If you're running a team on Contentful, you’ve probably already hit the wall: someone needs access, but you don’t want to hand over the keys to the castle. Or maybe things got messy, and now nobody’s quite sure who can do what. This guide is for anyone who actually has to wrangle Contentful permissions—admins, team leads, even the “accidental techie” who just wants things not to blow up.
Let’s cut through the noise and get to what works (and what doesn’t) for setting up user roles and permissions in Contentful.
Why Permissions Matter (and Where They Usually Go Wrong)
Permissions aren’t just a checkbox. A good setup keeps your content safe, your team productive, and your weekends drama-free. Get it wrong, and you’re in for headaches: accidental edits, deleted content, or that fun moment when the intern publishes to production.
Where teams slip up: - Giving everyone “Admin” because it’s easier (until it isn’t) - Overcomplicating with too many custom roles - Setting it up once and never revisiting it (your team and needs will change!) - Not documenting who has which permissions
You want a balance between “nobody can do anything” and “total chaos.” That’s what this guide is about.
Step 1: Map Out Your Team’s Actual Needs
Before you start clicking around in Contentful, take five minutes and sketch out who actually needs to do what. Skip this, and you’ll end up with a maze of one-off permissions nobody understands.
Ask yourself: - Who should be able to create or delete content? - Who needs to publish, versus just edit? - Do you have read-only folks (like QA or stakeholders)? - Are there any “danger zones”—content types or spaces that only a few people should touch?
Pro tip: Write this down. Even a rough spreadsheet beats trying to remember in three months.
Step 2: Understand Contentful’s Permission Model
Contentful has a few layers to permissions:
- Organizations: Think of this as the umbrella. Roles here are rare—usually just admins.
- Spaces: Most of your day-to-day happens at the space level. Users get assigned roles inside each space.
- Roles: These are bundles of permissions (either built-in or custom) that control what users can do.
- API Tokens: Machine access for integrations—lock these down tight.
What matters: - Most teams live at the “space” and “role” level. - Contentful’s built-in roles are: Admin, Editor, Author, and Translator. They cover most basics. - Custom roles let you get granular, but it’s easy to overcomplicate.
Step 3: Start Simple with Built-in Roles
Unless you have a wild use case, stick with Contentful’s built-in roles to start. Here’s what they actually do:
- Admin: Can do everything—including managing roles. Don’t hand this out like candy.
- Editor: Can create, edit, and publish content. Good for most content folks.
- Author: Can create and edit content, but can’t publish. Nice for junior staff or external writers.
- Translator: Can only edit locales you assign. Good for translators, obviously.
What works:
Most teams can get by with Admins, Editors, and Authors. Translators are handy for multi-language setups.
What doesn’t:
Custom roles for every edge case. You'll confuse everyone and create a maintenance nightmare.
Step 4: Create Custom Roles Only When You Really Need To
Sometimes, the defaults just aren’t enough. Maybe you need someone who can manage media but not edit articles, or someone who can only publish certain content types.
If you must create a custom role: - Start with the built-in role closest to what you want. - Add or remove only what’s absolutely necessary. - Name custom roles clearly (“Media Manager” beats “Role 4”). - Document why you created it (future you will thank you).
Watch out:
Custom roles are powerful, but don’t go wild. Every new role is another thing to maintain and explain.
Step 5: Assign Users Thoughtfully
Don’t just bulk-assign roles. Review each person:
- Least privilege wins: Give people the lowest level of access they need to do their job. You can always bump them up later.
- Avoid Admin overload: Only a small group should be Admins—usually 1-3 people, tops.
- Remove old users: If someone leaves the team or project, remove them right away. Don’t let “zombie accounts” hang around.
Pro tip:
Regularly review user lists—quarterly is good enough for most teams.
Step 6: Lock Down API Access
API tokens are even riskier than user accounts. If an API key leaks, someone could trash your content or siphon sensitive data.
- Use environment-specific tokens: Don’t use production tokens in dev or staging.
- Scope tokens tightly: Only allow the permissions each integration needs.
- Rotate tokens periodically: Especially if someone leaves the team or you suspect a leak.
- Never share tokens in email or chat. Use your team’s secret manager or vault.
Step 7: Review and Audit Regularly
Permissions aren’t “set and forget.” Things change—people join, leave, or switch roles. Make it a habit to:
- Schedule a regular audit (monthly or quarterly)
- Double-check who has Admin access
- Review custom roles and delete any you don’t need
- Check if any API tokens look suspicious or unused
Ignore:
Any advice that tells you to “just trust your team.” Mistakes happen. Audits keep everyone honest (and safe).
Step 8: Document Everything (But Keep It Simple)
You don’t need a 50-page manual, but you do need to write down:
- What the roles mean in your context (“Editor can publish blog posts, but not landing pages”)
- Who has Admin access
- Where custom roles or exceptions exist
Even a simple Google Doc or README beats nothing. It saves arguments later.
Step 9: Train Your Team—Once, Then In Small Doses
Even the best setup falls apart if nobody knows how it works.
- Give a quick walkthrough to new users (“Here’s what you can do, here’s what you can’t”)
- Remind folks not to share logins
- Make it clear who to ask if they need more access (don’t make people guess)
What to skip:
Don’t run a two-hour permissions workshop. Nobody will remember. Keep it short and just-in-time.
Common Traps (and How to Dodge Them)
- Too many Admins: Limit this group. More Admins = more risk.
- One-off exceptions: “Just give Sarah publish rights for today.” These pile up and get forgotten.
- Never cleaning up user lists: Old accounts are security holes.
- No backup Admin: At least two people should have Admin, in case someone’s out sick.
Summary: Keep It Simple, Review Often
Contentful’s permissions are only as good as your process. Start simple, document what you do, and review it every so often. Overly complex setups get ignored—or worse, worked around. The goal isn’t to lock everyone out; it’s to keep things safe and sane while letting people get their work done.
If you’re ever in doubt, opt for less access, not more. You can always unlock a door later.