A Slack admin is a person with the Owner or Admin role, which carries permissions ordinary members don't get, such as deleting channels, deactivating accounts and changing someone's role. As of October 2026 Slack's roles are Owner/Admin, Member, Guest and Frontline, and Enterprise plans add a set of narrower system roles on top.
Here's the catch. A lot of what you see as members' permissions are defaults, not fixed rules. Members can create channels and private channels by default, but Workspace Owners can restrict that. So before you assume someone can or can't do something, check what your workspace's owners have changed.
What only Owners and Admins can do
By default these sit with Owners and Admins, not members:
| Action | Who can do it by default |
|---|---|
| Delete a channel | Owner/Admin |
| Deactivate a member account | Owner/Admin |
| Set default channels | Owner/Admin |
| Change a member's role | Owner/Admin |
| Send guest invites | Owner/Admin |
| Delete other people's messages | Owner/Admin |
| Create channels and private channels | Members, unless a Workspace Owner restricts it |
| Transfer primary ownership | Primary Owner only |
| Delete the workspace | Primary Owner only |
The two Primary Owner rows are the ones to protect. Only one person can transfer primary ownership or delete the whole workspace, so make sure that's someone who'll still be around in a year, not a contractor who set Slack up and moved on.
If you're the one cleaning up old conversations, here's how to delete a Slack channel step by step.
Permissions that need a paid plan
Some permissions don't exist on the free plan at all, whatever your role. As of October 2026 these are paid plans only:
- building and using workflows,
- changing full names, display names and email addresses,
- managing Slack Connect channels.
That second one surprises people. On a paid plan there are controls over names and emails, which matters when someone changes their name or leaves and you need their account to stay tidy.
What guests can and can't do
Guests are the role you'll use for clients and freelancers. They can send messages and upload files, delete their own messages, and use @channel and @here. What they can't do is join any public channel on their own, so they only see what you've added them to.
Because @channel and @here are open to guests, it's worth thinking about which channels you add them to. A guest in a busy channel can notify everyone in it. If you're setting up somewhere quieter for a client, here's how to make a Slack channel private.
Frontline Members and guests: two limits admins should know
Two other Slack help articles fill in what these roles miss out on, and both affect how you set people up.
| Role | Slack Connect | Building workflows |
|---|---|---|
| Frontline Member | Can't use it | Can't build by default |
| Guest | Can't use it | Can use workflows, not build them |
| Member | Can use it | Full Members can build them, on paid plans |
So if a shift worker or a client needs to talk to another company or set up their own automations, the Frontline or guest role will stop them. Pick the role with that in mind before you invite them, because changing a role later is another job for an Owner or Admin.
Extra admin powers on Enterprise plans
Enterprise plans add an organisation layer. Org Owners and Admins get policies the workspace roles don't, including custom message and file retention, mandatory two-factor authentication, and single sign-on configured by the Org Owner.
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They also add system roles. Slack lists these as of October 2026:
| System role | System role |
|---|---|
| Analytics Admin | Audit Logs Admin |
| Channels Admin | Content Admin |
| Customization Manager | DLP Admin |
| Export Admin | Legal Holds Admin |
| Message Activity Manager | Roles Admin |
| Security Admin | Template Admin |
| Users Admin | Workflow Admin |
For a growing team that's the useful part. The names tell you the area each one covers, from security and users to exports and workflows, so you can match a role to the person who already does that job.
How to review roles in your workspace
- Open Settings & administration.
- Go to Manage members and check who holds the Owner and Admin roles.
- Confirm who the Primary Owner is, since only they can transfer ownership or delete the workspace.
- Review the defaults, such as whether members can create channels.
- Change a role only where someone needs it, and remove admin rights from anyone who's left.
My verdict on Slack admin roles
I'd keep the Owner and Admin roles to the fewest people who need them, because those roles can delete channels, deactivate accounts and remove other people's messages. I'd check who the Primary Owner is today, and I'd use guests rather than full members for anyone outside your business, since guests can't wander into public channels. If you're on Enterprise, I'd hand out system roles before full admin rights, because they give someone exactly the slice they need.
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Frequently asked questions
Who is the Primary Owner in Slack?
The one person who can transfer primary ownership and delete the workspace.
What can a Slack admin do that a member can't?
By default Owners and Admins can delete a channel, deactivate a member account, set default channels, change a member's role, send guest invites and delete other people's messages.
Who can delete a Slack workspace?
Only the Primary Owner. The Primary Owner is also the only person who can transfer primary ownership.
Can Slack members create channels?
Yes by default, including private channels, but Workspace Owners can restrict it.
Can Slack guests join public channels?
Not on their own. Guests can send messages, upload files, delete their own messages and use @channel and @here, but can't join any public channel by themselves.
What extra admin roles does Slack Enterprise have?
System roles including Analytics Admin, Audit Logs Admin, Channels Admin, Content Admin, Security Admin, Users Admin and Workflow Admin, plus Org Owner/Admin policies such as custom retention, mandatory two-factor authentication and single sign-on.
