# Configuring wiki settings
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/configuring-wiki-settings/30802
**Category:** Site Management
**Tags:** wiki-posts, how-to
**Created:** [July 5, 2015, 3:17pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/configuring-wiki-settings/30802 "2015-07-05T15:17:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Discourse](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Discourse)
#### Post date: [July 5, 2015, 3:17pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/configuring-wiki-settings/30802/1 "2015-07-05T15:17:47Z")
> :bookmark: This guide explains how to configure wiki settings to meet your community’s needs, including how to determine who can create and edit wiki posts.
>
> :person_raising_hand: Required user level: Administrator
## What is a wiki post?
> [@Editing and creating wiki posts](https://meta.discourse.org/t/editing-and-creating-wiki-posts/30801/1):
>
> Wiki posts in Discourse are special types of posts that can be edited by multiple users which allows for collaborative editing and knowledge sharing within a community. They are particularly useful for documentation, FAQs, and other content that benefits from community input and regular updates.
## Configure who can edit a wiki post
Users can edit wiki posts when they meet the following requirements:
- The user must belong to at least one of the `edit wiki post allowed groups` (This site setting is configured to `trust_level_1` by default).
- The user must be allowed to reply to posts in that category.
> :information_source: Users in the `edit all post groups` (configured to admins, moderators, and TL4 by default) can edit wiki posts regardless of the above settings.
## Configure who can turn a post into a wiki post
Users can convert _their own_ posts into wiki posts when they meet the following requirements:
- The user must belong to at least one of the `self wiki allowed groups` (This site setting is configured to `trust_level_3` by default).
- The post must be converted into a wiki within the edit window specified by the `post edit time limit` (for TL0–TL1 users) or the `tl2 post edit time limit` (for TL2+ users) site setting.
> :information_source: Admins, moderators, and Trust Level 4 (TL4) users can convert any post into a wiki post.
## Category defaults for wiki posts
Admins (and moderators if the `moderators manage categories` setting is enabled) can configure categories to make the first post of new topics a wiki by default.
Navigate to the category and open the category wrench menu:
On the ‘Settings’ tab, enable the `Make new topics wikis by default` option:
Important notes about this setting:
- It is not retroactive. Existing topics within the category must be converted to wiki manually.
- Topics created in a different category and then moved to a category with this setting enabled will not be automatically converted to wiki.
- Topics created in a category with this setting enabled and later moved to another category will remain as wiki posts.
## Locking wiki posts vs. removing wiki status
Admins and moderators have two options for pausing edits to wiki posts:
1. **Locking the post** : This prevents further edits from non-staff users, including from users who normally have permission to edit all posts. To lock a post, use the post wrench and select “Lock Post”. This is useful when you want to completely halt edits while preserving the post’s wiki status and edit history.
2. **Removing wiki status** : This reverts the post to a regular post, removing the ability for most users to edit the content, while still allowing those with permissions to edit all posts to make changes. To remove wiki status, use the post wrench and select ‘Remove Wiki’. This is useful when you want to restrict editing to a smaller group of users with higher permissions.
Choose the appropriate action based on whether you want to prevent all user edits (lock) or restrict editing to users with higher permissions (remove wiki status).
## Customizing wiki post appearance
Admins can change the styling of wiki posts using CSS. For detailed instructions, see [Change the style of a wiki post](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-change-the-style-of-a-wiki-post/78881).
## Best practices
- Clearly communicate your wiki post policies to your community members.
- Regularly review wiki posts to ensure they maintain high-quality content.
- Consider using categories with default wiki settings for collaborative projects or frequently updated information.
- Use the locking feature or wiki status removal judiciously based on your specific needs for each post.
## Additional resources
- [Editing and creating wiki posts](https://meta.discourse.org/t/editing-and-creating-wiki-posts/30801)
- [Change the style of a wiki post](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-change-the-style-of-a-wiki-post/78881)
> Last edited by @JammyDodger 2024-07-10T11:32:37Z
>
> Last checked by @JammyDodger 2024-07-10T11:17:20Z
>
> > **Check document**
> >
> > Perform check on document:
---
### Author:  [@Steradiant](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Steradiant)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2025, 10:01pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/configuring-wiki-settings/30802/25 "2025-08-28T22:01:27Z")
It seems that category moderators may no longer turn a post into a wiki post if the global edit time limit has been exceeded, even though they can still edit the post due to their category moderator rights. This seems off and I would most likely consider this a bug.