Safely Set Up a Custom WordPress Role for Clients Using Elementor

Safely Set Up a Custom Editor Role for Elementor Clients

Delivering a WordPress site built with Elementor is always a proud moment — but giving your client full backend access? That’s where the nerves begin. One wrong click in the builder, and your pixel-perfect design could unravel.

So how do you empower your client to edit content without compromising your structure or design? The answer lies in carefully assigning — or creating — a custom user role.

Why you shouldn’t give full admin access

It may sound obvious, but many freelancers and agencies still hand over administrator accounts by default. The intention is good: give clients freedom. But the risk? They can install plugins, delete layouts, change theme settings — all without knowing the consequences.

It only takes one accidental click inside Elementor to send a support ticket your way.

The native Editor role: underestimated and underrated

The default Editor role already removes access to most critical settings. Editors can manage posts, pages, and media — but can’t touch themes, plugins, or global site settings. That makes it a solid starting point for most client use-cases.

If your client just needs to update blog posts, tweak service page content, or upload media — the Editor role is more than enough.

Cleaner backend? Use a menu visibility plugin

If you’re sticking with the Editor role but want to simplify the dashboard, plugins like Admin Menu Editor are a game changer.

You can hide any menu or submenu from specific roles, remove unused options, and create a distraction-free admin environment tailored for clients.

Suggested screenshot: Before/after dashboard using Admin Menu Editor to clean up Editor access.

Option 2: Build your own client role with a plugin

If you need more granular control, consider creating a brand new role. You can call it “Client Editor”, for example, and define exactly what it can (and can’t) do.

• Members: clean UI, lets you manage roles and capabilities directly
• User Role Editor: very detailed, great for complex setups

This approach works well if you want to white-label your delivery and avoid confusion with default WordPress roles.

Advanced: Create a custom role with code (no plugin)

If you prefer to keep things lightweight and avoid extra plugins, you can create a custom role programmatically in your theme’s functions.php or via a custom plugin. Here’s an example:

function add_custom_client_role() {
    add_role(
        'client_editor',
        'Client Editor',
        [
            'read' => true,
            'edit_posts' => true,
            'edit_pages' => true,
            'edit_published_pages' => true,
            'upload_files' => true,
            'delete_posts' => false,
            'publish_posts' => false,
            'edit_theme_options' => false
        ]
    );
}
add_action('init', 'add_custom_client_role');
  

This will add a new role called Client Editor with tightly scoped permissions. You can assign this role to your client just like any other.

Pro tip: Combine this with Admin Menu Editor to fully control what the client sees in the backend.

Bonus: Let clients edit text — without Elementor access

Even with the perfect role, one issue remains: Elementor access is all-or-nothing. If your client can open the builder, they can potentially break your design.

This is why many agencies turn to Editly — a backend-only editor that lets clients update all Elementor text content safely, without ever touching the builder.

Suggested screenshot: Editly’s back-office text editor with clear inline content blocks and live sync.

Choose the setup that fits your workflow

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. But with a mix of WordPress roles, smart plugins, or even a little PHP, you can confidently delegate content edits to your clients — without compromising your site’s integrity.

And if you want a plug-and-play way to handle safe client edits, you know where to look 😉