How to configure owner vs member roles on n8n

intermediate 8 min read Updated 2026-04-20

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.

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Prerequisites

Administrative access to n8n instance
Understanding of n8n workflow basics
Knowledge of user management concepts
Active n8n instance with multi-user support enabled

Step-by-Step Instructions

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.

Only users with owner role can access and modify user permissions

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.

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

Owner permissions cannot be restricted and are automatically inherited

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

Use checkboxes to enable or disable specific permissions.

Start with restrictive permissions and gradually increase access as needed

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.

Role changes take effect immediately and may require users to refresh their browser

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

Select appropriate default and click Update Settings.

Consider data sensitivity when setting default sharing permissions

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

Restrict credential sharing for production environments with sensitive data

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.

Always test role configurations in a staging environment before applying to production

Common Issues & 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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