Manage User Roles and Permissions in ClickUp

Understanding how user roles and permissions work in ClickUp is essential for keeping your Workspace organized, secure, and easy to manage as your team grows.

This how-to guide explains the default roles, how to adjust permissions, and how to choose the right level of access for each person in your Workspace.

Overview of ClickUp roles and permissions

Every person in a Workspace is assigned a role that defines what they can see and do. In ClickUp, roles are the foundation of permission management and control access to Spaces, Folders, Lists, and tasks.

From the highest level (Workspace owners) down to guests, each role is designed to support a different type of user, whether they need full control or limited access.

• Owners: Highest level of control at the Workspace level.
• Admins: Help manage Workspace settings and members.
• Members: Active collaborators with standard access.
• Guests: Limited access, usually to shared items.

You can review the full reference for roles and permissions in the official help center: ClickUp user roles and permissions.

How ClickUp Workspace roles work

Workspace-level roles determine who can configure global settings, manage billing, and control other members. These roles apply to the entire Workspace, not just a single Space or Folder.

ClickUp Workspace owner role

The owner role is the highest level of authority. Typically, the person who creates a Workspace becomes the first owner. Owners can:

• Access and change billing and subscription settings.
• Manage security, authentication, and import/export settings.
• Promote or demote other users between roles.
• Remove people from the Workspace if needed.

Because of the level of control, it is best to limit the number of owners and reserve this role for people who are responsible for the account itself.

ClickUp admin role

Admins help manage the Workspace without having full ownership. They are useful when you want someone to support configuration and management but not handle sensitive billing ownership tasks.

Admins can typically:

• Invite or remove members and guests.
• Adjust many Workspace settings.
• Set or manage default permissions and sharing options.

Assign the admin role to trusted team leads or operations managers who help coordinate Workspace configuration.

ClickUp member role

Members are standard users in a Workspace. They actively collaborate on work, but they do not have full admin or owner control.

Members usually can:

• Create and edit tasks, views, and Docs they have access to.
• Join Spaces they are invited to.
• Use core features for day-to-day work and collaboration.

Use the member role for team members who contribute regularly but do not need to manage global settings.

ClickUp guest role

Guests are people who need limited access, such as clients, contractors, or external collaborators. They only see the items shared with them.

Guests can be given view-only or edit access depending on the permissions you choose. This keeps your internal structure hidden while allowing collaboration on specific tasks or views.

• Share only the required Lists, tasks, or Docs.
• Prevent access to sensitive Spaces.
• Control what each guest can change or comment on.

How to choose the right ClickUp role

Selecting the right role depends on how much control a person needs and what type of work they do in ClickUp. You can follow these guidelines when assigning roles:

1. Identify responsibility level: Decide who manages billing, security, and Workspace-wide changes.
2. Match access to job function: Internal team members are usually members or admins, while external people are guests.
3. Limit high-level roles: Keep the number of owners small to protect account security.
4. Review regularly: Revisit roles when team members join, change positions, or leave.

By mapping each person to the minimum role they need, you maintain better control over data and reduce accidental changes in critical areas of ClickUp.

Manage sharing and permissions inside ClickUp

Beyond Workspace roles, you control access at the level of Spaces, Folders, Lists, and tasks. This is where you decide what each person or team can see and edit.

ClickUp Space, Folder, and List permissions

Each location can be shared with specific roles or individuals. When you share a Space in ClickUp, you can:

• Grant access to all members, certain teams, or selected people.
• Choose whether they can edit or only view content.
• Restrict visibility for sensitive work to a small group.

The same logic applies to Folders and Lists, so you can create layers of access inside the Workspace.

Task-level permissions in ClickUp

Tasks inherit access from their parent List or Folder, but you can also adjust permissions individually if needed. Typical actions at the task level include:

• Assigning tasks to members or guests.
• Allowing comments or restricting who can update fields.
• Sharing a single task link with limited permissions.

Use task-level controls for exceptions, such as confidential items or tasks that involve external stakeholders.

How to update roles in ClickUp

Owners and admins can update user roles when team responsibilities change. The exact navigation may vary slightly with interface updates, but the general process is similar.

Step-by-step: change a user role

1. Open your Workspace settings or people management area.
2. Locate the person whose role you want to change.
3. Select their current role (owner, admin, member, or guest).
4. Choose the new role that matches their access needs.
5. Save or confirm the change.

After updating roles, verify that each person can still access the Spaces and tasks required for their work in ClickUp.

Best practices for ClickUp permissions

To keep your Workspace efficient and secure, follow these practical tips:

• Use guests for external users: Share only what is necessary and avoid giving full member access to clients or vendors.
• Document your role policy: Decide in advance who can be an owner or admin and record this for future reference.
• Audit access regularly: Periodically review members, guests, and their access levels.
• Segment by Space: Organize teams into dedicated Spaces and assign permissions at that level for clarity.

Combining clear roles with structured Spaces helps your team work smoothly in ClickUp while maintaining control over sensitive information.

Learn more and optimize your ClickUp setup

To dive deeper into each role and its detailed capabilities, review the official documentation in the ClickUp help center: User roles and permissions section.

If you need expert help designing scalable permission structures, workflows, or AI-driven optimizations for your Workspace, you can also visit Consultevo for consulting and implementation services.

With a clear understanding of user roles and permissions, you can configure ClickUp to support secure collaboration, smooth onboarding, and consistent control across your entire Workspace.

Need Help With ClickUp?

If you want expert help building, automating, or scaling your ClickUp workspace, work with ConsultEvo — trusted ClickUp Solution Partners.

Get Help

“`