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EasyWP: How to manage WordPress user roles
In WordPress, you can assign different access levels to users depending on what tasks they need to perform. Apart from the main Administrator account, additional user roles allow others to log in to the dashboard with limited permissions.
There are five types of WordPress users:
Subscribers: A basic role for registered visitors. Subscribers can only edit their own profile. Contributors: Can create new posts but cannot publish them. Authors: Can write and publish their own posts and upload media files, but cannot edit other users’ content or access site settings. Editors: Can create, edit, and delete all posts and pages, including those from other users. They can also manage media files. Administrators: Full access to all WordPress settings, content, plugins, and users.
NOTE: The Administrator role provides complete control over the site, including the ability to delete users, content, and plugins. Assign this role only to trusted individuals. For day-to-day publishing tasks, consider using the Editor or Author roles instead.
NOTE: Before proceeding with any changes, make sure that you generate a full backup of your website.
You can change the account type in the WordPress dashboard > Users section.
In order to create a new user, select the Add new option:
On the next page, fill in the fields Username, Email, Password, First and Last Name (optional), and Website for this account, and select the desired role from the drop-down list. Once done, select Add New User:
If you wish to change the role of the existing user, go back to the All Users list, check the user in question, and set the new role via the Change role to… option:
With EasyWP, you can also manage user roles directly in the database using phpMyAdmin. This method is helpful if you cannot access the WordPress dashboard.
NOTE: We recommend creating a backup of your website before proceeding with any changes.
Follow these steps in order to create an admin user in WordPress Database via phpMyAdmin manually:
1. Go to your EasyWP dashboard (or Namecheap Dashboard > Apps > EasyWP > Manage > Files & Database):
NOTE: For added security, you can select an expiration for the password for database access. By setting an automatic expiration, you will ensure that your database account remains active only for the time necessary to work on your website. If you need to, you can also revoke a password at any time using the Revoke button.
2. Select Go to PHPMyAdmin to be redirected to the PHPMyAdmin login page:
3. On the next PHPMyAdmin login page, you can choose the desired language and enter the login details generated in the Database Access section:
4. Once the login details have been entered, select Go, and you will be redirected to the PHPMyAdmin page.
NOTE: If you see the error “Failed to set session cookie”, close the tab, select Go to phpMyAdmin again in your dashboard, and re-enter the same credentials.
5. Select the name of your database to expand the list of tables and select the wp_users table:
6. Go to the Insert tab:
Fill in the fields as follows:
ID - A unique number;
user_login - The username for the new account;
user_pass - The password (select MD5 from the Function column so the password is encrypted);
user_nicename - A display nickname;
user_email - The account’s email address;
user_url - Your website URL;
user_registered - Date and time of registration;
user_status - Enter 0;
display_name - The public display name.
Select Go to save the new user.
7. Now, go to the wp_usermeta table and open the Insert tab:
Fill in the first form:
unmeta_id - Leave blank (auto-generated);
user_id - The ID number you used in wp_users;
meta_key - Enter wp_capabilities;
Meta_value – Use the code for the required role:
Subscriber: a:1:{s:10:"subscriber";b:1;}
Contributor: a:1:{s:11:"contributor";b:1;}
Author: a:1:{s:6:"author";b:1;}
Editor: a:1:{s:6:"editor";b:1;}
Administrator: a:1:{s:13:"administrator";b:1;}
Fill in the second form:
unmeta_id - leave this blank (it will be auto-generated);
user_id - ID you used for the user while adding it to the wp_users table;
meta_key - input following: wp_user_level;
meta_value - insert following: 10.
Select Go to save.
To change the role of an existing user, open the wp_usermeta table, locate the correct user_id, and update the meta_value for the wp_capabilities entry.
You can manage WordPress user roles either through the dashboard or directly in the database if you’re locked out. For everyday tasks, use the WordPress admin area. Only use phpMyAdmin if necessary, and always back up your site before making database changes.
Now you can assign roles safely and control who has access to your WordPress site.
