# Setting a primary group for users
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/setting-a-primary-group-for-users/25857
**Category:** Site Management
**Tags:** groups, explanation
**Created:** [March 1, 2015, 4:22pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/setting-a-primary-group-for-users/25857 "2015-03-01T16:22:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Discourse](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Discourse)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2015, 4:22pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/setting-a-primary-group-for-users/25857/1 "2015-03-01T16:22:58Z")
> 🔖 This guide explains the concept of “Primary Group” in Discourse, detailing what it does and how to set it up.
>
> 🙋 Required user level: Administrator
## What is a primary group?
A primary group is a custom group that can be assigned to a user as their main group affiliation. This assignment has several visual and functional implications within the Discourse platform.
## Setting a primary group
To set a primary group for a user:
1. Navigate to `/admin/users`
2. Click on the specific user’s name
3. On the user’s admin page (`/admin/users/{userId}/{username}`), locate the groups options
4. Select a “Custom” group as the primary group
> ℹ You can only select a primary group for a user if they belong to “Custom” groups. Automatic groups like `admins`, `moderators`, `staff`, `trust_level_0`, etc., cannot be set as primary groups.
## Effects of setting a primary group
Setting a primary group for a user has several effects:
### 1. Adds CSS class to user’s posts
If the primary group is called `team`, a CSS class `group-team` is added to the user’s posts. This can be used to style posts differently based on the user’s primary group.
### 2. Adds title to user’s profile
You can configure a title for members of a group:
1. Go to the group’s Manage page
2. Set a Default title
This title will appear on the user’s profile:
> â„ą Users can have multiple titles. A group title (especially from the primary group) takes precedence over a badge title. Users can override this in their preferences.
### 3. Adds an avatar flair
You can configure an avatar flair for a group. When the group is set as a user’s primary group, it also becomes their flair group by default, and the flair will appear on the user’s avatar. The flair group can also be set independently from the primary group.
## How to set a primary group
There are several ways to set a primary group:
1. From the user’s admin page at `/admin/users/{userid}/{username}`
2. Enable “Automatically set as primary group” in the group’s settings
3. Group owners can set or remove the group as primary from the group’s Members page
4. Allow users to select their own primary group by enabling the `user selected primary groups` setting
> â„ą If a user is added to multiple groups that have the `Automatically set as primary group` setting enabled, their primary group will be the last group they joined.
## Bulk removing primary groups
To remove primary groups for multiple users:
1. Create a new group with tight restrictions (admin only) and check “set as primary group”
2. Add all users whose primary group you want to clear to this new group
3. Delete the new group
## Additional resources
- [Linking user titles to groups](https://meta.discourse.org/t/link-user-title-to-a-group/19169)
- [Add group flair on member avatars](https://meta.discourse.org/t/automatically-add-group-flair-to-members-avatars/82700)
> Last edited by @Moin 2024-07-16T06:08:14Z
>
> > **Check document**
> >
> > Perform check on document:
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### Author:  [@Joe\_F](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Joe_F)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2025, 11:04am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/setting-a-primary-group-for-users/25857/15 "2025-01-24T11:04:38Z")
> [@Discourse](#):
>
> Enable “Automatically set as primary group” in the group’s settings
Has anyone been able to find " 1. Enable “Automatically set as primary group” in the group’s settings"
I cannot find it in my groups settings.
Thanks
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### Author:  [@Canapin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Canapin)
#### Post date: [January 24, 2025, 11:11am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/setting-a-primary-group-for-users/25857/16 "2025-01-24T11:11:57Z")
It’s here:
It’s not available on automatically created groups like staff, trust level groups, etc.
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### Author:  [@Heliosurge](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Heliosurge)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2025, 9:53am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/setting-a-primary-group-for-users/25857/17 "2025-01-25T09:53:19Z")
Are you looking to have an Avatar flair for automatic Groups?
If so this #Customization > Theme component can add an additional flair for Trust Levels this is separate from group flairs.
> [@Trust-Level Avatar Flair](https://meta.discourse.org/t/trust-level-avatar-flair/82656):
>
> This theme component allows an admin to add flair to user avatars based on the user’s trust level. Trust level flair displays anywhere on the site that you would normally see group flair. There are a few theme settings to adjust the position of the flair in relation to the avatar. Basic Examples (with group flair in place) There is also a bottom-right position that will either replace group flair or be replaced by group flair depending on how you set the “group flair always on top” …