User Role Overview
What is a user role? It's a designation that sets authorization levels--i.e. the scope of what a user can and can't do on the website.
The top-level user role is an Administrator. Administrators have the authorization to do anything they want on the site, and they can see all Apps and settings. They can see some things that a lower-level user can't see.
Summary of Wordpress Site Roles and Permission Scope
- Administrator – he or she can do anything on the website; nothing is off limits* (see note below)
- Editor – has access to all posts, pages, comments, categories, tags, and links
- Author – can write, upload photos to, edit, and publish their own posts
- Contributor – has no publishing or uploading capability, but can write and edit their own posts until they are published
- Follower (public sites) / Viewer (private sites only) – can read and comment on posts and pages
Each user role is capable of everything that a less powerful role is capable of. (In others words, Editors can do everything Authors can do, Authors can do everything Contributors can do, and so on.)
All of your site’s user roles can see the stats: Administrators, Editors, Authors, and Contributors.
When you install WooCommerce on the WordPress.com Business plan, two additional user roles are created: Customer and Shop Manager. Information about these can be found in the WooCommerce documentation.
Other Possible Website Role Designations
You may be on a site that doesn't have the role breakdowns we've listed above. Remember the roles above are the classic/default Wordpress designations.
Role names can be customized per website.
Depending on which website you're on, you may see any of these roles:
- Staff
- Resident
- SEO Editor
- SEO Manager
- Vendor
- Account Manager
- Administrator
- Customer Service
- Marketing
- Property Manager
- Technician
- and more