# How To Start New Accounts as Subscriber With BetterShield?

New accounts start as Subscriber. Existing accounts keep their roles.

With **[BetterShield](/)**, new accounts start as Subscriber. Existing accounts keep their roles.

## What it does

**Subscriber role for new sign-ups** is under **BetterShield › Protection › Hardening**. New accounts start as Subscriber. Existing accounts keep their roles. It is off by default.

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## Step 1: Open Protection › Hardening

Open **Protection › Hardening** and find **Subscriber role for new sign-ups**.

<figure class="doc-shot">
  <img src="/docs/screenshots/subscriber-registration.png" alt="Start new accounts as Subscriber: saved state and available controls in BetterShield." width="980" height="115" loading="lazy" decoding="async">
  <figcaption>Review the state and choices shown on your own site before applying a change.</figcaption>
</figure>

## Step 2: Start new accounts as Subscriber

- Open its preview and read what will change. The preview changes nothing.
- There are no extra fields. WordPress’s default registration role becomes Subscriber. Existing accounts keep their roles.
- Turn on the fix. If the screen asks you to confirm recovery or your password, complete that before continuing.

## Recommended settings

Our advice is to test this on staging, then apply it when the behavior fits the site. Keep a working recovery method before changes affecting sign-in or the site address.

## What it can break and how to undo

An integration expecting the WordPress default registration role to grant more rights may need its own reviewed workflow. Turn the fix off to use its undo, then check the original workflow. A change is recorded in the activity log; an undo does not erase that record.

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## Final Outcome

The row should show the fix is on. Test the affected operation with an appropriate account, then check the finding. The score and Findings update on their own after the change. If the finding stays open, press **Check Again** to see what the check still sees. A server or another plugin can enforce a setting independently, so switching BetterShield off does not necessarily remove that other protection.

<figure class="doc-shot">
  <img src="/docs/screenshots/subscriber-registration.png" alt="Start new accounts as Subscriber: saved state and available controls in BetterShield." width="980" height="115" loading="lazy" decoding="async">
  <figcaption>Example New-account role view. Check the saved values and status on your own site.</figcaption>
</figure>

## Related

- [Hardening overview](/docs/hardening/)
- [Set up recovery](/docs/set-up-recovery/)
- [Activity log](/docs/activity-log/)

This is how you can start new accounts as Subscriber with BetterShield.

Getting Stuck? Feel free to contact our [Dedicated Support Team](/support/).