# Set category tracking level defaults for \*new\* users

**URL:** <https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-category-tracking-level-defaults-for-new-users/285949>\
**Category:** Product Support\
**Created:** [November 18, 2023, 10:01pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-category-tracking-level-defaults-for-new-users/285949 "2023-11-18T22:01:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 1

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**Author:** ![aas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/aas/32/289331_2.png) [@aas](https://meta.discourse.org/u/aas)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2023, 10:01pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-category-tracking-level-defaults-for-new-users/285949/1 "2023-11-18T22:01:32Z")

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I was surprised to learn that the `default categories watching first post` setting only applies to current users and the setting doesn’t affect new users.

I was just wondering if I am overlooking something obvious regarding how to apply this setting to new users before I go about developing a custom solution.

Related topic:

> [@(Obsolete) Set category tracking level defaults historically](https://meta.discourse.org/t/obsolete-set-category-tracking-level-defaults-historically/53165):
>
> warning Following the release of Discourse v2.4.0.beta7 (or if you have [this commit](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/commit/b2f682f35eba0cc3f09588356ecf8d1dd824542f)), admins now have the option to set the category tracking levels of all existing users when setting the default category tracking levels in their site settings: Add a category to one of the following site settings, then select the green checkbox button. A modal window will pop up with the following options: play_button The old way using the console

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_[View the full topic](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-category-tracking-level-defaults-for-new-users/285949)._