# What exactly is the difference between a Public vs Private user? **URL:** \ **Category:** Ask for Help\ **Created:** [November 17, 2022, 12:44pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-difference-between-a-public-vs-private-user/54363 "2022-11-17T12:44:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 2
**Author:** ![Darren\_Murphy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/darren_murphy/32/47326_2.png) [@Darren\_Murphy](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Darren_Murphy)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 12:55pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-difference-between-a-public-vs-private-user/54363/2 "2022-11-17T12:55:05Z")
> [@KPT](#): > > I understand that as soon as someone is assigned a role then that user is private. Do you have to use the role column for this? Yes, you need a column in your User Profiles table that is configured as the “Role” column in your User Profiles configuration. The column can be called anything, but it must be a basic (non-computed) text column, or an array column created in a Google Sheet. > [@KPT](#): > > I could in theory just make a boolean column called “See dashboard” and use that one to show the things my roles column currently does. Will it then still be a private user if I don’t use the roles column to fx show the dashboard? No, depending on your Privacy Settings. But it certainly won’t be counted as a user with an assigned role. > [@KPT](#): > > Does this field have to be filled out for roles to be enabled? Yes. > [@KPT](#): > > But whats the difference between this and setting my app to public, but only allows users that are in my user tab to sign in? Doesn’t this do the same - only allow my users to sign in? Correct. If you restrict who can sign into your App, then all signed in users will be considered as Private Users. > [@KPT](#): > > Finally is there anything a public user will not be able to do (except having a role) then private user? Not that I can think of off the top of my head. Just to add, I think Roles in Glide are quite misunderstood. In most cases, the main reason to assign roles to users is so that you can subsequently use those roles as Row Owners in _other_ tables. From the questions I see here, I feel that many Glide users (especially new ones) don’t quite get that. --- _[View the full topic](https://community.glideapps.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-difference-between-a-public-vs-private-user/54363)._