# External Identity license capabilities, limits and upgrades

*Platform Identity and Access Management Architect Study Guide · Community (Partner and Customer) · Last updated October 16, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/identity-and-access-management-architect/community-partner-and-customer/external-identity-license-capabilities-limits-and-upgrades*

What the External Identity license behind Salesforce Customer Identity includes and leaves out (objects, the default profile, ten custom objects, the 10 million monthly login guidance, guest users), and how to move users up to community licenses or back down to contactless users.

- Certification: Salesforce Platform Identity and Access Management Architect
- Exam section: Community (Partner and Customer)
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/identity-and-access-management-architect

**Official exam objective:**

> Given a requirement, understand the advantages and limitations of External Identity solutions and associated licenses.

## What the exam expects

- Say what the External Identity license delivers (self-registration, login, profile updates, SSO) and which objects and limits come with it.
- Decide when to clone the default External Identity User profile and when only a community license will do.
- Apply the scale and cost rules: 10 million unique logins a month, ten custom objects, free inclusion with paid community licenses, guest users and page views, mixed licenses on one site.
- Plan upgrades (to Customer Community, Customer Community Plus, Partner Community) and downgrades (to contactless users) with their side effects.

Key terms: **External Identity license** (the license that enables Salesforce Customer Identity, the exam guide's Customer 360 Identity, for customers and partners); **default External Identity User profile** (a stricter profile for new orgs); **role-based license** (Customer Community Plus or Partner Community, which require a role); **contactless user** (External Identity user with no contact).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Core capabilities | Self-register, log in, update profile, SSO to web and mobile apps | [External Identity License Details](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_license_types_external_identity.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Not included | Cases, Contracts, Notes, Orders, Tasks; upgrade to a community license | [External Identity License Details](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_license_types_external_identity.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Custom objects | Ten per profile; managed package objects don't count | [External Identity License Details](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_license_types_external_identity.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Default profile Accounts | Read only; clone the profile to allow update | [External Identity License Details](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_license_types_external_identity.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Monthly logins | Recommended maximum 10 million unique logins | [Salesforce Identity Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.identity_licenses.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Free inclusion | With all paid community licenses in EE, PXE and UE; five in Developer Edition | [Salesforce Identity Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.identity_licenses.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Guest users | No external license; 500,000 page views a month in Enterprise | [Experience Cloud User Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_license_types_communities.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Mixed licenses | One site can serve several license types | [Experience Cloud User Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_license_types_communities.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Role-based upgrade | Irreversible; removes sharing sets and permission sets | [Licenses Eligible for Upgrades](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.networks_license_upgrade_eligible.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Partner upgrade | Enable the account as a partner account first | [Licenses Eligible for Upgrades](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.networks_license_upgrade_eligible.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Freezing | Doesn't free the user license | [Freeze or Unfreeze User Accounts](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.users_freeze.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |

## Check yourself

- Why can't a cloned External Identity profile give users access to cases?
- When does an upgrade from External Identity become irreversible?
- Which custom objects don't count toward the ten-object limit?
- Why downgrade inactive community users to contactless rather than freeze them?

## Sources

- [External Identity License Details](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_license_types_external_identity.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Salesforce Identity Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.identity_licenses.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Salesforce Customer Identity](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.identity_about_customers_partners.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Experience Cloud User Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_license_types_communities.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Experience Cloud Licenses Eligible for Upgrades](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.networks_license_upgrade_eligible.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [When to Use an Internal or External License](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.users_internal_external_license_types.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Manage Sites with Contactless Users](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.external_identity_contactless_users_use_cases.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Freeze or Unfreeze User Accounts](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.users_freeze.htm&language=en_US&type=5)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 13 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Platform Identity and Access Management Architect pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams