# Change the privacy of a stream

{!admin-only.md!}

Streams can be public or private, and private streams can have shared or
protected history. See [stream permissions](/help/stream-permissions) for
details on stream privacy settings.

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

### Change the privacy of a stream

{start_tabs}

{relative|stream|all}

1. Select a stream.

4. Find the privacy description under the stream name and description on the
   right. Click **[Change]**.

5. Select a privacy level.

6. Click **Save changes**.

{end_tabs}

!!! warn ""

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