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Confluence Permissions: The Ultimate Guide (2026)

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Quick Answer

Confluence permissions control who can view, edit, and administer content. You manage permissions at three levels: site admin (global), space admin (space-level), and page restrictions (page-level). Understanding the inheritance hierarchy is key — lower-level settings always override higher-level ones.

What Are Confluence Permissions?​

Confluence permissions are access controls that determine what actions users can perform on content. Without proper permission management, teams risk exposing sensitive information or blocking collaboration.

Confluence has three permission layers:

LevelControlsManaged By
Site adminGlobal permissions, app access, user groupsSite admins
Space adminSpace-level view/edit/admin permissionsSpace admins
Page restrictionsIndividual page view/edit accessPage owners, space admins

Site Admin Permissions (Global)​

Site admins control global access through Global Permissions. This is the highest level of permission control.

How to Access Global Permissions​

  1. Click your profile icon → Administration
  2. Navigate to User Management → Groups
  3. Select Global Permissions

Global Permission Groups​

GroupPurposeDefault Members
site-adminsFull site controlManual assignment
confluence-adminsConfluence-specific adminManual assignment
confluence-usersBasic access to ConfluenceAll registered users
confluence-ex-usersUsers with expired licensesAuto-populated

Key Global Permissions​

  • Confluence Administrator: Access admin console, manage users, configure apps
  • System Administrator: Full system control (including non-Confluence settings)
  • Can Use: Basic access to log in and use Confluence

Space Admin Permissions​

Space admins control permissions within individual spaces. Every space has at least one space admin.

How to Manage Space Permissions​

  1. Go to the space → Space Settings → Permissions
  2. Add/remove users or groups
  3. Set view, edit, and admin permissions

Space Permission Types​

PermissionWhat It Allows
ViewSee the space and its pages
EditCreate and modify pages
AddAttach files and comments
DeleteRemove pages and attachments
AdminManage space settings and permissions

Inheritance Rules​

Permissions follow a hierarchy:

Site Admin → Space Admin → Page Restrictions

Lower-level settings always win. If a page restriction denies access, it overrides space-level grants.

Page Restrictions​

Page restrictions let you control access to specific pages without changing space permissions.

Two Types of Restrictions​

RestrictionEffect
View restrictionOnly specified users can view the page
Edit restrictionOnly specified users can edit the page

How to Restrict a Page​

  1. Open the page
  2. Click More actions (⋯) → Restrictions
  3. Add users or groups to the view or edit restriction list

Key Behaviors​

  • Restrictions apply to the page and all child pages
  • Only page owners, space admins, or users with "Admin" permission can set restrictions
  • Restricted pages appear in search results but cannot be accessed by unauthorized users

Permission Inheritance Explained​

Inheritance is the most confusing part of Confluence permissions. Here's the complete picture:

The Inheritance Hierarchy​

1. Global Permissions (site-wide)
   ↓
2. Space Permissions (space-level)
   ↓
3. Page Restrictions (page-level)

How Inheritance Works​

ScenarioResult
User has view permission at all levels✅ Can view
User has view permission at space level, but page is restricted❌ Cannot view
User is in a denied group at space level❌ Cannot view (even if page allows)
User has no explicit permission at any level❌ Cannot view

Common Gotchas​

  1. "Everyone" group: Adding "Everyone" to space permissions grants access to all logged-in users
  2. Group membership: Users inherit permissions from all groups they belong to
  3. Restriction scope: Page restrictions cascade to child pages
  4. Space key in URL: Users can see the space key in URLs even if they can't access content

Troubleshooting Permission Issues​

"I can't see a page"​

Check these in order:

  1. Global permissions: Are you in confluence-users?
  2. Space permissions: Does your group have "View" permission?
  3. Page restrictions: Is the page restricted to specific users?

"I can't edit a page"​

  1. Space permissions: Does your group have "Edit" permission?
  2. Page restrictions: Is edit access restricted?
  3. Page status: Is the page archived or locked?

"I'm a space admin but can't change permissions"​

  • Verify you're a space admin, not just a content creator
  • Check if the space is a archived space (permissions are frozen)

Best Practices​

  1. Use groups, not individuals: Assign permissions to groups for easier management
  2. Limit page restrictions: Overusing restrictions creates maintenance overhead
  3. Audit regularly: Review permissions quarterly to remove stale access
  4. Document exceptions: Keep a log of any permission overrides for compliance
  5. Test in production: Use the "Impersonate" feature (site admins) to verify access

Frequently Asked Questions​

What's the difference between site admin and space admin? Site admins control global settings and user access. Space admins control permissions within individual spaces. A space admin cannot modify global permissions.

Can I restrict a page without affecting child pages? No. Page restrictions cascade to all child pages. You must manage each child page individually if you need different access.

What happens when a user is removed from a group? They lose all permissions inherited from that group. Existing page restrictions they set remain (if they were page owners).

Can I see who has access to a page? Yes. Go to Page Restrictions → Who can see this? to view the effective permission list.

How do I transfer page ownership? Edit the page → More actions → Page History → Take Ownership (requires space admin permission).

This guide is part of our Confluence admin series. Bookmark it for reference.

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