🧭 Overview
If Google is telling you that you are not an administrator — even though you created your company's Google Workspace account — you are likely experiencing a common role distinction issue. Being the primary owner of a Workspace account is not the same as holding Super Admin privileges. This article explains the difference, how to resolve permission conflicts, and how to generate an App Password for SMTP/IMAP once your admin access is confirmed.
👥 Understanding Google Workspace Role Hierarchy
Google Workspace uses a layered permission system. Understanding where you sit in that hierarchy is the first step to resolving your issue.
- Primary Owner (Billing Owner): The Google account that purchased or registered the Workspace subscription. This role controls billing and subscription management but does not automatically grant Super Admin privileges inside the Admin Console.
- Super Admin: The user who has full administrative control over the Workspace domain, including managing users, security settings, and authentication policies. This role must be explicitly assigned.
- Delegated Admin: A user granted a subset of admin permissions by a Super Admin — for example, managing specific organisational units or services.
It is possible — and common — for the billing owner and the Super Admin to be different Google accounts, especially if your Workspace was initially set up by an IT provider, contractor, or a colleague.
⚠️ Why You May Be Denied Admin Access
Even if you created the Workspace account, you may encounter an "administrator" error for one of the following reasons:
- A contractor or IT provider was assigned Super Admin when the account was configured, and your personal account was not given the same role.
- Your account was added as a standard user after the initial Workspace setup, without admin privileges.
- There are multiple Google accounts associated with your organisation, and you are signed into the one without admin rights.
- Your Workspace subscription was set up through a reseller who retained Super Admin control.
🔍 Step 1 — Confirm Which Account Holds Super Admin
- Go to admin.google.com and attempt to sign in with your primary owner account.
- If you can access the Admin Console, look for the admin roles or account management section to confirm your role assignments. The exact navigation labels may vary depending on your Workspace edition and version.
- If you cannot access the Admin Console at all, your account does not hold Super Admin privileges. Try signing in with any other Google account associated with your organisation's domain.
- If you are completely locked out and no admin account is accessible, use Google's account recovery options and follow domain ownership verification steps provided by Google Support.
If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.