# \#read-only **URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/tag/read-only/712.md [Latest](https://meta.discourse.org/latest.md) · [Categories](https://meta.discourse.org/categories.md) · [Tags](https://meta.discourse.org/tags.md) --- ## [Read Only Modes in Discourse](https://meta.discourse.org/t/read-only-modes-in-discourse/296976)
**Author:** [@Discourse](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Discourse)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [May 1, 2026, 2:43pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/read-only-modes-in-discourse/296976 "2026-05-01T14:43:09Z")
:bookmark: This guide explains the various read-only modes available in Discourse, how to enable and disable them, and the scenarios in which you might want to use each mode. :person\_raising\_hand: Required user level: … --- ## [Cannot disable read-only mode on Free Plan](https://meta.discourse.org/t/cannot-disable-read-only-mode-on-free-plan/400870)
**Author:** [@NateDhaliwal](https://meta.discourse.org/u/NateDhaliwal)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [April 17, 2026, 11:43pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/cannot-disable-read-only-mode-on-free-plan/400870 "2026-04-17T23:43:17Z")
I am unable to disable read-only mode on my forum. IIRC I enabled it to take a backup, but now I cannot get rid of it: The ‘Disable read-only’ button in Admin \> Backups changes to ‘Enable read-only’ when clicked, but upo… --- ## [Log back in as admin after locking yourself out with read-only mode or an invalid SSO configuration](https://meta.discourse.org/t/log-back-in-as-admin-after-locking-yourself-out-with-read-only-mode-or-an-invalid-sso-configuration/89605)
**Author:** [@Discourse](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Discourse)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [August 29, 2025, 6:23am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/log-back-in-as-admin-after-locking-yourself-out-with-read-only-mode-or-an-invalid-sso-configuration/89605 "2025-08-29T06:23:20Z")
:bookmark: This guide explains how to log back into Discourse as an admin when you have been locked out. :person\_raising\_hand: Required user level: Administrator If you’ve locked yourself out of your Discourse instan… --- ## [Read Only mode occurring when not scheduled by admin](https://meta.discourse.org/t/read-only-mode-occurring-when-not-scheduled-by-admin/313970)
**Author:** [@sukinova](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sukinova)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [June 27, 2024, 1:59pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/read-only-mode-occurring-when-not-scheduled-by-admin/313970 "2024-06-27T13:59:28Z")
Hello, My Forum recently had an hour of being put into Read Only mode which was unexpected and nothing to do with the Forum Admin team, and there’s now been some discussion on my Forum around read-only mode, with some m… --- ## [Site automatically exits read-only mode when enabled by 'discourse enable\_readonly'](https://meta.discourse.org/t/site-automatically-exits-read-only-mode-when-enabled-by-discourse-enable-readonly/296844)
**Author:** [@RhysGoodwin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/RhysGoodwin)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [February 29, 2024, 12:20am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/site-automatically-exits-read-only-mode-when-enabled-by-discourse-enable-readonly/296844 "2024-02-29T00:20:50Z")
Hi folks, I’m setting up some automation for deployment and migration with Ansible but I’ve got an issue with read-only mode. When I enabled read-only with: docker exec app discourse enable\_readonly or ./launcher en… --- ## [Cant disable read-only mode](https://meta.discourse.org/t/cant-disable-read-only-mode/72242)
**Author:** [@dje4321](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dje4321)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [November 27, 2023, 9:46am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/cant-disable-read-only-mode/72242 "2023-11-27T09:46:50Z")
I enabled read-only mode on my forums and im not able to disable it. I cant disable read-only mode via the /admin/backups because i cant login. entering the docker image and disabling it via rails does not work either… --- ## [Partial read-only mode](https://meta.discourse.org/t/partial-read-only-mode/210401)
**Author:** [@RGJ](https://meta.discourse.org/u/RGJ)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [November 10, 2023, 5:04pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/partial-read-only-mode/210401 "2023-11-10T17:04:07Z")
Every now and then we come across a situation where a forum needs to be in “read only” mode in order to prevent new posts being made. However, it is really annoying that read only mode also prevents configuration change… --- ## [Trying to react during read only mode displays an inaccurate message](https://meta.discourse.org/t/trying-to-react-during-read-only-mode-displays-an-inaccurate-message/268081)
**Author:** [@darkpixlz](https://meta.discourse.org/u/darkpixlz)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [June 12, 2023, 7:31pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/trying-to-react-during-read-only-mode-displays-an-inaccurate-message/268081 "2023-06-12T19:31:14Z")
Normally, when you like a post during read only mode, it should look like this: However, when doing the same thing with the reactions plugin enabled, the message instead reads “Something went wrong.” This is just a m… --- ## [Old site stuck in read only](https://meta.discourse.org/t/old-site-stuck-in-read-only/252324)
**Author:** [@bobpies](https://meta.discourse.org/u/bobpies)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [January 19, 2023, 6:58pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/old-site-stuck-in-read-only/252324 "2023-01-19T18:58:32Z")
I have an old site running v1.1 that i was upgrading things haven’t worked first time and i’m doing a roll back except the old site is stuck in read only and i cannot get in via .launcher enter app Docker version 1.7… --- ## [How to log in my forum when the forum is in read-only mode?](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-log-in-my-forum-when-the-forum-is-in-read-only-mode/239159)
**Author:** [@ChanTallyagora](https://meta.discourse.org/u/ChanTallyagora)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [November 28, 2022, 3:07am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-log-in-my-forum-when-the-forum-is-in-read-only-mode/239159 "2022-11-28T03:07:22Z")
My forum is in the read-only mode now, as an administrator, if I cannot log in then I cannot close the read-only mode. But when I log in it shows: the forum is in the read-only mode now, so I cannot log in. --- ## [Documentation on putting my community site in Read Only](https://meta.discourse.org/t/documentation-on-putting-my-community-site-in-read-only/214828)
**Author:** [@Willie\_Turney](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Willie_Turney)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [January 18, 2022, 6:25am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/documentation-on-putting-my-community-site-in-read-only/214828 "2022-01-18T06:25:43Z")
Hello! I am looking for documentation on how to put my community site in read only. We are planning a migration and need have the site to allow login, but so that users can’t post. I believe it is found in Admin \> Backu… --- ## [Automated backup performed while read-only mode was enabled](https://meta.discourse.org/t/automated-backup-performed-while-read-only-mode-was-enabled/215005)
**Author:** [@pilou](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pilou)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2022, 6:17pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/automated-backup-performed-while-read-only-mode-was-enabled/215005 "2022-01-17T18:17:52Z")
Should an automated backup be performed while the read-only mode is enabled? Use case: A discourse forum was migrated to another host, hence the read-only mode was enabled. This forum wasn’t deleted yet “just in case”… --- ## [Does read-only mode prevent users from getting the devotee badge?](https://meta.discourse.org/t/does-read-only-mode-prevent-users-from-getting-the-devotee-badge/197746)
**Author:** [@Canapin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Canapin)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [January 3, 2022, 6:43pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/does-read-only-mode-prevent-users-from-getting-the-devotee-badge/197746 "2022-01-03T18:43:27Z")
Hi! I had to set the read-only mode on my forum for a bit more than a day for maintenance purpose. Does it reset the day count for the Devotee badge? --- ## [What happens when I enable read-only mode?](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-happens-when-i-enable-read-only-mode/179193)
**Author:** [@friednanners](https://meta.discourse.org/u/friednanners)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [February 15, 2021, 8:03pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-happens-when-i-enable-read-only-mode/179193 "2021-02-15T20:03:58Z")
Hi all, I’m currently dealing with an active crisis – our site is under heavy load and barely surviving. There are thousands of folks trying to read & post, choking our infrastructure and making moderation impossible. W… --- ## [Cloud hosting goes into read-only mode twice in two days](https://meta.discourse.org/t/cloud-hosting-goes-into-read-only-mode-twice-in-two-days/178502)
**Author:** [@aristedes](https://meta.discourse.org/u/aristedes)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [February 5, 2021, 4:47am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/cloud-hosting-goes-into-read-only-mode-twice-in-two-days/178502 "2021-02-05T04:47:19Z")
Our new open source community here: https://oncourse.discourse.group/ has now gone into read only mode twice in two days. Yesterday it was for about an hour, and now it has back in read only mode for the last hour and st… --- ## [Unable to login as admin after enabling read only mode](https://meta.discourse.org/t/unable-to-login-as-admin-after-enabling-read-only-mode/85362)
**Author:** [@Gulshan\_Kumar](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Gulshan_Kumar)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2018, 8:58am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/unable-to-login-as-admin-after-enabling-read-only-mode/85362 "2018-04-15T08:58:53Z")
My site says “Login is disabled while the site is in read only mode?” so I cannot log in: --- ## [Allow login to a read-only site](https://meta.discourse.org/t/allow-login-to-a-read-only-site/54270)
**Author:** [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [April 12, 2020, 1:57pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/allow-login-to-a-read-only-site/54270 "2020-04-12T13:57:17Z")
I did an import of some Wordpress data to an already active site. I thought it would be a Good Idea to put the site in read-only mode while I was doing the import so that people wouldn’t add data to the site that would g… --- ## [When to use "readonly mode during backup"](https://meta.discourse.org/t/when-to-use-readonly-mode-during-backup/136009)
**Author:** [@Ed\_S](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Ed_S)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [March 23, 2020, 2:03pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/when-to-use-readonly-mode-during-backup/136009 "2020-03-23T14:03:23Z")
I see there’s a checkbox for “readonly mode during backup” which is not checked by default. I suppose backups work fine without it - when might this feature be needed? --- ## [How to create a read only, archive version of Discourse content](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-create-a-read-only-archive-version-of-discourse-content/139256)
**Author:** [@ChiConv](https://meta.discourse.org/u/ChiConv)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [January 21, 2020, 6:10am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-create-a-read-only-archive-version-of-discourse-content/139256 "2020-01-21T06:10:52Z")
Hello. I would like to be able to convert the content of my forum in a read only, html version of itself, as in an archive version of the content in my forum for reference only. Is this possible? --- ## [Is there an easy way to set a discouse instance temporarly in read-only mode?](https://meta.discourse.org/t/is-there-an-easy-way-to-set-a-discouse-instance-temporarly-in-read-only-mode/136380)
**Author:** [@GuidoD](https://meta.discourse.org/u/GuidoD)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [December 18, 2019, 6:34pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/is-there-an-easy-way-to-set-a-discouse-instance-temporarly-in-read-only-mode/136380 "2019-12-18T18:34:36Z")
is there an easy way to set a discourse instance temporarly in a read-only mode without changing all categories? We would like to give our moderators team a christmas/new years break, therefore we are looking for a poss… --- ## [Unable to get Redis out of read only mode post upgrade](https://meta.discourse.org/t/unable-to-get-redis-out-of-read-only-mode-post-upgrade/28471)
**Author:** [@stroupaloop](https://meta.discourse.org/u/stroupaloop)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [March 27, 2019, 1:07am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/unable-to-get-redis-out-of-read-only-mode-post-upgrade/28471 "2019-03-27T01:07:02Z")
Hey Discourse community! This may be a quick fix, but I couldn’t find anything that solved this problem. I recently updated my Discourse server (docker \> AWS setup \> EC2, postgres, Redis, SES) and have been stuck in rea… --- ## [Read Only Users?](https://meta.discourse.org/t/read-only-users/43403)
**Author:** [@PeteB](https://meta.discourse.org/u/PeteB)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [March 15, 2019, 11:32am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/read-only-users/43403 "2019-03-15T11:32:37Z")
Hi There Is there a way to make a User Read Only? Some Context: We have a site closed site integrated to our Customer Portal, but would like to be able to make some give some users read only access (can’t create a top… --- ## [Stuck in 'Read Only' Mode](https://meta.discourse.org/t/stuck-in-read-only-mode/42820)
**Author:** [@StuckInReadOnly](https://meta.discourse.org/u/StuckInReadOnly)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [December 31, 2018, 10:02am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/stuck-in-read-only-mode/42820 "2018-12-31T10:02:11Z")
Hi all, My site is suddenly in ‘read only’ mode, and I don’t know why. chathamhouse.sandbaggernews.com A friend helped me set up Discourse, but unfortunately he’s left town for a Linux conference in Seattle … --- ## [AWS installation stuck in Read only mode](https://meta.discourse.org/t/aws-installation-stuck-in-read-only-mode/90226)
**Author:** [@amoncadot](https://meta.discourse.org/u/amoncadot)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [July 6, 2018, 4:47am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/aws-installation-stuck-in-read-only-mode/90226 "2018-07-06T04:47:23Z")
Hello, We’ve had our internal Discourse site for around 3 months now and suddenly it has gone into read only mode. Based on other topics (Stuck in 'Read Only' Mode) I have already tried the following: Login to docker… --- ## [The upload of a backup seems to be allowed in read-only mode](https://meta.discourse.org/t/the-upload-of-a-backup-seems-to-be-allowed-in-read-only-mode/79386)
**Author:** [@dax](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dax)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [January 31, 2018, 11:05am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/the-upload-of-a-backup-seems-to-be-allowed-in-read-only-mode/79386 "2018-01-31T11:05:24Z")
If you are in read-only mode and you try to upload a backup via gui, the site go ahead and seems to upload the backup even if this is not true. When you are in read-only mode there should be an alert telling you that yo… --- ## [Accidentally made site read only, how do I disable?](https://meta.discourse.org/t/accidentally-made-site-read-only-how-do-i-disable/68299)
**Author:** [@NotAfk](https://meta.discourse.org/u/NotAfk)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [August 18, 2017, 1:56pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/accidentally-made-site-read-only-how-do-i-disable/68299 "2017-08-18T13:56:04Z")
hello, I actived the function read only on the discourse forum, but i logged out and now, i can’t able to reconnect to the forum. What is it the solution please ? --- ## [Reset my development environment, but it's stuck in read-only mode](https://meta.discourse.org/t/reset-my-development-environment-but-its-stuck-in-read-only-mode/50414)
**Author:** [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [September 21, 2016, 6:00am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/reset-my-development-environment-but-its-stuck-in-read-only-mode/50414 "2016-09-21T06:00:08Z")
I was running a dev environment in ~/src/discourse-1.6/ and switched over to ~/src/discourse (Yes, I’m too stupid to actually use git, so this was my solution.) I did RAILS\_ENV=development export RAILS\_ENV … --- ## [Digital Ocean forum locked in read only mode after upgrade this morning](https://meta.discourse.org/t/digital-ocean-forum-locked-in-read-only-mode-after-upgrade-this-morning/49276)
**Author:** [@Bernstein](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Bernstein)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [August 26, 2016, 2:35pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/digital-ocean-forum-locked-in-read-only-mode-after-upgrade-this-morning/49276 "2016-08-26T14:35:43Z")
Can someone offer some urgent help/illumination? We’ve tried just about everything, including rebuilding, but the forum remains in read only mode. The upgrade completed successfully about an hour ago. I’m working with @v… --- ## [Can't log out of read-only mode](https://meta.discourse.org/t/cant-log-out-of-read-only-mode/39922)
**Author:** [@dandv](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dandv)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [March 1, 2016, 9:38am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/cant-log-out-of-read-only-mode/39922 "2016-03-01T09:38:50Z")
I wanted to log out of read-only mode to test logging in with 3rd party services, but got this error: DELETE https://forum.quantifiedself.com/session/Dan\_Dascalescu 405 (Method Not Allowed) (followed by a bunch of Em… --- ## [Read-only account for sales prospects please?!](https://meta.discourse.org/t/read-only-account-for-sales-prospects-please/36837)
**Author:** [@mjarvis](https://meta.discourse.org/u/mjarvis)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 3:56pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/read-only-account-for-sales-prospects-please/36837 "2015-12-17T15:56:59Z")
Our discourse forum is only for customers who buy our software. All categories are closed to the public. But we want to entice prospects (close to buying but not yet customers) by giving them a read only account. They wo… [Next page](https://meta.discourse.org/tag/read-only/712.md?match_all_tags=true&page=1&tags%5B%5D=read-only)