Most settings menus have a log out link visible in the main menu or from one click in the menu dropdown. Recently Discourse updated the log out link placement, now requiring the user to navigate to a subpanel of account summary/settings in order to access the log out link. This has confused some (though even the original placement was mentioned as not ideal).
Should a log out button be restored to the first visible panel of the user menu?
Yes. I support making log out visible on the first panel of the user menu.
I don’t logout as I only access Discourse from my own devices but I hate the current placement because it is at least one more step than every other forum and app that I use.
This has been an unresolved issue for years and may be described as a difference of opinion, e.g.
But applying the “god login” approach to the log out issue suggests to me that this proposal is the better solution. If Discourse doesn’t know when I want to log out then it should at least assume I want to when I display my user menu.
I know that there is a keyboard shortcut for desktop users but that doesn’t help if I’m temporarily forced to use a mobile device that is not my own.
While talking about combining the hamburger and user menus, we see @codinghorror showing log out on the first appearance of user menu. It just looks right to me.
You might say it is at the same position that it now has in the current second level panel. The problem is the extra level to find it.
And there appears to be space for log out on the first panel.
Logout is a rare action for users to take, so putting it behind two clicks or taps isn’t a problem.
It was too prominent in its previous location, if anything, so this is more correct.
Same here. And I am also concerned for those users who log in using public devices. This maybe an old school way of looking at things, but many of my community’s users still use cyber cafes. If they forget to log out it can be a real problem for them.
Maybe a plugin or admin setting to provide a “this is a public device” tick box at login would be interesting for some communities that need it. Then a logout link could be provided right at the top level, very prominent.
For everyone else the login would remain where it is. Users on their own devices do not need to be encouraged to log out.
Personally, I find there is some logic in the way it currently works. You have to click on your name (= representing the “account”) and log out is at the bottom. I agree with most which have been said above. I think it’s great like this, but I can understand that some people may have troubles to find it the first time (and it would be unfortunate if they need to log out from a public computer).
This may be a good thing, even if less is usually better (why have additional ticks and stuff which aren’t needed !?):
Imo they should only use private browsing in that case. Maybe you could remind them that.
shrug I pretty much never click anything in the current hamburger menu, not clear why it, and other similar items, e.g. Messages and Preferences, shouldn’t live there rather than in a notifications drop-down.
The two menus essentially split the types of content you’re being linked to.
The hamburger menu has site-related links… navigation to various sections, admin links, etc…
The user menu is personal stuff… your notifications, your messages, your bookmarks, etc.
I think it’s completely fine that the hamburger menu isn’t frequently used, and that reinforces the separation. If we combined the two menus you’d end up more frequently seeing a lot of stuff that you don’t need to see frequently.
Yeah maybe I am just dumb, but I constantly find myself tapping the downward arrow in the notification panel when trying to log out. I must log out more than most developers.
Recently wasn’t sure how to find my activity/profile. The log out, activity, and profile links have now been moved from under the username to an account settings icon (gear).
Change 1:
Change 2:
: ) and now it’s a person icon. That’s more expected - thanks!
New icon is a very nice fix.
Thank you for your feedback! 
Welcome to Discourse meta 
How difficult would it be to make this a setting under “preferences” that way each user decides whether they want to see the logout option on the first click, or second?
The default would be “hidden” requiring a second click.