How to Make a Subscriber an Admin on WordPress

How to make a subscriber an admin on WordPress is a common task when managing a growing website. WordPress uses a built-in user role system that controls what each user can access and modify.

Since the Administrator role provides full control over the site, it’s important to understand user roles before upgrading anyone to admin access. Assigning admin privileges carefully helps prevent security risks and accidental site changes.

The standard WordPress roles include:

• Administrator – Full control of the site. Administrators can install themes and plugins, manage users and change core settings.
• Editor – Can publish and manage posts including posts of other users.
• Author – Can write, edit and publish their own posts.
• Contributor – Can write and edit their posts but cannot publish.
• Subscriber – A WordPress Subscriber is the default role for many websites, especially membership sites, newsletters, and comment-based communities, where users need login access but no administrative control.

Sometimes you need to upgrade a Subscriber to an Administrator. This is when a team member needs full access to your site or to troubleshoot.

Upgrading a user to Administrator gives them full access to your site. Only do this with users you trust 100% to avoid accidents or security risks.

This post will guide you through three ways to make a Subscriber an Administrator: using the WordPress dashboard, phpMyAdmin and a plugin along with best practices and troubleshooting tips to make it safe and smooth.

You may want to upgrade a WordPress Subscriber to an Admin for several reasons. Knowing the purpose behind this will help you assign administrative privileges responsibly.

1. Working with Trusted Team Members

New users start as Subscribers but need full access to manage the site. Making them an Admin allows them to manage plugins, themes and settings.

2. Site Troubleshooting and Development

Developers or technical team members need Admin access to fix issues, install plugins or perform updates that a Subscriber can’t.

3. Managing Multiple User Roles

On membership or community sites, upgrading trusted Subscribers can simplify management tasks and reduce the workload for the primary site owner.

4. Temporary Access for a Specific Task

You can grant Admin rights for a specific project or maintenance task and then revert back once done.

Admin access is full control of your site. Only give this to users you trust completely. Too many Admins can lead to accidental changes or security breaches.

For most WordPress users the dashboard method is the easiest and safest way to upgrade a Subscriber to an Administrator. No coding or plugin required and takes only a few clicks.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Log in to Your WordPress Dashboard

   • Use your admin credentials to access the backend of your WordPress site.

2. Navigate to Users > All Users

   • On the left hand sidebar hover over Users and click All Users.
   • This page shows all users registered on your site.

3. Locate the Subscriber Account

   • Find the Subscriber you want to upgrade.
   • You can use the search bar if you have many users.

4. Edit the User Profile

   • Click Edit under the username to access the user’s profile settings.

5. Change the Role to Administrator

   • Scroll down to the Role dropdown menu.
   • Select Administrator from the list of roles.

6. Save Changes

   • Click the Update User button at the bottom of the page to apply the new role.

7. Confirm the Change

   • Ask the user to log out and log back in.
   • Check they now have access to admin features.

Note: Once you save this change, the user immediately gets full access to your WordPress site. Make sure the account belongs to a trusted user and is secured with a strong password.

If you cannot access the WordPress dashboard, you can change a user to admin using phpMyAdmin. This method directly updates user roles in the WordPress database and is commonly used when login issues, plugin conflicts, or permission errors prevent dashboard access. Using phpMyAdmin for WordPress requires caution, as incorrect changes can affect site functionality.

This method is for advanced users. Always create a full database backup before making any changes. Editing the database incorrectly can break your website.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Access phpMyAdmin
   

   • Log in to your hosting control panel (e.g., cPanel, Plesk).
   • Open phpMyAdmin and select your WordPress database.

2. Locate the Subscriber Account in wp_users Table
   

   • Click the wp_users table to view all users.
   • Identify the Subscriber you want to upgrade by their user_login or ID.
     

3. Note the User ID
   

   • Each user has a unique ID. You’ll need this for the next step.
     

4. Navigate to wp_usermeta Table
   

   • In wp_usermeta, find the row with meta_key = wp_capabilities and user_id matching the subscriber.
     

5. Edit the Capabilities
   

   • Change the meta_value to:
     a:1:{s:13:”administrator”;b:1;}
     
   • This change assigns the Administrator role to the selected user.
     

6. Save Changes
   

   • Click Go or Save to apply the changes.
     

7. Verify the Upgrade
   

   • Log in as the upgraded user to confirm access to the admin dashboard and all administrative features.

For users who prefer a visual and safe way, the User Role Editor plugin makes upgrading a Subscriber to an Administrator easy. No need to touch the database and less chance of errors, perfect for beginners and agencies with multiple users.

This method is ideal for beginners, agencies, or multi-user WordPress sites where visual role management reduces the risk of errors.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Install and Activate the Plugin

   • Go to your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Plugins > Add New, and search for User Role Editor.
   • Click Install Now and then Activate.

2. Access the User Role Editor

   • Once activated, go to Users > User Role Editor in your dashboard.

3. Select the Subscriber User

   • From the list of users, select the Subscriber you want to upgrade.

4. Assign the Administrator Role

   • Check the Administrator role in the plugin interface.
   • Ensure no other unnecessary roles are selected.

5. Save Changes

   • Click Update or Save to apply the new role.

6. Confirm the Upgrade

   • Have the user log out and log back in to verify they now have full administrative access.

Upgrading a Subscriber to an Admin gives them full control over your WordPress site. While this is sometimes necessary, following best practices will keep your site secure and manageable.

1. Limit the Number of Administrators

• Only grant administrative access to users who truly need it.
• Too many Administrators can increase the risk of accidental changes, conflicts, or even malicious activity.
• Consider creating a policy that regularly audits admin accounts.

2. Monitor User Activity

• Track what administrators are doing on your site using plugins like WP Activity Log or Simple History.
• Monitoring changes helps catch accidental mistakes or unauthorized actions early.
• Logging activities also provides accountability in multi-admin environments.

3. Implement Strong Passwords and Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

• Require Administrators to use strong passwords.
• Enable 2FA for extra security to prevent unauthorized logins, especially for high-traffic or multi-user sites.

4. Regularly Audit User Roles

• Review user roles periodically to ensure no inactive or untrusted users retain Administrator access.
• Downgrade users who no longer need admin privileges to reduce risk.

5. Educate New Administrators

• Provide guidance on WordPress best practices, such as plugin management, updates, and security.
• Ensure new admins understand the impact of changes on the website.

6. Backup Your Site

• Before and after any role change, maintain regular site backups.
• This ensures you can recover quickly if something goes wrong during administrative tasks.

7. Use Hosting-Level Backups and Security

If your site runs on managed WordPress hosting, server-level backups and isolated environments provide an extra layer of protection when administrators make changes. This ensures faster recovery if something goes wrong.

Pro Tip: Combining role management with monitoring, backups, and security protocols creates a bulletproof system for safe WordPress administration.

Most admin role issues in WordPress are caused by caching, security plugins, or incorrect database entries.

Even when you follow the right steps some users may experience issues after upgrading a subscriber to an Admin. Knowing and fixing these issues fast will make site management a breeze.

1. User Cannot Log In After Upgrade

• Cause: Browser cache or cookies may be preventing new permissions from applying.
• Solution:
  • Ask the user to clear their browser cache and cookies.
  • Have them log out and log back in to refresh their session.

2. Dashboard Access Issues

• Cause: Plugin conflicts or permission errors.
• Solution:
  • Temporarily deactivate plugins to identify conflicts.
  • Check user roles using the User Role Editor plugin.
  • Ensure the wp_usermeta table in the database correctly reflects the Administrator role.

3. Role Change Not Reflected

• Cause: Caching issues or incorrect database edits.
• Solution:
  • Clear site cache if using caching plugins or CDN.
  • Verify the role in wp_usermeta table (meta_key = wp_capabilities) is correct.

4. Multiple Users with Wrong Roles

• Cause: Bulk changes or plugin misconfiguration.
• Solution:
  • Use User Role Editor to check and correct multiple users at once.
  • Limit bulk role changes to trusted admins only.

5. Security Concerns

• Cause: Too many users with Administrator access increases vulnerability.
• Solution:
  • Reduce the number of Administrators.
  • Enforce strong passwords and two-factor authentication.
  • Monitor activity logs for unusual changes.

Pro Tip: Regularly auditing user roles and activity can prevent most common issues. Combining these checks with proper backups ensures you can recover quickly from unexpected errors.

Sometimes administrators need a page ID for custom development, plugins, or role-based access rules. Here are the easiest ways to get a page ID in WordPress:

1. From the Dashboard

Go to Pages → All Pages and hover over the page name. The page ID appears in the browser’s status bar or URL.

2. From the Page URL

Click Edit on a page and look at the URL in your browser. The number after “post=” is the page ID.

3. Using a Plugin

Plugins like Reveal IDs display page IDs directly in the Pages and Posts list for quick access.

Knowing how to get a page ID in WordPress is useful when working with permissions, custom code, or advanced site configurations.

Proper role management, database awareness through phpMyAdmin, and understanding WordPress elements like page IDs help administrators maintain better control and security over their websites.

Upgrading a Subscriber to an Admin is easy when done right but comes with great power. By understanding WordPress roles, using the right methods (dashboard, phpMyAdmin, or plugin) and best practices you can control access to your site.

Key points to remember:

• Only assign Administrator roles to trusted users.
• Always back up your site before making changes.
• Monitor user activity and audit roles periodically.
• Use User Role Editor for safer, bulk or visual management.

By following this guide you can give trusted users admin access and keep your site safe, stable and fast.

1. How to make someone an admin on WordPress?

To make someone an admin on WordPress, log in to your dashboard and go to Users → All Users. Edit the user’s profile, change their role to Administrator, and click Update User. The user will have full site access immediately after saving.

2. How can I make someone an admin on my page?

If your page is part of a WordPress site, go to Users → Add New and assign the Administrator role while adding the user. For WordPress.com sites, go to My Site → Users → Invite, enter their email, and select Admin in the invitation.

3. What are the WordPress subscriber permissions?

A WordPress Subscriber can log in, manage their own profile, and read or comment on content if enabled. Subscribers cannot create posts, manage plugins, or access admin settings, making this role ideal for memberships and newsletters.

4. How do I add a subscriber in WordPress?

To add a subscriber, open Users → Add New in your WordPress dashboard and select Subscriber from the role dropdown before saving. You can also allow self-registration by enabling Anyone can register in Settings → General and setting the default role to Subscriber.

5. Can I temporarily make a subscriber an admin in WordPress?

Yes, you can temporarily assign the Administrator role to a subscriber for specific tasks like troubleshooting or development. Once the work is complete, change the user role back to Subscriber or Editor to reduce security risks.