Users can create topic without selecting a category even when "allow uncategorized topics" unchecked

Hi Discourse community,

I encounter the same issue as below topic. The user is neither staff nor moderator (new registered). But they can create topic without selecting a category.

Two highlights, the topics were migrated from an old site, and the “allow uncategorized topics” is checked before (I’m changing it to unchecked). In the site setting there’s a “WARNING: If there are any uncategorized topics, you must recategorize them before turning this off.” does this mean in my site there’re uncategorized topics preventing this setting working?
How can I find all uncategorized topics then? Thanks in advance.

If you had allow uncategorized topics enabled, then there should be an uncategorized option in the categorized drop down field of the advanced search page.

or go to https://yourforum.com/c/uncategorized/1

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Go to https://yoursite.com/c/1-category/1, where you will find all your uncategorized topics

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Thanks, @Lilly @Lhc_fl I’ve moved all topics from “uncategorized” and with “allow uncategorized topics” unchecked, users can still post without selecting a category. I expect in post editor there’s placeholder text “Select a category before typing here.” and mouse pointer is disabled. Are there’s any other places I need to change?

Please provide a screenshot showing the composer with no category selected. I’m unable to reproduce the issue with the settings configured to not allow “uncategorized” topics.

Yes. As a normal user, this is the composer screenshot
image

There’s no topics/posts in the ‘uncategorized’ categories,

In my site settings, the ‘allow uncategorized topics’ is not selected. Screenshot from the admin users,

Update - Though the composer’s placeholder doesn’t mention “have to select a category”, when I try to submit the topic, there’s a error popup to prevent me from doing. This is good but I still wonder why the placeholder text is not placed in editing composer.

There is a setting called default composer category which defines the category selected when opening the composer. :+1: