---
title: Setting Up User Roles
description: User roles are admin-defined parameters that determine what actions a subset of channel users can perform. These actions include who the user can speak...
---

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May 8, 2026

# Setting Up User Roles

This article is written for: ✅ Zello Work  ❌ Zello Friends & Family.

User roles are admin-defined parameters that determine what actions a subset of channel users can perform. These actions include who the user can speak to; their [talk priority](https://2567349.hs-sites.com/zw/talk-priority?hsLang=en); if the user can [disconnect](https://paidsupport.zello.com/hc/en-us/articles/26989985344141-How-to-connect-and-disconnect-from-a-channel) from the channel; and if the user can send [channel alerts](https://paidsupport.zello.com/hc/en-us/articles/26989961014669-Sending-Channel-Alerts). 

### **Why apply user roles? **

User roles allow admins to manage users’ communications capabilities through clearly defined groups. They can be applied based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to job title, function, shift, and more. 

For example: Transportation companies likely have both dispatchers and drivers included in their network’s channels, and it’s unlikely that a dispatcher would also be a driver. With the user role functionality, these roles can be separated into distinct categories with access permissions that reflect their operational needs (e.g. an admin can establish a “dispatcher” role that speaks to anyone in the selected channel, as well as a “driver” role that allows drivers to speak to dispatchers in the channel, but not other drivers). 

User Roles help define who can: 

- Speak to everyone in a channel
- Only speak to selected roles in a channel
- Listen, but not talk in a channel
- Speak to users without roles in a channel
- Disconnect from the channel
- Send channel alerts

They can also help carry out tasks such as: 

- [Creating a broadcast channel](https://paidsupport.zello.com/hc/en-us/articles/26991378090893-How-do-I-create-a-broadcast-system-with-a-channel)
- [Creating a pool of dispatchers](https://2567349.hs-sites.com/zw/preventing-drivers-from-hearing-each-other-in-a-channel?hsLang=en)
- [Joining a channel you're not a part of](https://paidsupport.zello.com/hc/en-us/articles/26991059509389-Can-I-speak-in-a-channel-I-m-not-a-part-of)
- [Setting up an emergency call channel](https://2567349.hs-sites.com/zw/emergency-channel-settings-roles?hsLang=en)

### **Creating roles for a channel**

1. Sign in to the management console at *yournetworkname.*zellowork.com and select the **Channels icon** from the taskbar.  
   ![](https://support.zello.com/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/40938787970445-2.png)
2. Select the channel you’d like to assign the new user role. 
3. Click the + button at the top-right corner of the **Roles** section.  
   ![](https://support.zello.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/40938795647245-2.png?width=600&height=65&name=40938795647245-2.png)
4. Name your new user role, set its associated parameters and then click **Continue**. In this example, we’ve named the role “Weekend Drivers” and given it the following permissions:  
     - Speak to anyone
     - Normal talk priority
     - Can disconnect from the channel (with a disabled auto-disconnect timeout)
     - Can send alerts to the channel  
       ![](https://support.zello.com/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/40938787972621-2.png)
5. Select the user(s) you’d like to assign this role. Then click **Continue**.![](https://support.zello.com/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/40938795648525-2.png)

Your new role will be reflected in the **Roles** section of the channel details page. Your channel’s user list will also reflect the changes under the **Role** column.  
![](https://support.zello.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/40938795649421-2.png?width=600&height=165&name=40938795649421-2.png)

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