Confluence Admin Settings
Site administration gives you control over the entire Confluence instance — users, groups, global permissions, security settings, storage, and more. This topic covers the most important admin settings every Confluence site admin needs to understand and manage.
Site Admin vs Space Admin
Confluence has two distinct admin roles. Knowing the difference prevents confusion about who controls what.
Admin Role Comparison
ROLE CONTROLS ACCESS PATH
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Site Admin Entire Confluence site: ⚙ Settings (top-right,
users, groups, security, site-wide)
global permissions, storage,
apps, and all spaces
Space Admin One specific space: Space → Space Settings ⚙
space permissions, templates,
page restrictions within
that space only
Accessing Site Admin Settings
Click the ⚙ Settings cog in the top-right corner of Confluence. Only site admins see the full settings menu. Regular users see only their profile settings.
Site Admin Menu Structure
⚙ SITE ADMIN SETTINGS
│
├── USERS AND SECURITY
│ ├── User Management — add, edit, deactivate users
│ ├── Groups — create and manage user groups
│ ├── Global Permissions — control who can use Confluence
│ └── Security — 2FA, session settings
│
├── SPACES
│ ├── Space List — view all spaces on the site
│ └── Space Permissions — override any space permissions
│
├── CONTENT
│ ├── Archive — move inactive spaces to archive
│ └── Storage — monitor site storage usage
│
├── APPS
│ ├── Find new apps — browse and install Marketplace apps
│ └── Manage apps — configure and update installed apps
│
└── CONFIGURATION
├── General — site name, logo, base URL
├── Email — outgoing email server settings
└── Analytics — page view statistics
User Management
User Management lets you add new users, deactivate departing employees, reset passwords, and change user roles. Deactivating a user revokes their access without deleting their pages or comments — the content remains intact.
User Lifecycle in Confluence
NEW EMPLOYEE: Settings → User Management → Invite User → Enter email → Select role → Send invite → User receives email, sets password, gains access DEPARTING EMPLOYEE: Settings → User Management → Find user → Deactivate → Access revoked immediately → All their pages and comments remain unchanged → Reactivate at any time if needed
User Roles Available
ROLE CAN DO ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Confluence User Standard access — read, write, comment Space Admin Manage their own space Site Admin Full control over everything
Managing Groups
Groups are collections of users. Assign groups to space permissions instead of individuals so managing team access takes one action rather than ten. Go to Settings → Groups → Create Group to build a new group.
Group Management Workflow
CREATE GROUP: Settings → Groups → Create Group → Name: "Engineering Team" → Add members: Priya, Raj, Sam, Dev, Lee ASSIGN TO SPACE: HR Space → Space Settings → Permissions → Add "Engineering Team" group → Grant View permission RESULT: → All 5 engineers see the HR Space (View only) → Add a 6th engineer to the group → they get access automatically → Remove someone from the group → access removed immediately
Global Permissions
Global permissions control who can use Confluence at all, and what they can do at the site level — not within individual spaces.
Global Permissions Options
GLOBAL PERMISSION WHAT IT CONTROLS ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Use Confluence Log in and use the site (required baseline) Create Spaces Create new team or project spaces Create Personal Space Create a private personal space Confluence Administrator Access site admin settings panel System Administrator Highest level — full unrestricted access
Grant "Create Spaces" only to users who need it. Too many spaces created by too many people leads to an unorganised Confluence site quickly.
Security Settings
Security settings control session behaviour, login policies, and two-factor authentication requirements across the whole site.
Key Security Settings
SETTING RECOMMENDED VALUE ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Two-Factor Authentication Enforce for all users Session timeout 8 hours (or your org policy) Password policy Minimum 12 chars, complexity required Anonymous access Off (unless you publish public docs) Allowlist (IP restriction) Enable for sensitive organisations
Storage Management
Confluence tracks how much storage your site uses. Large attachments — especially video files and slide decks — consume storage fast. Go to Settings → Storage to see a breakdown by space.
Storage Dashboard Example
TOTAL STORAGE USED: 1.8 GB of 2 GB (free plan limit)
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
SPACE STORAGE USED
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Engineering Space 820 MB ← largest (video demos uploaded)
Marketing Space 540 MB
HR Space 190 MB
Personal Spaces 250 MB
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
ACTION: Move large videos to Google Drive or YouTube,
then link from Confluence instead of uploading.
Installing and Managing Apps
Atlassian Marketplace apps extend Confluence with new macros, integrations, and features. Go to Settings → Find new apps to browse. Only site admins can install apps — they apply to the whole site, not individual spaces.
App Installation Steps
STEP 1 → Settings → Find new apps STEP 2 → Search by name or category (e.g. "diagrams") STEP 3 → Read reviews and check compatibility rating STEP 4 → Click "Try it free" or "Buy now" STEP 5 → App installs — available to all users immediately STEP 6 → Configure from Settings → Manage apps
Site Configuration
Set your site name and logo from Settings → General Configuration. The site name appears in browser tabs and email notifications. Upload your company logo so the Confluence header reflects your organisation's branding.
General Configuration Checklist
☐ Site name set to company or team name ☐ Company logo uploaded (recommended: 200×40px PNG) ☐ Outgoing email configured (Settings → Mail Servers) ☐ Default language set for your team's region ☐ Analytics enabled to track page views and content usage ☐ Audit log reviewed monthly (tracks all admin actions)
The Audit Log
The audit log records every admin action taken on your Confluence site — who changed which setting, when, and what the previous value was. Go to Settings → Audit Log to review it. The audit log is your safety net: if something unexpected changes, the audit log tells you who changed it and when.
Audit Log Entry Example
TIME USER ACTION ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 10 Jun 09:14 Priya Sharma Deactivated user: sam@company.com 10 Jun 09:30 Raj Mehta Changed space permissions: HR Space 10 Jun 11:00 Priya Sharma Installed app: draw.io Diagrams 09 Jun 17:45 Raj Mehta Created space: Finance Q3 2025
Review the audit log after any reported issue or unexpected change. It provides the evidence you need to understand exactly what happened and who was responsible.