> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://learn.withessential.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://learn.withessential.com/customers-and-work/contacts/give-a-contact-access-to-the-customer-portal.md).

# Give a contact access to the customer portal

A contact can be given access to the customer portal so they can sign in and see their account. You grant it with the Customer Portal Access toggle (Enabled/Disabled) in the contact's Edit form.

When the portal feature is on for your business, a Portal pill shows next to the contact's name; it appears in an enabled state when this contact has access and a disabled (greyed) state when they don't, so the pill itself tells you the current status.

Portal access only works when both of these are true: the contact has portal access turned on, and the customer account has the portal enabled. If the customer's portal isn't enabled, marking the contact alone won't give them access, so check the customer too. This doesn't depend on whether the customer is active or inactive — an inactive customer's contacts can still sign in and pay invoices through the portal.

> **Where to find it:** On the contact page, the Portal pill by the contact's name; you grant access with the Customer Portal Access toggle in the contact's Edit form, and access also depends on the customer's settings

## Related guides

* [Turning on Customer Portal access for a customer](/customers-and-work/customers/turning-on-customer-portal-access-for-a-customer.md)
* [Creating a contact](/customers-and-work/contacts/creating-a-contact.md)
* [Contact roles explained](/customers-and-work/contacts/contact-roles-explained.md)
* [Edit a contact's details, or where their roles live](/customers-and-work/contacts/edit-a-contacts-details-or-where-their-roles-live.md)
* [See and browse all your contacts](/customers-and-work/contacts/see-and-browse-all-your-contacts.md)
* [What the contact page shows](/customers-and-work/contacts/what-the-contact-page-shows.md)


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