Title: Settings API – Custom Capability
Last modified: March 30, 2017

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# Settings API – Custom Capability

 *  Resolved [Howdy_McGee](https://wordpress.org/support/users/howdy_mcgee/)
 * (@howdy_mcgee)
 * [9 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/settings-api-custom-capability/)
 * Is there a way to add a custom capability to the Settings API save button? All
   the documentation I’ve run across states that it’s pretty strict and should be`
   manage_options` but I think that’s silly. I have a custom role of which I want
   to give them access to specific plugin settings pages without giving them access
   to the general WordPress settings.
 * What is the point of having a capability parameter to show the page if you can’t
   save the options with `manage_options` capability only? Seems like I’m missing
   something…
 * If not, how do other plugins handle it? Should I just create an admin page and
   my own settings page minus Settings API?
    -  This topic was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by [Howdy_McGee](https://wordpress.org/support/users/howdy_mcgee/).

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

 *  Moderator [bcworkz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/bcworkz/)
 * (@bcworkz)
 * [9 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/settings-api-custom-capability/#post-8976945)
 * The settings API itself does not enforce any particular capability, the requirement
   is inherited from the screen that is displaying the settings. As it happens, 
   all of the default settings screens require manage_options. For your settings
   to be managed automatically, they have to go through options.php and be saved
   in the options table. Since options.php requires manage_options, so does the 
   API by inheritance.
 * If you created a plugin settings screen that required “my_cool_plugin” custom
   capability, then adding settings through the API will also require that capability,
   not manage_options. Whether you use the API or not on your own settings screen,
   the capability is initially managed when you add your screen to the admin menu.
   The capability must be checked again when the settings are submitted for saving.
 * With your own screen, not handled through options.php, you would lose all the
   handy automatic handling of your registered settings, so there is little reason
   to use the API, though it’s possible as long as you manage what is normally done
   for you automatically.
 * The short answer is make your own settings screen and forget about the API. Be
   sure you still go through the proper security steps. Validate and sanitize all
   input, verify the nonce you should have initially assigned to a hidden field,
   and confirm the user has proper capability that matches that used when adding
   the screen to the admin menu.
 *  Thread Starter [Howdy_McGee](https://wordpress.org/support/users/howdy_mcgee/)
 * (@howdy_mcgee)
 * [9 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/settings-api-custom-capability/#post-8979181)
 * That is what I was expecting the answer to be but hoping it wasn’t. Thank you
   for the explanation.

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

The topic ‘Settings API – Custom Capability’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [capabilities](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/capabilities/)
 * [plugin-development](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/plugin-development/)

 * In: [Developing with WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/wp-advanced/)
 * 2 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [Howdy_McGee](https://wordpress.org/support/users/howdy_mcgee/)
 * Last activity: [9 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/settings-api-custom-capability/#post-8979181)
 * Status: resolved

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