How to Add an Admin to Your WordPress Website: Complete Guide (2026)

Need to give someone access to your WordPress website? Whether you're working with a developer, content writer, or marketing specialist, WordPress makes it easy to add users with specific permission levels.

In this guide, I'll show you exactly how to add an admin (or any user role) to your WordPress site, explain the different user roles available, and share best practices for managing access securely.

WordPress User Roles Explained

WordPress has five built-in user roles, each with different permission levels:

Administrator (Full Admin Access)

• Access: Complete control over the entire site
• Can: Install plugins, change themes, add/delete users, modify all content, access settings
• Best for: Site owners, trusted developers, agency partners
• Warning: Only give this role to people you fully trust

Editor

• Access: Manage and publish all content (posts, pages, comments)
• Can: Edit, publish, and delete any content, including content by others
• Best for: Content managers, senior writers

Author

• Access: Create, edit, and publish their own posts
• Can: Upload images and files, manage their own content
• Best for: Regular blog contributors, guest writers

Contributor

• Access: Write and edit their own posts (but can't publish)
• Can: Submit posts for review
• Best for: Occasional writers, new team members

Subscriber

• Access: Read content and manage their own profile
• Can: Leave comments (if enabled)
• Best for: Members-only sites, community forums

How to Add an Admin to WordPress (4 Methods)

Method 1: Through WordPress Dashboard (Easiest)

This is the most common and straightforward method.

Step-by-Step:

1. Log into your WordPress admin panel (usually yourdomain.com/wp-admin)
2. In the left sidebar, go to Users → Add New User
3. Fill in the required information:

• Username (required): Cannot be changed later
• Email (required): Must be unique
• First Name and Last Name (optional)
• Website (optional)
• Password: WordPress will generate a strong password automatically (or create your own)

1. Under Role, select Administrator from the dropdown menu
2. Check Send User Notification if you want WordPress to email them their login credentials
3. Click Add New User

The new admin will receive an email with their login information and a link to access the site.

Method 2: From the Users List

If someone already has an account but needs admin access:

1. Go to Users → All Users
2. Find the user in the list
3. Hover over their name and click Edit
4. Scroll down to the Role dropdown
5. Select Administrator
6. Click Update User

Method 3: Using phpMyAdmin (Database Access)

If you're locked out of your WordPress dashboard, you can add an admin directly through your database:

Warning: This method requires database access. Make a backup first.

1. Log into your hosting control panel (cPanel, Plesk, etc.)
2. Open phpMyAdmin
3. Select your WordPress database
4. Find the wp_users table (prefix may differ)
5. Click Insert at the top
6. Fill in:

• user_login: username
• user_pass: Choose MD5 from the Function dropdown, then enter the password
• user_email: email address
• user_nicename: display name

1. Click Go
2. Note the new user's ID number
3. Go to the wp_usermeta table
4. Click Insert
5. Add:

• user_id: The ID from step 8
• meta_key: wp_capabilities
• meta_value: a:1:{s:13:"administrator";b:1;}

1. Click Go
2. Add another row:

• user_id: Same ID
• meta_key: wp_user_level
• meta_value: 10

1. Click Go

Method 4: Add Administrator Code to functions.php

Warning: Only use this if you have FTP/file access and understand PHP code. Always backup first.

1. Access your site via FTP or File Manager
2. Navigate to /wp-content/themes/your-theme/
3. Open functions.php
4. Add this code at the bottom:

function create_admin_user() {
    $username = 'newadmin';
    $password = 'strong_password_here';
    $email = 'admin@yourdomain.com';
    
    if (username_exists($username) == null && email_exists($email) == false) {
        $user_id = wp_create_user($username, $password, $email);
        $user = get_user_by('id', $user_id);
        $user->remove_role('subscriber');
        $user->add_role('administrator');
    }
}
add_action('init', 'create_admin_user');

1. Save the file
2. Visit your website (the code runs once)
3. Important: Remove this code after the admin is created

How to Invite Someone on WordPress.com

If you're on WordPress.com and working with contractors:

1. Go to Users → Add New User
2. Pick their role and enter their email address. You can also tick "Invite user to WordPress.com" so they get their own WordPress.com login
3. They'll get an email invitation and show as "Pending invite" until they accept

Best Practices for Managing WordPress Admins

Security Tips:

1. Use strong passwords: WordPress generates secure passwords—use them
2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Install a plugin like Wordfence or Google Authenticator
3. Limit admin accounts: Only give admin access to people who truly need it
4. Use Editor role when possible: Most content managers don't need full admin access
5. Regular audits: Review your user list monthly and remove inactive accounts
6. Different usernames: Don't use "admin" as a username—it's a common hacking target

When to Use Each Role:

• Administrator: Site owners, trusted agencies managing everything
• Editor: Content managers, marketing directors
• Author: Regular blog writers, team members publishing content
• Contributor: Guest bloggers, new writers (requires approval before publishing)
• Subscriber: Members-only content, community sites

How to Remove Admin Access

Need to revoke someone's access?

1. Go to Users → All Users
2. Hover over their name
3. Click Delete
4. Choose whether to:

• Delete all content created by this user, or
• Attribute all content to another user (recommended)

Alternatively, change their role to Subscriber to remove permissions without deleting the account.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

"Email address already in use"

• Each WordPress user needs a unique email
• Use a plus sign trick: yourname+site1@gmail.com, yourname+site2@gmail.com
• Or use a different email address

"You don't have permission to access this page"

• Your account may not have admin rights
• Contact the site owner to elevate your permissions
• Use Method 3 (phpMyAdmin) if you have database access

"New user didn't receive email"

• Check spam/junk folders
• Verify SMTP email is configured on your host
• Manually send them the login URL and temporary password

WordPress.com vs Self-Hosted WordPress

The user management process differs slightly:

WordPress.com:

• Managed by WordPress.com
• Users added via dashboard only
• Some features limited by plan level

Self-Hosted WordPress.org:

• Full control over user management
• Can use all four methods above
• Requires your own hosting

Most businesses use self-hosted WordPress for greater flexibility.

Need Help with Your WordPress Website?

WordPress is powerful, but managing users, permissions, security, and updates can get overwhelming—especially when you're trying to run a business.

I don't build WordPress sites myself, but I'm glad to look at yours with you on a free 15–30 minute call. I can help with SEO, point you to a WordPress developer I trust, or talk through whether moving to an easier platform makes sense.

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Summary

Adding an admin to WordPress is straightforward:

1. Go to Users → Add New
2. Fill in their information
3. Select Administrator as the role
4. Click Add New User

Remember to:

• Only give admin access to trusted people
• Use strong passwords and enable 2FA
• Assign the minimum role needed (Editor, Author, etc.)
• Regularly review and remove inactive accounts

For more details, check the official WordPress documentation on user roles.

Have questions about WordPress management? Let's talk—I'm here to help.