--- title: "Admin Approval & Email Activation – Ultimate Member" date: 2026-08-08 modified: 2026-08-08 author: "userelements_wh8sr3" url: "https://www.userelements.com/admin-approval-email-activation-ultimate-member/" markdown_url: "https://www.userelements.com/admin-approval-email-activation-ultimate-member.md" type: post excerpt: "Ultimate Member does not have a separate global “require approval” toggle. Registration behavior comes from the User Role → Registration Options → Registration […]" categories: - "Ultimate Member" --- Ultimate Member does not have a separate global “require approval” toggle. Registration behavior comes from the User Role → Registration Options → Registration Status. The register form must assign (or inherit) that role. Several related emails are off by default — if those stay off, users and admins get silence even when the status flow is correct. --- ## Mental model (read this first) What you set on the roleStored as `account_status`User can log in?Auto Approve`approved`Yes (auto-login after register)Require Email Activation`awaiting_email_confirmation`No until they click the linkRequire Admin Review`awaiting_admin_review`No until an admin approvesRole setting values are `approved` / `checkmail` / `pending`. Database statuses use longer slugs (`awaiting_email_confirmation`, `awaiting_admin_review`). Same flow, different names.Auto ApproveRequire Email ActivationRequire Admin ReviewApproveRejectUser submits Register formRole Registration Statusaccount\_status = approvedaccount\_status = awaiting\_email\_confirmationaccount\_status = awaiting\_admin\_reviewwelcome\_email + auto-login + redirectcheckmail\_email with activation linkUser clicks linkapproved + welcome\_email + redirectpending\_email to user + notification\_review to adminAdmin Approves / Rejectsapproved + approved\_emailrejected + rejected\_email --- ## Step 0 – Turn on the emails first Path: wp-admin → Ultimate Member → Settings → Emails Click each template → enable Enable this email notification. ![ultimate member email settings](https://www.userelements.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ultimate-member-email-settings-1024x449.png)### Admin approval path — enable these Email title in UIWhen it sendsDefaultYour account is pending review (`pending_email`)After register (admin review)OffAccount Needs Review Notification (`notification_review`)Admin ping on pending signupOffAccount Approved Email (`approved_email`)Admin clicks Approve from pending reviewOffAccount Rejected Email (`rejected_email`)Admin rejectsOff### Email activation path — enable these Email title in UIWhen it sendsDefaultAccount Activation Email (`checkmail_email`)After register / admin resendOffAccount Welcome Email (`welcome_email`)After activation link is usedOnNew User Notification (`notification_new_user`)Admin ping on signup (non-pending roles)OnOpen Account Activation Email (or Your account is pending review) and show the enable checkbox + subject. ![ultimate member account activation email](https://www.userelements.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ultimate-member-account-activation-email-1024x405.png)Gotcha: If `checkmail_email` or `pending_email` is off, registration still sets the correct status, but the user never gets mail. Same for `notification_review` — admins won’t be notified of pending members. --- ## Step 1 – Configure the role Path: Ultimate Member → User Roles → \[role\] → Registration Options Full metabox with Registration Status dropdown open (Auto Approve / Require Email Activation / Require Admin Review). ![ultimate member registration options](https://www.userelements.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ultimate-member-registration-options-1024x155.png)### Option A – Require Admin Review 1. Set Registration Status = Require Admin Review 2. Action to be taken after registration: - Show custom message — user stays on the register page and sees your message - Redirect to URL — send them to a “thanks, we’re reviewing” page 3. Fill Personalize the custom message or Set Custom Redirect URL Default message: > Thank you for applying for membership to our site. We will review your details and send you an email letting you know whether your application has been successful or not. Show status = Require Admin Review + message/redirect fields filled. ![ultimate member require admin review](https://www.userelements.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ultimate-member-require-admin-review-1024x251.png)### Option B — Require Email Activation 1. Set Registration Status = Require Email Activation 2. Choose Show custom message or Redirect to URL (same idea as pending) 3. Optionally set: - Login user after validating the activation link? — auto-login after they click the email link - URL redirect after email activation — where they go after activation (blank = Login page with “account active” notice) Default message: > Thank you for registering. Before you can login we need you to activate your account by clicking the activation link in the email we just sent you. Show status = Require Email Activation + message + “Login after activation” + redirect URL. ![ultimate member require email activation](https://www.userelements.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ultimate-member-require-email-activation-1024x342.png)### Option C – Auto Approve (baseline) - Redirect to profile or Redirect to URL after register - User is logged in immediately and gets Account Welcome Email --- ## Step 2 – Make sure the register form uses that role The role setting only applies if the registering user gets that role. Path: Ultimate Member → Forms → \[Register form\] → Customize this form 1. Enable Apply custom settings to this form 2. Set Assign role to form to the role you configured above If custom settings are off, UM falls back to: 1. Ultimate Member → Settings → General → Users → Registration Default Role, then 2. WordPress Settings → General → New User Default Role Show Customize this form with Assign role to form set to your Member (or custom) role. ![ultimate member customize this form](https://www.userelements.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ultimate-member-customize-this-form.png)--- ## Flow 1 – Register → Admin approval (end-to-end) ### 1. User registers 1. User fills the UM register form and submits 2. UM creates the user and sets `account_status` = `awaiting_admin_review` 3. User is not logged in 4. Emails (if enabled): - User → Your account is pending review - Admin(s) → Account Needs Review Notification 5. Frontend outcome from the role: - Show custom message → reload register URL with `?message=pending&um_role=...&um_form_id=...` and show the role message - Redirect to URL → go to `_um_pending_url` 📸 Screenshot 7 — Frontend pending message Register page after submit, custom “we’re reviewing you” message visible. 📸 Screenshot 8 — Pending user email Inbox: subject/body of *Your account is pending review*. 📸 Screenshot 9 — Admin review email Admin inbox: *New user awaiting review* with profile link + submitted fields. ### 2. User tries to log in before approval Login is blocked. Login page shows: > Your account has not been approved yet. (URL has `?err=awaiting_admin_review`) 📸 Screenshot 10 — Login blocked (pending) UM login form with the red notice above. ### 3. Admin finds and approves the user Path: Users → All Users Useful UI: - Status column - Filter: All Statuses → Pending administrator review - Row actions under the status (Approve, Reject, Put as pending, Send/Resend activation, Deactivate…) - Bulk actions group Ultimate Member → Approve Membership / Reject Membership / Resend Activation E-mail / etc. 📸 Screenshot 11 — Users list Status column Show a user with status Pending administrator review and the Approve / Reject row actions. 📸 Screenshot 12 — Bulk actions Dropdown open on Approve Membership / Reject Membership. Approve: - Status → `approved` - User email → Account Approved Email (this template only when approving from admin review) - No automatic redirect for the user — they must open login (or the link in the email) themselves Reject: - Status → `rejected` - User email → Account Rejected Email - Reject is only offered when status is already `awaiting_admin_review` 📸 Screenshot 13 — Approved email User inbox: *Your account at {site} is now active* with login / password-reset links. ### 4. After approval – login & redirects Once `approved`, normal login works. After-login redirect comes from the role’s Login Options (not Registration Options): Path: Role → Login Options → Action to be taken after login (+ custom URL if set) There is no built-in “redirect immediately when admin clicks Approve.” Approval only emails the user. 📸 Screenshot 14 — Login Options Role Login Options metabox — clarify this applies after successful approved login, not after admin approve click. --- ## Flow 2 – Register → Email activation (end-to-end) ### 1. User registers 1. Status set to `awaiting_email_confirmation` 2. UM generates an activation hash (`account_secret_hash`) 3. User email → Account Activation Email with `{account_activation_link}` 4. Admin email → New User Notification (not the review template) 5. Show message (`message=checkmail`) or redirect to `_um_checkmail_url` Activation link shape: https://yoursite.com/?act=activate_via_email&hash=…&user_id=123 📸 Screenshot 15 — Frontend checkmail message Post-register “check your email” message. 📸 Screenshot 16 — Activation email Show the activation email with the link highlighted. ### 2. User clicks the activation link On success UM: 1. Approves the account (`approved`) 2. Sends Account Welcome Email (not Approved Email) 3. Optionally auto-logs in (role: Login user after validating the activation link?) 4. Redirects: - If password still needs setting → password reset URL - Else URL redirect after email activation if set - Else Login page with success: *Your account is now active! You can login.* (`updated=account_active`) On failure: ErrorMessageLink already used / invalid*This activation link is expired or have already been used.*Link past expiry*This activation link is expired.*📸 Screenshot 17 — After successful activation Login page success notice, or your custom activation redirect page. ### 3. User tries to log in before activating > Your account is awaiting email verification. 📸 Screenshot 18 — Login blocked (email confirmation) ### 4. Admin resends activation There is no front-end “resend activation” for the registrant. Admins only: Users → All Users → row action Send activation email / Resend activation email or bulk Resend Activation E-mail Also available on the front-end profile actions menu for users with `edit_users`. Important: Send/Resend activation forces status to `awaiting_email_confirmation` and sends `checkmail_email` again (new hash). 📸 Screenshot 19 — Resend activation Users list row action / bulk action highlighted. ### Activation link expiry (optional) Path: Ultimate Member → Settings → General → Password - Email activation link expiration (days) - Blank = never expires 📸 Screenshot 20 — Expiry setting --- ## Redirects – where each one lives MomentWhere you set itWhat happensAfter register (Auto Approve)Role → Registration Options → `_um_auto_approve_*`Profile or custom URL (user is logged in)After register (Email activation)Role → `_um_checkmail_action` / `_um_checkmail_url` / messageMessage on register page or custom URLAfter register (Admin review)Role → `_um_pending_action` / `_um_pending_url` / messageSame patternAfter clicking activation linkRole → URL redirect after email activationCustom URL, else login `account_active`After admin Approve / Reject—None — email only; user logs in laterAfter login (approved users)Role → Login OptionsSeparate from registrationPriority notes: - Auto-approve: `redirect_to` in the request (if present) wins, then role auto-approve URL/profile - Pending / checkmail: custom redirect URL if action = redirect; otherwise show-message redirect back to the form with query args 📸 Screenshot 21 — Side-by-side redirects One image (or two) of Registration Options for pending + checkmail redirect fields labeled “after register only.” --- ## Email checklist ### Require Admin Review - Enable Your account is pending review - Enable Account Needs Review Notification - Enable Account Approved Email - Enable Account Rejected Email (if you reject) - Role = Require Admin Review + message or redirect - Register form assigns that role ### Require Email Activation - Enable Account Activation Email - Keep Account Welcome Email on - Keep New User Notification on (optional but recommended) - Role = Require Email Activation + message/redirect + optional post-activation login/URL - Register form assigns that role - Optionally set activation link expiry --- ## Related admin settings SettingPathEffectIgnore the “User Role > Registration Options”Settings → General → UsersUsers added from wp-admin are auto-approvedRegistration Default RoleSettings → General → UsersFallback role when form doesn’t assign oneEmail activation link expirationSettings → General → PasswordDays until activation link dies📸 Screenshot 22 — Ignore Registration Options Show the checkbox labeled *Automatically approve users from the wp-admin dashboard*. --- ## Status reference (Users list labels) UI labelSlugApproved`approved`Pending administrator review`awaiting_admin_review`Waiting email confirmation`awaiting_email_confirmation`Membership inactive`inactive`Membership rejected`rejected`--- ## Common mistakes 1. Emails left disabled — most common. Status works; mail does not. 2. Wrong role on the form — Registration Status is on the role, not a form toggle. 3. Expecting a redirect when admin clicks Approve — UM only emails; user must log in. 4. Confusing Approved Email vs Welcome Email — admin-review approve → `approved_email`; email-link / auto-approve → `welcome_email`. 5. Looking for a member “resend activation” button — admin-only. 6. Rejecting an email-pending user — Reject only applies from `awaiting_admin_review` (Put as pending first if needed). 7. Thinking Login Options control pending users — pending/checkmail users never reach after-login redirects; login is blocked first.