Hi, we are now testing Discourse. All our categories will be open to all to see and post but there will be a few categories that will be accessible only to users who request access to them. I have created a user group “private1” (as we’ll have about 3 private categories). In the category to be p…

I know. What I mean is have the subcategories set to proper security restrictions, so non-paid users won’t see them. And put list of the categories in the top category, so people know they are there, just hidden. Maybe one topic for each hidden category. Actually doesn’t have to make them subcat…

You can make the group visible and make it known that the group gets access to the category.

[image] testingsoftware: So far I have only managed to make categories invisible to everyone who is not allowed to see them. or that everyone can read the content and this is no good for us. There is no way to currently do what you require. If you can see a category you can see its content. J…

If 100% privacy is not be required, you may be interested in this plugin: [image] Advertise activity in a private category (discourse-category-lockdown) plugin This plugin allows you to restrict access to topic pages in a category. Topic titles will still show up in topic…

Thanks guys. I tried Jay’s suggestion and it works. I have added an open category with a note in description with the title of the private areas and a link to the groups so user can request membership. Taylor, thanks for the suggestion but so far I want to see what the software can do without plu…

Open a category, say Secrets, with everyone See. Pin a notice there saying this is restricted etc. Create actual secret categories as subcategories to this.

No, because subcategories do not inherit settings from parent.

Thanks, I have set category Private Sections and subcategories subCat1, subCat2, etc. In the Private Sections category I have pinned a topic with all the categories one can find and a link to the groups page so users can request access. It is the suggestion that @schungx mentioned earlier and the…

Categories don’t cost anything so there is no harm having a parent there… Unless you have hundreds of them and you are desperate to reduce the number…

Private category

Support

david (David Taylor) October 11, 2017, 7:00pm 4

If 100% privacy is not be required, you may be interested in this plugin:

Topic		Replies	Views
Feature allowing a Private Category to be seen, but topics remain hidden Feature	10	2202	December 4, 2025
Categories as private rooms, that are publicly visible? Support	1	77	April 9, 2025
Ability to show topics in a category but not open? Feature	2	1364	May 29, 2018
Query on how to create a category which can be seen, but posts can't Support	7	1162	June 15, 2020
Prompt subscription to groups for non members Feature	6	1022	January 14, 2020

Private category

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