zulip/templates/zerver/help/deactivate-or-reactivate-a-user.md

Deactivate or reactivate a user

{!admin-only.md!}

Deactivate (ban) a user

To properly remove a user’s access to a Zulip organization, it does not suffice to change their password or deactivate their account in an external email system, since the user’s API key and bot API keys will still be active. Instead, you need to deactivate the user’s account using the Zulip administrative interface.

Note that organization administrators cannot deactivate organization owners.

{start_tabs}

{tab|via-user-profile}

1. Hover over a user's name in the right sidebar.

2. Click on the ellipsis () to the right of their name.

3. Click Manage this user.

4. Click the Deactivate user button at the bottom.

5. Approve by clicking Confirm.

{tab|via-organization-settings}

{settings_tab|user-list-admin}

1. Click the Deactivate button to the right of the user account that you want to deactivate.

2. Approve by clicking Confirm.

{end_tabs}

The user will be logged out immediately and not be able to log back in. The user's bots will also be deactivated. Lastly, the user will be unable to create a new Zulip account in your organization using their deactivated email address.

Reactivate a user

Organization administrators can reactivate a deactivated user. They will have the same API key and bot API keys, but the bots will be deactivated until the user manually reactivates them again.

{start_tabs}

{settings_tab|deactivated-users-admin}

4. Click the Reactivate button to the right of the user account that you want to reactivate.

{end_tabs}