How to Create Custom User Roles for WordPress

WordPress is a very powerful CMS, especially for blogging websites. In our previous tutorial we had covered that the default user roles in every WordPress blog are the Subscriber, Contributor, Administrator, Author and Editor Roles.

However, sometimes these roles are not enough. To create custom user roles, WordPress users need to add an extra plugin in their WordPress website that will help create custom roles with different privileges. For the purpose of this blog we are going to use the “User Role Editor” WordPress plugin that is available for free download on the WordPress plugin store.

Step 1: Install User Role Editor Plugin

To install the “User Role Editor” plugin, you need to visit WordPress plugin store from your Dashboard, you search for “User Role Editor” in the search box. You will land up on a plugin that looks like this:

user role editor

Click on “Install Now” button on the top let corner and your plugin will be installed in seconds. Press the “Activate” button and the “User Role Editor” plugin will be successfully functioning on your WordPress website.

Step 2: Access the Plugin from the “Users” Section

users section

 

Once you click on “User Role Editor” you will be led to the plugin that looks like this:

plugin screen shot

 

Step 3: Click on Add Role

When you click on “Add Role”, you will be led to a form that looks like this:

add new role filled up details

 

In this case we have created a new custom role by the name of “Copy Writer”. Once we click on “Add Role” this role will be added in the list of default roles.

Step 4: Assign Capabilities to the New Role:

There is a complete list of capabilities available for each role. The Admin of wordpress has the complete right to choose the capabilities they want to assign to any role. They can create custom roles, or even modify the default ones through this list.

adding capabilities

 

All you need to do is, select a role from the “Select Role and change its capabilities” tab on top and simply tick on the capabilities that you want to assign to that role and un-tick the capabilities that you don’t want that role to have.

Once you are done with assigning capabilities, just click on the “Update” tab and you have successfully updated the capabilities for the chosen role.

It’s that simple!

To create other customized features for your WordPress website you can contact us at www.phoeniixx.com and we can help you create unique functionalities for your WordPress powered websites.