on your website, you can make them contributors.

Contributor Capabilities

• Delete Posts
• Edit Posts
• Read
• Read Reusable Blocks

6. Subscriber

A subscriber will be able to create an account on your website, manage their profile, etc. They will not be able to create posts. If you are running an email list or want to let users to follow you, this is the recommended user role for them. By default, any new user registration will be assigned as a subscriber.

Subscriber Capabilities

• Read

Additional User Roles

In addition to the default user roles, you can also add additional user roles with custom capabilities. Certain WordPress plugins like Yoast SEO add their own user roles upon installation to make it easier for you to assign users who have the ability to control those plugin features.

User Capability Comparison Table

Capability	Super Admin	Administrator	Editor	Author	Contributor	Subscriber
Create Sites	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Delete Sites	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Manage Network	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Manage Sites	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Manage Network Users	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Manage Network Plugins	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Manage Network Themes	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Manage Network Options	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Upload Plugins	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Upload Themes	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Upgrade Network	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Setup Network	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Activate Plugins	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Create Users	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Delete Plugins	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Delete Themes	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Delete users	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Edit Files	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Edit Plugins	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Edit Theme Options	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Edit Themes	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Edit Users	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Export	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Import	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Install Plugins	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Install Themes	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
List Users	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Manage Options	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Promote Users	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Remove Users	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Switch Themes	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Update Core	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Update Plugins	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Update Themes	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Edit Dashboard	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Customize	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Delete Site	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Moderate Comments	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Manage Categories	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Manage Links	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Edit Others Posts	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Edit Pages	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Edit Others Pages	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Edit Published Pages	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Publish Pages	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Delete Pages	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Delete Others Pages	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Delete Published Pages	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Delete Others Posts	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Delete Private Posts	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Edit Private Posts	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Read Private Posts	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Delete Private Pages	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Edit Private Pages	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Read Private Pages	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Unfiltered HTML	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Edit Published Posts	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
Upload Files	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
Publish Posts	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
Delete Published Posts	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
Edit Posts	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌
Delete Posts	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌
Read	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅