# Getting Started with the Groups Addon

URL: https://wpusermanager.com/article/247-getting-started-with-the-groups-addon/
Last updated: 2026-10-07

The Groups addon lets you and your members create groups, join them, and keep content for the people in them.

Group privacy
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Each group is one of three kinds:

- **Public:** anyone can see the group, and any logged-in user can join straight away.
- **Private:** anyone can see the group and ask to join, but a group moderator or admin has to approve them. See [Moderating group members](https://wpusermanager.com/article/251-moderating-group-members/).
- **Hidden:** only members can see the group, and it isn't listed in the directory. People join when a site admin adds them, or when they accept an invitation. See [Inviting members to a group](https://wpusermanager.com/article/345-inviting-members-to-a-group/).

Group roles
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Members of a group have one of three roles:

- **Admin:** edits the group, removes members, invites people to hidden groups, exports the member list, and approves or rejects requests to join.
- **Moderator:** approves or rejects requests to join.
- **Member:** belongs to the group.

Whoever creates a group from the front end becomes its admin. Site admins change roles in the dashboard; see [Managing group members](https://wpusermanager.com/article/346-managing-group-members/).

Where groups appear
-------------------

- **Group pages** have an About tab and a Members tab, plus a Moderation tab for moderators and admins, and a Tools tab for admins.
- **The group directory** lists public and private groups: see [Displaying a directory of groups](https://wpusermanager.com/article/250-displaying-a-directory-of-groups/).
- **Profiles** get a Groups tab listing the groups the user belongs to. On your own profile it includes hidden groups.

Next steps
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- [Creating a new group](https://wpusermanager.com/article/249-creating-a-new-group/): by site admins, or from the front end by users with the right role
- [Editing a group](https://wpusermanager.com/article/252-editing-a-group/)
- [Inviting members to a group](https://wpusermanager.com/article/345-inviting-members-to-a-group/)
- [Managing group members](https://wpusermanager.com/article/346-managing-group-members/)
- [Restricting content to group members](https://wpusermanager.com/article/347-restricting-content-to-group-members/)
- [Allow users to join groups from the registration forms](https://wpusermanager.com/article/289-allow-users-to-join-groups-from-the-registration-forms/)
- [Changing the name of the group object](https://wpusermanager.com/article/248-changing-the-name-of-the-group-object/): if "Group" doesn't fit your site, call them teams, clubs or organizations instead