Use Case: Granting “Shop Manager” Role Access to Login as User

This article explains how a common use case from WooCommerce site owners led to the introduction of the new Role Management Permissions feature in the Login as User WordPress plugin. This enhancement allows site owners to grant specific user roles — such as Shop Manager — the ability to log in as other users, without requiring full Administrator privileges.

🧑💼 Background

Previously, only Administrators could use the Login as User functionality to access the front-end experience of other users. This worked well for many sites but was too restrictive for WooCommerce-powered stores where Shop Managers handle daily customer support and store management tasks.

Before this update, to achieve such functionality, site owners had to use a third-party plugin like User Role Editor to manually grant the edit_users capability to roles like Shop Manager. Now, this extra step is no longer needed — the capability can be assigned directly through the Login as User plugin settings.

⚙️ The Solution: Role Management Permissions

With the new feature, site owners can:

• Grant edit_users capability to non-admin roles (e.g., Shop Manager) directly from the plugin settings.
• Allow these roles to log in as users with specific roles (e.g., Customer, Client, Subscriber).
• Fine-tune access and maintain security while improving team efficiency.

🪜 How to Set It Up

Step 1: Enable “Shop Manager” in Edit Users Capability

• Go to the plugin settings page.
• Under Edit Users Capability Assignment, check the box next to Shop manager.
• Click Save Settings.

This gives Shop Managers the necessary capability to manage logins — no third-party plugin required anymore.

Step 2: Define Which Roles Shop Managers Can Log In As

• Once enabled, a new “Shop manager” section will appear under Role Management Permissions.
• Select the roles that Shop Managers should be allowed to log in as (e.g., Customer, Client, SEO Editor).
• Click Save Settings again.

Step 3: Test the Login as User Feature

• Log in as a Shop Manager.
• Go to the WordPress Users list.
• You will now see the “Login as…” button next to the users with the allowed roles.
• Click the button to access their front-end experience.

🚀 Real-World Use Case

Many WooCommerce stores rely on Shop Managers to handle customer inquiries, order support, and account management. By allowing Shop Managers to log in as customers directly, they can replicate issues faster, assist more effectively, and reduce reliance on Administrators for day-to-day support.

This is especially valuable for:

• Resolving account or checkout issues
• Accessing and verifying customer views
• Assisting with order history and account settings

🔐 Security & Best Practices

• Only grant this capability to trusted roles (e.g., Shop Managers or Support roles).
• Always select specific roles these users can impersonate to maintain control.
• Administrator permissions remain enabled by default and cannot be removed.

📸 Screenshots

✅ Summary

• You no longer need a third-party plugin to grant edit_users capability to roles like Shop Manager.
• This feature empowers teams beyond Administrators to support customers more efficiently.
• Shop Managers (or other roles) can now securely use Login as User for specific roles.

Available in: Login as User v1.6.6 and newer.