How to manage user access in Google Postmaster Tools?
Michael Ko
Co-founder & CEO, Suped
Published 9 Jul 2025
Updated 19 Aug 2025
6 min read
When managing email deliverability, having clear insights into your sender reputation is crucial. Google Postmaster Tools provides a wealth of data to help you achieve this, offering dashboards that track spam rates, domain reputation, feedback loops, and more. However, accessing and managing who can view or modify this data can sometimes be a bit of a maze, especially if you inherit an existing setup.
I've encountered situations where someone had access to Postmaster Tools but couldn't add new users, only delete the entire domain. This often indicates a specific permission level that limits administrative capabilities, leading to confusion and potential roadblocks for team collaboration.
Understanding the nuances of user access in Google Postmaster Tools is essential for maintaining seamless monitoring of your email performance and ensuring that the right team members have the necessary permissions. Let's explore how to navigate these settings effectively.
Understanding Google Postmaster Tools access levels
Google Postmaster Tools operates with two primary access levels for domains: owner and viewer. The specific actions you can perform depend heavily on which level of access your Google account holds for a given domain. If you are inheriting access, it's not always immediately clear what your permissions are.
Owner access grants full control over the domain in Postmaster Tools. This includes verifying the domain, viewing all data, and crucially, adding or removing other users. Viewer access, on the other hand, allows you to see all the data dashboards but restricts any administrative actions, such as managing users or deleting the domain.
Permission Level
Capabilities
Owner
Verify domain ownership, view all dashboards and data, add or remove users, delete domain
Viewer
View all dashboards and data. Cannot add or remove users or delete domain
You can have multiple owners for a single domain in Google Postmaster Tools. This is often a good practice for redundancy and team collaboration, ensuring that if one owner leaves, others can still manage access. It's similar to how multiple users can access Google Postmaster Tools for one domain simultaneously.
Adding and removing users
If you have owner-level access, adding or removing users in Google Postmaster Tools is a straightforward process. It involves a few clicks within the interface. Here's a quick run-through:
Steps to manage users in Google Postmaster Tools
1. Sign in to Postmaster Tools (postmaster.google.com) with your Google account.
2. On the main dashboard, hover over the domain you want to manage.
3. Click the three vertical dots (More options) to the right of the domain name.
4. Select 'Manage users' from the dropdown menu.
5. To add a user, click the '+' (Add) button in the bottom right corner.
6. Enter the Google account email address of the user you want to grant access to.
7. Click 'Add'. The user will now have viewer access by default. There is no explicit option to grant 'owner' access directly through this interface, only the initial domain verifier holds this implicit role or accounts later granted it through the same verification process.
To remove a user, follow steps 1-4 above, then simply click the 'X' next to the user's email address in the 'Manage users' list and confirm. It's a quick way to control who has visibility into your domain's email performance metrics.
Keep in mind that while you can add multiple users, their initial access will typically be as a viewer. The owner role is generally tied to the account that initially verified the domain or one that undergoes a separate verification process. This structure helps maintain security and control over sensitive domain data, as explained in the Google Workspace Admin Help documentation on setting up Postmaster Tools.
Troubleshooting common access issues
One of the most common issues I've seen is when a user has access to a domain in Postmaster Tools but lacks the option to add other users, only seeing the ability to delete the domain. This typically occurs because the current user only has viewer permissions, not owner-level access.
The problem
Limited access: You can view all the data in Google Postmaster Tools, but the option to 'Manage users' (or add new users) is missing, or you only see a 'Delete domain' option.
Former owner: The individual who initially set up and verified the domain in Postmaster Tools has left the company, and their account was the sole owner.
To resolve this, you generally need to either regain owner access or have a new owner verify the domain. The original Google account that verified the domain in Postmaster Tools typically holds the master owner permissions. If that person is no longer accessible, you might need to re-verify the domain under a new account that you want to be the primary owner. This process often involves adding a new DNS TXT record or HTML file to prove ownership again.
It's important to distinguish Google Postmaster Tools access from Google Workspace admin privileges. They are not the same. While a Google Workspace admin might control email accounts, they do not inherently have owner access to Postmaster Tools for a domain unless they specifically verified it there. If you're struggling to regain control, refer to our guide on regaining admin access to Google Postmaster Tools if the previous manager has left.
You can also explore options to transfer domain ownership in Google Postmaster Tools to ensure continuity. Verifying a domain involves creating a specific DNS record, and as long as that record exists, any new verification attempt will likely succeed, allowing you to establish a new owner.
Best practices for access management
To prevent future access issues, I always recommend establishing best practices for managing Google Postmaster Tools. This ensures that valuable deliverability data remains accessible to your team, even with personnel changes.
Establish role-based accounts
Create a dedicated, role-based Google account (e.g., deliverability@yourdomain.com) to be the primary owner for all your Postmaster Tools domains. This account should be controlled by a core team (like Martech Admin or IT) and its credentials securely managed. This way, the Postmaster Tools ownership is tied to a role, not an individual, making it easier to share Google Postmaster Tools access internally and prevent loss of access.
Another crucial step is to regularly review who has access to your Postmaster Tools domains. This practice helps ensure that only authorized personnel can view your sensitive email performance data. If you have multiple domains, you'll need to manage access for each one individually, following the steps outlined earlier.
By implementing these strategies, you can maintain robust control over your Google Postmaster Tools accounts, fostering better collaboration and ensuring uninterrupted visibility into your email deliverability metrics. This proactive approach is key to managing your email program effectively and improving your domain reputation using Google Postmaster Tools.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Always set up at least two owner accounts for redundancy.
Use a dedicated, role-based Google account as the primary owner.
Regularly audit user access to remove outdated permissions.
Common pitfalls
Relying on a single individual's account for domain ownership.
Confusing Postmaster Tools access with Google Workspace admin roles.
Not re-verifying ownership when the original owner leaves the company.
Expert tips
DNS re-verification is often the fastest path to regaining control.
Communicate clearly about access roles to avoid confusion.
Consider a shared drive for DNS records and verification tokens.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says that if you don't have a Google admin, they need to upgrade your permissions to add others in Postmaster Tools.
2019-10-25 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says that Google Postmaster Tools (GPT) is not the same as G Suite admin. The person who sets up the original GPT account is the only one who can authorize other users.
2019-10-27 - Email Geeks
Ensuring smooth collaboration for deliverability insights
Effectively managing user access in Google Postmaster Tools is a cornerstone of robust email deliverability. It's not just about technical setup, but also about ensuring operational continuity and collaborative oversight of your domain's health.
By understanding the different access levels, knowing the precise steps to add or remove users, and being prepared to troubleshoot common ownership challenges, you can empower your team to leverage this powerful tool effectively. This proactive approach helps to avoid disruptions and keeps your email program running smoothly.
Ultimately, clear access management in Google Postmaster Tools contributes directly to better email performance and helps you stay ahead of potential deliverability issues, ensuring your messages reach the inbox reliably.
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