Give a new space the same permissions as an existing one

Checked against Atlassian's documentation on 2 November 2026. Written by the maker of Spacewright, a Confluence app.

Two different things

• Space access (permissions or roles): who can see the space and what they can do in it. It belongs to the space.
• Page restrictions: extra limits on who can view or edit one page. They belong to the page and can be copied with it.

Premium: copy access when you create the space

1. Select Create, then Space.
2. Under Space access, choose Copy access settings.
3. Search for the space to copy from, or pick one of your starred spaces.
4. Select Apply and finish creating the space.

You need permission to create spaces. Atlassian marks this feature as Premium only.

Premium: copy access into a space that already exists

1. Go to the space you want to change (not the one you copy from).
2. Next to the space name in the sidebar, select More actions (•••) → Users.
3. At the top right, select More actions (•••) → Copy user access from another space. On some sites this is called Copy space permissions and sits on the space permissions screen.
4. Choose the space to copy from and select Apply.

Confluence admins and space admins can do this. Atlassian's page does not say what happens to access the space already had, so check the result afterwards.

Standard and Free plans

• Standard: set access by hand in the new space (Space settings → Users), using groups rather than single people so the next space takes minutes. Confluence is moving to roles: four default roles plus custom roles, managed under Confluence settings → Permissions → Space roles or in the space's Users screen. A standard set of groups and roles per client makes every new space the same.
• Free: the Free plan does not let you customise space permissions.
• Global automation (where your plan includes it) has an Add space permission action that grants permissions to people or groups, which can apply a standard set to a new space.

Page restrictions

When you duplicate a page with its children, the naming step lets you choose, per item, whether its restrictions are copied (steps). Restrictions given to groups work the same in the new space; restrictions given to single people need checking when the new space is for different people.

Check before you invite anyone

• Open the new space's Users screen and read the list. Look for groups that should not be there, especially when the source space was for a different client.
• Open one restricted page and check who can view and edit it.
• If you have Premium, the permissions inspection tools help you see who has access to what.

Where Spacewright helps

Spacewright, our app, copies whole spaces. Two of its copy options deal with access, and both are off by default:

• Page restrictions: each copied page gets the same view and edit restrictions as the original.
• Space permissions: Spacewright asks Confluence to give the new space the same permissions as the source space when it creates it. Left unticked, Confluence gives the new space its usual default permissions.

For client spaces, leaving both off and setting access fresh is often the safer choice. Either way, check the Users screen after the copy. Details: Copy options.

Sources

• Atlassian: Copy space permissions (Premium)
• Atlassian: Manage space roles and access
• Atlassian: What are Confluence's roles?
• Atlassian: Actions in Confluence automation (Add space permission)
• Atlassian Community: Confluence Cloud Free space locked after failed space import (Oct 2026, permissions on the Free plan)
• Atlassian: Move, copy, and hide content items