---
title: "Users and permissions"
description: "Manage TapHome users: User, Admin and Service roles, TapHome account vs local admin account, and permissions for devices, dashboards and Smart Rules."
url: "https://taphome.com/en/docs/configuration/users-permissions/"
language: en
lastmod: 2026-11-06
generator: hugo
ai:
  topics: ["user-management","permissions","access-control","user-roles","user-accounts"]
  questions: ["How do I add a new user in TapHome?","What is the difference between User, Admin, and Service roles?","What are the default login credentials for a local account?","When should I use a local account instead of a TapHome account?","How do I hide devices or Smart rules from certain users?","Where do I set permissions for a specific device?","How do default permissions work and where do I configure them?"]
---

# Users and permissions

Last updated: 2026-11-06

Users and permissions in TapHome define who can use a location and what each person can see and change. Every user has a role (**User**, **Admin** or **Service**) and an account type (a TapHome account or a local account), and permissions then limit access to individual devices and Smart rules, either per user or per user group. Users are added by a user with the **Admin** role in **Menu → Settings → All users → Add a new user**. Users may be family members, hotel guests or tenants in an office building, and each of them sees and controls only what their permissions allow.

## User Management

User management enables you to define access rights and permissions for different types of users. Users may include family members, hotel guests, or tenants in an office building.

### User Roles
- **User** – May manually change values (e.g., adjust the set temperature, turn lights on or off). Access to Smart rules and advanced device settings may be restricted by users with the role **Admin** or **Service**.
- **Admin** – May add or remove users and change basic system settings.
- **Service** – Cannot add or remove users, but has access to all system settings and configurations. This level is used for installation partners.

### Types of user accounts
- **TapHome account** – A free account based on a login email and password. The user authenticates via the cloud and a list of locations is sent from the server. When switching between locations, re-login is not required because authentication always occurs through the control unit. The TapHome account is used in most cases.
- **Local account** – Each control unit has a predefined local user with login name “admin” and password “admin”. The password can be changed. A local account is recommended only in special cases:
  - If it is not required for the end user to create an account (e.g., a tenant in the building uses pre-generated login credentials).
  - If complete independence from the Internet or cloud servers is required.

### Adding a new user
Go to **Menu → Settings → All users → Add a new user**.

## Permissions

Permissions allow you to configure different types of access rights to devices and Smart rules. For example, a service technician can prevent users from performing certain actions that could disrupt system functionality, while still granting them access to weekly schedules, blinds/shade sensitivity, and so on.

Permissions can be applied to:
- Specific users
- User groups (**Service**, **Admin**, **User**)

Use the icons in the top-right corner for a quick overview of what each user group (**Service**, **Admin** or **User**) can see.

### Example: Device list
1. A Service user sees both physical modules and virtual control devices.
2. If desired, an Admin may not see, for example, IO modules.
3. If desired, a User may not see system devices, such as the temperature of the hot water circuit.

### Example – **Dashboard**
1. Permissions for **Service**
2. Permissions for **Admin**
3. Permissions for **User**

### Example – **Smart rules**
1. **Service** can view and edit all Smart rules.
2. **Admin** can view all Smart rules, but can edit, for example, only the irrigation sequence.
3. **User** cannot view or edit any Smart rules related to irrigation. They also cannot change manual control, rename a device, or access service settings.

### Permissions for devices and Smart rules
Device service settings → Permissions tab  
Open a specific Smart rule → Info tab

### Default permissions
To speed up the configuration process, each specific type of Smart rule and device has a definition of default permissions.  
If these permissions change, they are automatically applied to all devices or Smart rules of the same type that do not have their own permissions set.

**Menu → Settings → Permissions**

**Default permissions for the location, devices and Smart rules**
1. Define the default permission level for a specific group or user across the entire location.
2. Define default permissions for standard device types.
3. Each type of Smart rule can have its own default permissions.

**See also** — [Access Control System](https://taphome.com/en/docs/access-control/), [Kiosk Mode](https://taphome.com/en/docs/applications/kiosk-mode/).