# Hide topic/post
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/hide-topic-post/261871
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [April 16, 2023, 6:13pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hide-topic-post/261871 "2023-04-16T18:13:12Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@NoamH](https://meta.discourse.org/u/NoamH)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2023, 6:13pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hide-topic-post/261871/1 "2023-04-16T18:13:12Z")
Hi,
As admin is it possible to create a new topic that hides it until I decide to publish it?
Thank you
Noam
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### Author:  [@Jagster](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Jagster)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2023, 6:16pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hide-topic-post/261871/2 "2023-04-16T18:16:50Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@piffy](https://meta.discourse.org/u/piffy)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2023, 6:18pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hide-topic-post/261871/3 "2023-04-16T18:18:00Z")
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
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### Author:  [@Lilly](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Lilly)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2023, 6:25pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hide-topic-post/261871/4 "2023-04-16T18:25:01Z")
i do this almost daily. i have a specific hidden admin category where i stage topics before moving them to un-hidden categories.
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### Author:  [@NoamH](https://meta.discourse.org/u/NoamH)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2023, 6:32pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hide-topic-post/261871/5 "2023-04-16T18:32:45Z")
@Lilly @piffy @Jagster thanks!
After moving the topic from the hidden category to the main category it keeps the same URL?
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### Author:  [@Lilly](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Lilly)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2023, 8:17pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hide-topic-post/261871/6 "2023-04-16T20:17:21Z")
the URL will change but any links to the topic should update themselves.
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### Author:  [@JammyDodger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JammyDodger)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2023, 10:09pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hide-topic-post/261871/7 "2023-04-16T22:09:31Z")
The topic URL shouldn’t change when moving between categories?
> [@piffy](#):
>
> I also sometimes draft a complex post in a message to one of my alt accounts
You can also PM yourself, if you fall out with your test user and need a back up plan. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Jagster](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Jagster)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2023, 10:17pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hide-topic-post/261871/9 "2023-04-16T22:17:46Z")
Because links don’t include category. Like this one:
`https://meta.discourse.org/t/hide-topic-post/261871`
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### Author:  [@Lilly](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Lilly)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2023, 10:21pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hide-topic-post/261871/10 "2023-04-16T22:21:43Z")
oh i see what you mean now of course. 🤦♀️
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### Author:  [@Lhc\_fl](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Lhc_fl)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2023, 12:48am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hide-topic-post/261871/11 "2023-04-17T00:48:09Z")
I believe that there is another way.
Toggle whisper before you post your topic. It will be hidden until you toggle it’s visibility?
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### Author:  [@JammyDodger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JammyDodger)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2023, 1:51am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hide-topic-post/261871/12 "2023-04-17T01:51:18Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@Jagster](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Jagster)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2023, 7:35am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hide-topic-post/261871/13 "2023-04-17T07:35:57Z")
> [@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 🤦♂️🤣
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### Author:  [@JammyDodger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JammyDodger)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2023, 8:44am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hide-topic-post/261871/14 "2023-04-17T08:44:15Z")
> [@Jagster](#):
>
> Wait a second… was shared drafts plugin at all, or was it inbuild option? Can’t remember 🤦♂️ 🤣
[Discourse Shared Edits](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-shared-edits/167583) is the plugin. 🙂 Shared drafts is a core feature. 👍
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### Author:  [@Jagster](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Jagster)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2023, 8:53am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hide-topic-post/261871/15 "2023-04-17T08:53:20Z")
Of course… I forgot totally out there is two similar, but different, solutions.
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### Author:  [@system](https://meta.discourse.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2023, 8:53am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/hide-topic-post/261871/16 "2023-05-17T08:53:39Z")
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