Managing users

Create, edit, and manage user accounts in Redmine. Control access, authentication, and account status from the Administration panel.

Redmine stores all user accounts in a central directory accessible from Administration → Users. Administrators can create accounts, lock or unlock them, assign authentication sources, and generate API keys.

User fields

Each user account has the following fields:

Field	Description
Login	Unique username. Accepts letters, numbers, _, -, @, and .. Maximum 60 characters.
First name	Maximum 30 characters.
Last name	Maximum 255 characters.
Email	Primary email address. Maximum 254 characters. Used for notifications and password resets.
Language	UI language for this user. Overrides the global default language.
Time zone	Used to display dates and times in the user’s local time.
Authentication mode	Choose between internal password authentication or an external LDAP source configured under Administration → LDAP authentication.
Administrator	Grants full access to all administration functions and all projects.
Password	Internal password. Not used when an external authentication source is selected.
Must change password at next login	Forces the user to set a new password on their next sign-in.
Email notifications	Controls which events trigger email notifications for this user.
No self-registration	Prevents this user from changing their own account details.

User status

A user account can be in one of four states:

Active (status = 1)

The user can sign in and access Redmine. This is the normal state for all working accounts.

Registered (status = 2)

The account was self-registered and is waiting for administrator approval. The user cannot sign in until an administrator activates the account. This status only appears when self-registration requires admin activation.

Locked (status = 3)

The account is disabled. The user cannot sign in, but their data and history are preserved. Use this to deactivate someone without deleting their account.

Anonymous (status = 0)

A built-in virtual user representing unauthenticated visitors. Cannot be created or edited manually.

Creating a user

1. Open the Users list

   Go to Administration → Users and click New user.

2. Fill in required fields

   Enter the Login, First name, Last name, and Email. All four fields are required for non-anonymous accounts.

3. Set a password or choose an authentication source

   Enter a password under Password and Confirmation, or select an external LDAP source from the Authentication mode dropdown. If you select an external source, the password fields are ignored.

   Check Generate password to have Redmine create a random password and email it to the user.

4. Choose language and time zone

   Select the user’s preferred Language and Time zone. These override the global defaults.

5. Save

   Click Create to save the account. The user receives an email notification if email is configured.

Administrator vs regular user

Administrator

Has access to all administration functions, all projects (including private ones), and can manage any user, role, or configuration setting.

Regular user

Can only access projects they are a member of (or public projects). Their capabilities within a project are determined by their assigned role.

Granting administrator access gives the user unrestricted access to all data in the Redmine instance, including private projects and other users’ API keys. Only grant this to trusted individuals.

Email notification options

The Email notifications field controls which events send email to this user. The available options are:

Option	Description
all	Notifications for any event on any project.
selected	Notifications only for projects the user has selected in their account preferences.
only_my_events	Notifications only for events the user is involved in.
only_assigned	Notifications only for issues assigned to the user.
only_owner	Notifications only for issues the user created.
only_my_watches	Notifications only for issues the user is watching.
none	No email notifications.

API access keys

Each user has an API key that allows them to authenticate REST API requests without using their password. To view or reset a key:

1. Open the user’s edit page from Administration → Users.
2. Scroll to the API access key section.
3. Click Generate to create a new key, or Reset to revoke the current one.

Resetting a key immediately invalidates the old key. Any scripts or integrations using the old key will stop working until updated.

Importing users from CSV

Redmine can bulk-import users from a CSV file. The import is available from the Administration → Users list page via the Import button.

1. Prepare the CSV file

   Create a CSV file with columns matching user fields: login, firstname, lastname, mail, language, password, and any custom fields defined for users.

2. Upload the file

   Click Import on the Users list page and upload the CSV file. Select the correct encoding and column separator.

3. Map columns

   Map each CSV column to the corresponding Redmine user field. Required fields — login, first name, last name, and email — must be mapped.

4. Run the import

   Click Import to create the accounts. Redmine reports any rows that failed validation.

Locking and deleting accounts

• Lock: Set the account status to Locked to prevent sign-in while keeping the user’s history intact. Use this for employees who leave the organization.
• Delete: Permanently removes the account. Issues and other items remain but show the user as deleted. Deletion is irreversible.

You cannot delete an account that is your own currently signed-in account.