Introduction

Backend & Full Access Control, Frontend Access Control, Login Restriction, Access & Security, Site Access

PWT ACL (formerly known as ACL Manager) gives you full control over Joomla permissions without guesswork.
It makes Joomla’s ACL system transparent and predictable, with clear insight into effective permissions and powerful tools to detect and fix common ACL and asset table issues.


Easily understand and manage Joomla ACL

Nested groups, inherited rules and overrides make Joomla ACL powerful but hard to read. PWT ACL cuts through that complexity by showing how permissions are actually applied. This helps you configure ACL correctly, avoid mistakes, and manage permissions with confidence on both small and complex sites.

Joomla user permission overview

Users assigned to multiple groups can lead to unexpected permission conflicts. With PWT ACL, open any user and instantly see which actions are allowed or denied, including overrides. This makes debugging access issues fast and reliable.

Diagnostics tool to fix asset table issues

ACL problems are often caused by migrations, updates or third-party extensions. PWT ACL includes a diagnostics tool that detects and safely fixes issues in the Joomla assets table and related tables. It can repair or rebuild asset structures, helping restore stability and performance.

ACL support for any component

Not all extensions support Joomla ACL out of the box. PWT ACL allows you to define basic ACL rules for any component, including third-party extensions, so you can control backend access consistently across your entire site.

Built on top of the Joomla core

PWT ACL does not introduce its own permission system or custom database tables. It works entirely on Joomla’s core ACL. If you ever remove PWT ACL, your permission setup remains intact.

Clear, copy, import and export permissions

Managing permissions across multiple sites or groups doesn’t have to be repetitive. PWT ACL lets you clear permissions, revert to Joomla defaults, copy permissions between groups, and export or import settings between sites—saving time and reducing errors.

Wizard to set up group permissions

Use the built-in wizard to quickly configure limited backend access for groups. Grant access to one or more components in seconds, without manually navigating dozens of ACL screens.

Show only editable items

Joomla often shows items users cannot edit, which causes confusion. PWT ACL can hide non-editable items in list views for Articles, Contacts and Modules, so users only see what they can actually work with.

CLI and automation support

For advanced workflows, PWT ACL provides CLI commands to fix asset issues or rebuild the assets table. This makes it easy to automate maintenance via cron jobs or scripted tasks.

Scheduled Tasks support

On Joomla 4, 5 and newer versions, PWT ACL integrates with Joomla Scheduled Tasks, allowing you to automate essential diagnostics and maintenance actions directly from Joomla itself.

Compatibility

PWT ACL supports Joomla 3.8 and newer, including Joomla 4, Joomla 5 and Joomla 6.

Functionality
Works without issues on my Joomla/Jomsocial setup
Ease of use
Fast single click operation, very fast and produces readable and understandable results page
Support
Fast response to my initial enquiry, much faster than most developers I'm frequently dealing with.
Documentation
Supportive and to the point, with explanations that don't leave you feeling confused.
Value for money
Cheap as chips for all the time stress and money it'll save you in the long run.
I used this to: I use ACL Manager on my own Joomla site and would without hesitation recommend ACL Manager on all my clients websites.

Very reactive support



Posted on 07 July 2015
Functionality
A must have if you need to configure ACL easily.
Ease of use
Very easy to use as it is all about green and red marks.
Support
A very reactive support even if the bug I encountered was related to Joomla and my tempalte and not the extension itself.
Documentation
Value for money
Good price compared to the time saved if I had to work with the Joomla standard ACL
Functionality
Veramente strepitosa il funzionamento di questa estensione, sopratutto la parte Diagnostica.
Ease of use
Risulta di immediata comprensione e molto facile da usare.
Documentation
Non ho trovato un manuale di utilizzo, neanche un manuale utente, ma credo che non sia necessario perché risulta molto autoesplicativa.
Value for money
Penso che l'importo pagato valga il tempo che mi ha consentito di risparmiare.
I used this to: Ho effettuato migrazione di versione Joomla (da 2.5 a 3.4) e spostamento su altro server del sito web. Dopo questi lavori, la ricostruzione dell'albero dei permessi ACL era diventata molto problematica e senza l'aiuto di questa estensione era difficilmente risolvibile. Ottima!
Functionality
Does what I've been trying to do but never could figure out.
Ease of use
was bit hard to find out why my settings did not save but that was my fault.
Value for money
definitely worth it.
I used this to: administer permissions on sites i built

Fantastic Product



Posted on 23 May 2015
Functionality
Provides greater clarity and control.
Ease of use
It certainly makes ACL easier to understand and control.
Support
Support was impeccable in speed, clarity and precision.
Documentation
Sanders YouTube tutorial at Cloud Access.net is concise, easy to understand and very clear.
Value for money
Great value for money.
I used this to: Sander Potjer has done a fantastic service producing this highly professional component. It is a fantastic product and no serious Joomla project intending to use ACL to the best extent should be without it.

Must Have



Posted on 24 April 2015
Functionality
Highly Functional
Ease of use
Very Easy
Support
Mine was quick and thorough
Documentation
All Good
Value for money
If you have users to manage it's a no brainer.
I used this to: All site, core install everyone.
Functionality
OK, especially if you need to fix stuff that's been mucked up in the convoluted standard ACL system.
Ease of use
Good in parts, just as confusing in others. On our Joomla install "Save and Close" only saves, never closes.
Support
Used once. Response was swift, but no resolution to the problem we have. But we can work around it
Documentation
As good as we have come to expect from modern software.
Value for money
Good, because it fixed something I couldn't without restoring the website
I used this to: I used it to fix an issue I couldn't resolve. However, in the main I found the ACL Manager just as cumbersome for every day use as the standard Joomla ACL system. Neither makes great sense to me when it comes to setting user permissions.But big points for trying to improve things

Très bien +++



Posted on 29 March 2015
Functionality
Très pratique, un outil vraiment indispensable.
Ease of use
Très facile, un jeu d'enfant
Support
Documentation
Facile
Value for money
Très bon pour le travail effectué

Easy as Pie!



Posted on 03 March 2015
Functionality
Works perfect. Very simple to give clients limited control...
Ease of use
Very easy.
Support
These guys go way beyond what is necessary. They are awesome.
Documentation
I didn't really find any docs, but you really don't need it...
Value for money
HUGE TIME SAVER. I spent literally over 3 hours giving a client backend access.
I used this to: Many client's sites.

One of the good guys



Posted on 06 January 2015
Functionality
Well thought out extension that lets you easily manage access. Will make my life a lot easier in the future.
Ease of use
Intuitive
Support
Sander was quick to respond and very helpful. Clearly one of the good guys.
Documentation
The FAQ anticipated a problem I ran into at first and helped me resolve it on my own.
Value for money
Off the charts as far as I am concerned.
I used this to: Developing a site where the ACL is not quite clear yet. This allows me to reconfigure at a whim.
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ACL Manager

Version:
6.1.1
Developer:
PWT Extensions
Last updated:
Jan 26 2026
3 weeks ago
Date added:
Nov 19 2014
License:
GPLv2 or later
Type:
Paid download
Includes:
c p
Compatibility:
J3 J4 J5 J6
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Uses Joomla! Update System

Score:


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