# Does the "must approve users" option really result in revoke access of previous members?
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/does-the-must-approve-users-option-really-result-in-revoke-access-of-previous-members/47024
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [9 ביולי, 2016, 8:03am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/does-the-must-approve-users-option-really-result-in-revoke-access-of-previous-members/47024 "2016-07-09T08:03:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Pad\_Pors](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Pad_Pors)
#### Post date: [9 ביולי, 2016, 8:03am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/does-the-must-approve-users-option-really-result-in-revoke-access-of-previous-members/47024/1 "2016-07-09T08:03:42Z")
i want to be sure if one enable this option, would it break the access of previous members or not?
the image suggests so, and i've seen discussion [here](https://meta.discourse.org/t/allowing-members-to-invite-in-a-must-approve-users-forum/29371/4) and [here](https://meta.discourse.org/t/request-invite-on-invite-only-discourse/14208/4) which makes me unsure about the result of this option.
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### Author:  [@watchmanmonitor](https://meta.discourse.org/u/watchmanmonitor)
#### Post date: [9 ביולי, 2016, 12:09pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/does-the-must-approve-users-option-really-result-in-revoke-access-of-previous-members/47024/2 "2016-07-09T12:09:15Z")
Interesting.. I wonder, without `must approve users` enabled, do you see the approved status in a user’s admin page:
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### Author:  [@Pad\_Pors](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Pad_Pors)
#### Post date: [9 ביולי, 2016, 1:26pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/does-the-must-approve-users-option-really-result-in-revoke-access-of-previous-members/47024/3 "2016-07-09T13:26:31Z")
nope, something like this:
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### Author:  [@watchmanmonitor](https://meta.discourse.org/u/watchmanmonitor)
#### Post date: [9 ביולי, 2016, 2:01pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/does-the-must-approve-users-option-really-result-in-revoke-access-of-previous-members/47024/4 "2016-07-09T14:01:09Z")
Without testing, I’d guess that when you enable “must approve users”, you’ll need to go approve everyone with the button which shows up.
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [9 ביולי, 2016, 4:34pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/does-the-must-approve-users-option-really-result-in-revoke-access-of-previous-members/47024/5 "2016-07-09T16:34:24Z")
No you do not need to do this. However switching this on later in the life of a site leaves earlier users in an indeterminate state – were they approved to access your site, or not?
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### Author:  [@Pad\_Pors](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Pad_Pors)
#### Post date: [10 באוגוסט, 2016, 1:37pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/does-the-must-approve-users-option-really-result-in-revoke-access-of-previous-members/47024/6 "2016-08-10T13:37:00Z")
somehow, i missed this answer. thanks for the answer.
just to be sure; this means, if **in our live forum** i activate the “must approve users”; it does not delete previous user’s access to our site (previous sign ups). is it correct?
what will happen to those users then?
in our **invite-only** forum, we need a _request an invitation_ button. and i guess this option can do the job. is it correct?
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [10 באוגוסט, 2016, 5:51pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/does-the-must-approve-users-option-really-result-in-revoke-access-of-previous-members/47024/7 "2016-08-10T17:51:38Z")
The old users will have an indeterminate approval state. They can still get in, but they will “look” unapproved to you. If you approve them, they will all get a redundant email.
It is generally a bad idea to change this setting during the life of a site.
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### Author:  [@Pad\_Pors](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Pad_Pors)
#### Post date: [11 באוגוסט, 2016, 5:30am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/does-the-must-approve-users-option-really-result-in-revoke-access-of-previous-members/47024/8 "2016-08-11T05:30:22Z")
thanks for the information 🙂 ,
and sure we’ll look for another way.
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### Author:  [@DNSTARS](https://meta.discourse.org/u/DNSTARS)
#### Post date: [30 בנובמבר, 2018, 1:24pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/does-the-must-approve-users-option-really-result-in-revoke-access-of-previous-members/47024/9 "2018-11-30T13:24:08Z")
Apologies for the superman necro but didn’t see anything more recent.
Has this behavior changed since last comment and does anyone know how this affects accounts that were active, **and then deactivated** before the big revocation button is pushed?
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### Author:  [@system](https://meta.discourse.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [3 באוקטובר, 2021, 9:40am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/does-the-must-approve-users-option-really-result-in-revoke-access-of-previous-members/47024/10 "2021-10-03T09:40:00Z")