Site Moderators
Better Messages lets you delegate messaging moderation to trusted non-administrators. Users with moderation access get the Administration page in the WordPress admin — its Messages, Guests and Bulk Messaging tabs — and site-wide moderation powers inside the chat, without receiving the manage_options rights of a full administrator.
What it adds#
- A Roles That Can Access Administration setting — pick which WordPress roles get moderation access, no code or role-editor plugin required
- Access to WP Admin → Better Messages → Administration, with its Messages tab (where reported and held messages are reviewed) and Guests tab. The Bulk Messaging tab is gated separately — see below.
- Site-wide moderation powers in the chat interface: edit or delete any message, review messages held by pre-moderation, and handle user reports
- Per-user granting via a standard WordPress capability, for giving one person access without changing a whole role
- Works on both the free and WebSocket versions
The Roles That Can Access Administration setting was added in Better Messages 2.15.24. On older versions, grant the bm_can_administrate capability with a role-management plugin instead — that method keeps working too.
How to enable#
Go to WP Admin → Better Messages → Settings → Moderation and check the roles under Roles That Can Access Administration. Users with those roles immediately gain the Administration page and moderation powers. Unchecking a role revokes them again.
Administrators always have full access — they don't need to be listed.
If your site previously granted the bm_can_administrate capability to a role with a role-management plugin, check that role here after updating — the setting now manages role-level grants, and roles left unchecked lose the capability on the next settings save. Capabilities granted to individual users are not affected.
Granting access to a single user#
Everything is driven by the standard WordPress capability bm_can_administrate. To give one specific user moderation access without opening it to their whole role, add the capability to that user with any role-management plugin (for example User Role Editor or Members). Role checkboxes in the setting manage the capability at the role level. User-level grants are yours and are never touched by the setting.
The same pattern works for bulk messaging with the bm_can_bulk_message capability — see Mass Messaging permissions.
Site moderators vs chat room moderators#
These are two different features:
| Site moderators | Chat room moderators | |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | The whole site | One specific chat room |
| Assigned via | Settings → Moderation (roles) or the bm_can_administrate capability | The room editor's Moderators section |
| Powers | Administration page, edit/delete any message, review pre-moderation and reports | Kick, mute and ban participants of their room, add participants, reply while the room is closed |
| Typical use | Community moderation staff | A group leader managing their own room |
Frequently asked questions#
Can a moderator change plugin settings?#
No. The Administration page does not include plugin settings — those remain behind manage_options, so only administrators can change how Better Messages is configured.
Can a moderator send bulk messages?#
Only if you also allow it. Bulk messaging has its own permission — see Mass Messaging permissions.
My moderators are redirected away from wp-admin on a WooCommerce site#
WooCommerce normally blocks customer-level accounts from the WordPress admin area. Better Messages automatically makes an exception for users with moderation or bulk-messaging access, so they can reach the Administration page while everyone else keeps being redirected as usual.