# Change the privacy of a channel

{!admin-only.md!}

Channels can be [web-public](/help/public-access-option), public or private,
and private channels can have shared or protected history.
See [channel permissions](/help/channel-permissions) for
details on channel privacy settings.

As an organization administrator, you can always make a public channel
private, but you must be subscribed to a private channel in order to make it
public.

{start_tabs}

{tab|desktop-web}

{relative|stream|all}

1. Select a channel.

{!select-channel-view-general.md!}

1. Under **Channel permissions**, configure **Who can access the channel**.

{!save-changes.md!}

{!channel-settings-general-tab-tip.md!}

{tab|mobile}

{!mobile-all-channels-view.md!}

{!channel-name-long-press-menu.md!}

1. Tap **Channel settings**.

1. Tap **Edit channel**.

1. Tap **Privacy**, and configure **Who can access the channel**.

1. Tap **Save**.

{!channel-name-long-press-menu-tip.md!}

{end_tabs}

{!automated-notice-channel-event.md!}

!!! warn ""

    **Warning**: Be careful making a private channel public. All past messages
    will become accessible, even if the channel previously had protected history.