WordPress users are individuals who have accounts on a WordPress website and can access specific areas or perform particular actions based on their assigned roles. It's a crucial part of managing and maintaining a WordPress site.
What is a WordPress User?
Individuals who have access to a WordPress website are known as WordPress users. They can execute actions according to their assigned role. WordPress offers a range of pre-defined user roles, each with specific capabilities. It is also possible to create custom user roles and assign tailored capabilities.
A deep understanding of WordPress users and their roles is critical in fine-tuning user access, and ensuring a safe and effective website.
Different Types of WordPress Users
When you create an account for a WordPress user, you choose a specific role for them. Pre-defined roles of WordPress include:
Administrator: The Administrator has complete control over the site's features and settings.
Editor - Editors can create, edit, publish, and delete any content on the site.
Author - Authors can create, edit, publish, and delete their own posts and pages.
Contributor - Contributors can create and edit their own posts but cannot publish them.
Subscriber - A subscriber can manage their profile and view site content.
Creating a New User from the WordPress Admin Panel
You can create a new user simply by following the simple steps described below.
Get Access to the Users Page
Once you have successfully logged in to the WP admin dashboard, navigate to the "Users" page by clicking on the "Users" option from the left sidebar.
Add a New User
On the "Users" page, you will see a list of all the current users on your WordPress site. To add a new user, click on the "Add New" button at the top of the page.
Fill up the User’s Information and Choose a Role
On the “Add New User” page enter the credentials of the new user there, including their username, email address, and password.
You can also choose to send the new user an email with their login credentials by checking the "Send User Notification" box.
Next, you will need to select the role for the new user. Select a specific role from the drop-down menu and then click the "Add New User" button to create the account.
Once you have created the new user, you can log out of your current WordPress account and log in as the new user to ensure that everything is working correctly.
To do this, navigate to the WordPress login page again and enter the new user's login credentials. If everything is set up correctly, you should be able to log in as a new user and see the WordPress dashboard with the appropriate level of access and permissions.
Edit Detail of an Existing User
To edit an existing user profile, hover over the user profile and click on the "Edit" option that appears in the pop-up menu.
You can modify various user details in both the "Profile" and "Extended Profile" tabs.
Once you've finished editing your profile, click on the "Update User" button to save the changes.
How to Delete an Existing User
When you need to delete any user permanently, just hover over the user profile and click on “Delete” button from the popup menu.
You will be taken to a confirmation screen. WordPress will prompt you with options to either delete all content belonging to the user or to assign it to another user.
Once you’ve made your choice, click the 'Confirm Deletion' button to remove the user from your site.
Final Words
WordPress users are essential for creating and maintaining a successful WordPress site. They allow you to share your content with others, collaborate with other creators, and engage with your audience.