Hi, As admin is it possible to create a new topic that hides it until I decide to publish it? Thank you Noam

Out-of-the-box like WordPress offers: no. But you can use your own category, for example, publish it there and after that use (via wrench) topic timer that moves/publish that topic on other category. I use that method all the time because of a bit awkward draft system on Discourse.

i do this almost daily. i have a specific hidden admin category where i stage topics before moving them to un-hidden categories.

@Lilly @piffy @Jagster thanks! After moving the topic from the hidden category to the main category it keeps the same URL?

the URL will change but any links to the topic should update themselves.

Because links don’t include category. Like this one: https://meta.discourse.org/t/hide-topic-post/261871

oh i see what you mean now of course. :woman_facepalming:

I believe that there is another way. Toggle whisper before you post your topic. It will be hidden until you toggle it’s visibility? [IMG_20230417_084728]

I’m afraid you can only make posts a whisper, and not topics. You also can’t toggle an existing whisper post to be visible, or vice versa (unless you install a theme component). Looking at the screenshot, I think you may mean Toggle Unlisted - which would remove it from the topic lists for most users (TL4 can still see them) but would be viewable by anyone visiting the topic directly. It would also send out a notification to anyone Watching that category when the topic was created, so may not be as hidden as you may expect. Creating a topic in a non-public category and then recategorising it when you want to make it public would be the simplest option. You could also make use of the Shared Drafts feature (shared drafts category) to create a draft version and then publish it to the correct category when ready.

[image] JammyDodger: You could also make use of the Shared Drafts For me shared drafts are a bit, not confusing, but unfamiliar concept. Because as I see it shared drafts is basically just polished solution of what here is suggested. And if an admin wants use… timed/delayed publishing is working name, isn it, using simple category with proper security setting is way streamlined solution than using a plugin just for cool popup serving same thing what topic timer offers. Or am I missing some important parts now? Edit Wait a second… was shared drafts plugin at all, or was it inbuild option? Can’t remember :man_facepalming: :rofl:

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piffy April 16, 2023, 6:18pm 3

I typically do this by using a hidden category. Then when it’s time to post it, move the topic to a public category

I also sometimes draft a complex post in a message to one of my alt accounts

Topic		Replies	Views
Move a post but make it unread Product Support	8	1460	April 12, 2019
No drafts in Discourse? Abomination! So I have had to publish 65 open drafts. And that sucks. Is there a way to hide these published posts? Product Support	10	726	November 25, 2025
Schedule posts/topic? Feature	20	8231	April 5, 2017
Publishing a post automatically at a set time Feature	6	1927	May 10, 2026
Change topic visibility in an admin category to public Product Support	7	665	October 14, 2022

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