Multiple Users in Open WebUI
What this article covers
- How to configure Open WebUI for multiple users.
- What user roles and permissions are available.
- How registration, login, and administration work.
- How resources like models and settings are shared.
- Security, backups, and common pitfalls.
Introduction: Multiple Users in Open WebUI
Open WebUI isn’t limited to single-user deployments. It supports multiple users with different roles, which is useful for teams, families, or organizations that want to share access to local AI models. Each user has their own account, chat history, and preferences. Administrators control model availability, permissions, and global settings.
Running a multi-user setup locally means sensitive data stays off the cloud. All chats and documents remain on your own server. This matters especially for teams handling confidential projects.
Why do you need multiple users?
When several people access the same Open WebUI instance, they shouldn’t share a single account. Separate user accounts enable:
- Isolated chat history: Each person sees only their own conversations.
- Access control: Some users can be restricted to specific models.
- Resource management: Administrators decide who can do what.
- Audit trails: Logs show who performed which action and when.
- Personalization: Each user can configure their own model settings and prompts.
Multiple users at a glance
Open WebUI stores users in a local database. During startup, you can enable or restrict registration. At minimum, there are two roles:
- Admin: Can configure everything, manage users, and control model availability.
- User: Can chat and customize personal settings.
Key concepts:
- SSO: Single Sign-On via external providers.
- OAuth: Authentication standard.
- LDAP: Enterprise directory service.
- Whitelisting: Allow only specific users.
- Rate-Limiting: Cap requests per user.
- JWT: Token-based authentication.
Who should use multi-user mode?
- Teams collaborating on AI-powered tasks.
- Families sharing hardware.
- Organizations with role-based access.
- Schools or training programs.
- Support or testing environments.
Key concepts in Open WebUI
- WebUI Admin Panel: Interface for administrators.
- User Management: Create, edit, and delete users.
- Model Access: Grant model availability to user groups.
- Default Model: Model pre-selected for new users.
- User Prompts: Saved prompts per user.
- Knowledge: Knowledge bases assigned to specific users.
Setting up multiple users
Enable registration
In settings, you can toggle public registration on or off. It’s convenient for open test environments but best disabled for production.
Create an admin account
On first launch, you create an administrator account. This account manages all subsequent users.
Add users manually
Admins can create users via the Admin Panel, giving you control over who gains access.
Assign roles
New users get the User role by default. Admins can change roles and grant additional permissions.
Restrict models
Not every model suits every user. Large models consume significant VRAM. Admins can limit model access by user group.
Practical example: team setup
- Install Open WebUI on your server.
- Create an admin account.
- Disable public registration.
- Manually add team members.
- Configure model access by department.
- Set up knowledge bases per team.
- Review usage logs regularly.
Security with multiple users
- Strong passwords: Enforce minimum requirements.
- Enforce HTTPS: Encrypt login and chat traffic.
- Disable registration: Prevent unauthorized signups.
- Rate-limits: Prevent abuse.
- Regular backups: Protect user data and chat history.
- Audit logs: Track who did what.
Common pitfalls
- Insecure defaults: Registration often open by default.
- Overpermissive roles: Granting users too much access.
- No backups: Risk of data loss during server failure.
- Resource contention: Multiple users straining GPU simultaneously.
- Shared chat history: Chats not properly isolated between users.
- Manual user management: Becomes tedious without SSO.
Further resources
FAQ: Multiple Users in Open WebUI
Can I import users from LDAP? Yes, Open WebUI supports SSO and OAuth, including LDAP integration.
How many concurrent users can it handle? It depends on your hardware and model size. For many users, a GPU is recommended.
Can users see each other’s chats? No, each user sees only their own chats unless explicitly shared.
Can I restrict model access? Yes, admins can limit which models are available to specific users or groups.
Is multi-user worth setting up at home? For families or small teams, yes. For a single user, it’s often unnecessary overhead.
Sources and further reading
- Open WebUI: https://openwebui.com/
- Open WebUI Docs: https://docs.openwebui.com/
Summary: Multiple Users in Open WebUI
Open WebUI supports multi-user deployments with roles, permissions, and isolated chat histories. For teams and organizations, this is ideal because your data stays in-house. The essentials are registration control, strong passwords, HTTPS enforcement, model access policies, and backups. With proper administration, you get a privacy-respecting AI platform for multiple users.