What is the read_private_posts permission in WordPress? #
The read_private_posts permission allows users to view WordPress Posts if they are in the Private status.
Normally, Posts in the Private status are not meant to be seen by other WordPress users, so please be careful before giving this permission.
If users have the read_private_posts permission, they will NOT be able to see Private posts in the WordPress admin area. However, they will be able to view Private posts on the frontend of your site.
“read” in “read_private_posts” only refers to the visitor-facing area of WordPress.
Who has the read_private_posts permission? #
The read_private_posts permission is available on single WordPress sites and on multisite networks.
By default, the read_private_posts permission is given to Super Admins, Administrators, and Editors.
Subscribers and Contributors can not read private posts.
How to control who has the read_private_posts permission #
You can control who has the read_private_posts permission by installing the PublishPress Capabilities plugin.
- After installing PublishPress Capabilities, go to “Capabilities” in your WordPress admin menu.
- Using the dropdown in the top-left corner, choose the role you want to edit.
- Click the “Reading” tab.
- Check or uncheck the box in the “Posts” row of the “Read private” column.
