zulip/templates/zerver/help/require-users-to-include-topics-in-stream-messages.md

Require users to include topics in stream messages

{!admin-only.md!}

By default, users are not required to specify the topics of messages to streams; if a user sends a message without a topic, the message's topic is displayed as (no topic). Any other user can then edit the topic of such a message to set a topic.

Some organizations prefer to require that every message to a stream includes a topic. Organization administrators can choose to enforce the use of topics in new messages to streams:

{settings_tab|organization-settings}

2. Select the Require topics in messages to streams checkbox under the Message feed section.

{!save-changes.md!} organization settings.

Once this setting is enabled, any users that attempt to send a stream message without a specified topic will see a warning in the compose box and will be prevented from sending their message until they specify a topic.