Intermediate
How to configure owner vs member roles on n8n
Quick Answer
Configure owner vs member roles in n8n by accessing the Settings panel, navigating to Users & Permissions, and assigning appropriate role permissions for workflow access, credential management, and administrative functions. Owners have full administrative control while members have restricted access based on assigned permissions.
Prerequisites
- Administrative access to n8n instance
- Understanding of n8n workflow basics
- Knowledge of user management concepts
- Active n8n instance with multi-user support enabled
1
Access User Management Settings
Log into your n8n instance as an owner and click on Settings in the left sidebar. Navigate to Users & Permissions to access the role configuration panel. Ensure you have owner privileges to modify user roles and permissions.
Tip
Only users with owner role can access and modify user permissions
2
Understand Role Hierarchy
Review the role structure where Owner has full administrative access including user management, instance settings, and all workflows. Members have limited access based on assigned permissions and can only access workflows they create or are shared with them.
3
Configure Owner Permissions
In the Roles section, select Owner role to review permissions. Owners automatically have access to:
- Full workflow creation, editing, and deletion
- User management and role assignment
- Credential management for all users
- Instance configuration and settings
- Execution history for all workflows
Tip
Owner permissions cannot be restricted and are automatically inherited
4
Set Member Role Permissions
Click on Member role and configure the following permissions:
- Workflow permissions: Create, edit own workflows
- Credential access: Create and manage personal credentials only
- Sharing permissions: Share workflows with other users
- Execution access: View execution history for owned/shared workflows
Tip
Start with restrictive permissions and gradually increase access as needed
5
Assign Roles to Users
Navigate to Users tab and locate the user you want to modify. Click the Role dropdown next to their name and select either Owner or Member. Click Save Changes to apply the new role assignment.
Tip
Role changes take effect immediately and may require users to refresh their browser
6
Configure Workflow Sharing Settings
In Workflow Sharing section, set default sharing behavior:
- Private: Only creator can access
- With specific users: Manual sharing required
- With all members: Automatic access for all members
Tip
Consider data sensitivity when setting default sharing permissions
7
Set Up Credential Sharing Rules
Under Credential Management, configure how credentials are shared between roles:
- Enable Allow credential sharing for member-to-member sharing
- Set Owner approval required for sensitive credential access
- Configure Default credential permissions for new credentials
Tip
Restrict credential sharing for production environments with sensitive data
8
Test Role Configuration
Create a test member account and verify the role restrictions work correctly. Test workflow creation, credential access, and sharing functionality. Log in as the test member to confirm they can only access permitted features and cannot perform owner-level actions like user management.
Tip
Always test role configurations in a staging environment before applying to production
Troubleshooting
Users cannot see shared workflows after role assignment
Check workflow sharing settings and ensure With specific users or With all members is properly configured. Verify the user has been explicitly added to workflow sharing if using specific user sharing.
Member users can access owner-level settings
Verify the user role assignment in Users & Permissions and ensure they are assigned Member role, not Owner. Clear browser cache and have the user log out and back in.
Credential sharing not working between members
Enable Allow credential sharing in Credential Management settings and ensure both users have appropriate sharing permissions. Check if owner approval is required and process any pending credential share requests.
Role changes not taking effect immediately
Have affected users clear their browser cache, log out completely, and log back in. Check if there are any browser sessions that need to be terminated in the Active Sessions section.
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