Changing User Permissions in Publlish
Learn how to change a team member's permission role in Publlish — upgrade to Manager, downgrade to Contributor, or restrict channel access — without removing and re-inviting them.
As your team changes — new hires, role changes, client handovers — you'll need to update what each person can access in Publlish. This guide covers how to change a team member's permission role and channel access without removing and re-inviting them.
How to Change a User's Permission Role
- Go to Settings → Team in your Publlish dashboard
- Find the team member whose permissions you want to change
- Click their name or the edit icon next to them
- Update their role from the dropdown — Admin, Manager, Contributor, or Viewer
- Save
The change takes effect immediately — the team member's access updates without them needing to log out and back in.
How to Update Channel Group Access
If you want to change which channels a team member can see and manage:
- Go to Settings → Team and find the team member
- Click to edit their settings
- Update the Channel Access or Restrict to Groups setting
- Add or remove channel groups as needed
- Save
This is useful when:
- A team member takes on a new client account
- A team member leaves a client account but stays on the team
- You're reorganising which team members work on which channels
Common Permission Change Scenarios
Promoting a Contributor to Manager A junior team member has proven themselves and you want to give them publishing rights without approval. Change their role from Contributor to Manager.
Downgrading a Manager to Contributor A team member is moving to a different role or you want to reinstate approval requirements for their work. Change from Manager to Contributor.
Giving a client Viewer access A new client wants to see their content calendar. Add them as a Viewer and restrict to their channel group.
Upgrading a client from Viewer to Approver A client wants to actively approve posts before they go live. Check if your plan supports an Approver role and update accordingly.
Restricting an existing Admin's channel access If you've brought in a new Admin (like an external contractor) who should only manage specific clients, restrict their channel group access even at Admin level.
What Changes When You Update a Role
| Change | What happens immediately |
|---|---|
| Contributor → Manager | Can now publish without approval; can approve others' drafts |
| Manager → Contributor | Posts now require approval before publishing; existing scheduled posts are unaffected |
| Any role → Viewer | Loses all editing and publishing access; can only view |
| Any role → Admin | Gains full access including billing and team management |
| Channel access restricted | Immediately loses visibility of removed channel groups |
| Channel access expanded | Immediately gains visibility of added channel groups |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to remove and re-invite a user to change their role? No — you can update their role directly from Settings → Team without removing them.
Can I change my own permissions? Admin accounts can change their own permissions, but doing so could lock you out of admin features. Be careful when editing your own account.
What if the team member is currently working when I change their permissions? Changes take effect immediately. If they're mid-task, they may notice their access has changed the next time they try to perform an action outside their new permission level.
Can I have multiple Admins? Yes — there's no limit on the number of Admins in an organisation. For security, limit Admin access to people who genuinely need it.
Can a Viewer be changed to a Contributor without being re-invited? Yes — all role changes are done in-place through Settings → Team.