Anonymised user revert

Product Support

AI-generated summary

In a support thread titled ‘Anonymised user revert,’ JayCee asks how to revert an anonymized user back to their original account. Wolftallemo explains that true reversion isn’t possible without a backup, but notes anonymized accounts can be accessed if a password is set — or via email change through impersonation or the rails console. JayCee reports issues saving a new email via impersonation or admin panel, as the anonymized generic email persists. Wolftallemo clarifies that email changes require verification unless done directly via SSH and the rails console. ondrej suggests an alternative: asking the user to create a new account and then merging the anonymized account into it using the merge function in user admin settings — which preserves stats and profile data. This workaround may suit users who don’t require full historical reversion but want to restore identity and content.

1

Just wondering how I can revert a user who was previously anonymised back to the previous original version.

Anyone have and idea?

2

You can’t exactly “revert” an anonymized user without restoring from a backup (which also reverts anything else that happened since the backup took place).

However, assuming you can find the account in question, anonymous accounts can be logged in to so long as there is a password set.

If a password was not set, you’ll have to change the email address either via impersonation or via the rails console, and have them sign in with a social account under the same email or via link (or password reset).

3

When I try to change the email address via impersonation or even through the admin panel, the anonymiser generic email stays as the primary, even after I select make changes and it won’t save the new one that I entered.

4

Assuming you mean on their user page (since this isn’t a thing on the admin page), the user in question still has to click on the link to verify their email.

To change it without verifying, you have to ssh into the server and change it through the rails console.

5

Hi,

I know you want the original account of the user. Personally I’d ask the user to create a new account.

Then I would merge the anonymized account with the new one so all the stats and profile is replaced.

Merge is in the user admin settings next to the delete user, anonymize and impersonate buttons.

Would this work for you?