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This version of GitHub Enterprise was discontinued on 2022-10-12. No patch releases will be made, even for critical security issues. For better performance, improved security, and new features, upgrade to the latest version of GitHub Enterprise. For help with the upgrade, contact GitHub Enterprise support.

Managing dormant users

By default, a user account is considered to be dormant if it has not been active for 90 days. You can configure the length of time a user must be inactive to be considered dormant and choose to suspend dormant users to release user licenses.

About dormant users

A user is considered active if the user has performed any of the following activities on your GitHub Enterprise Server instance.

  • Signing into your GitHub Enterprise Server instance
  • Creating a repository
  • Pushing to a repository
  • Being added to a repository
  • Changing the visibility of a repository
  • Creating an issue or pull request
  • Commenting on an issue or pull request
  • Closing or reopening an issue or pull request
  • Applying a label to an issue or pull request, or removing a label
  • Assigning or unassigning an issue or pull request
  • Requesting a review of a pull request, or removing a review request
  • Creating or editing a comment in a pull request review
  • Dismissing a comment in a pull request
  • Synchronizing a pull request
  • Commenting on a commit
  • Publishing a release
  • Pushing to a wiki
  • Watching a repository
  • Starring a repository
  • Deleting a repository
  • Accessing resources by using a personal access token or SSH key

Viewing dormant users

You can view a list of all dormant users who have not been suspended and who are not site administrators.

  1. From an administrative account on GitHub Enterprise Server, in the upper-right corner of any page, click .

    Screenshot of the rocket ship icon for accessing site admin settings

  2. If you're not already on the "Site admin" page, in the upper-left corner, click Site admin.

    Screenshot of "Site admin" link

  3. In the left sidebar, click Dormant users. Dormant users tab

  4. To suspend all the dormant users in this list, at the top of the page, click Suspend all. Suspend all button

Determining whether a user account is dormant

  1. From an administrative account on GitHub Enterprise Server, in the upper-right corner of any page, click .

    Screenshot of the rocket ship icon for accessing site admin settings

  2. If you're not already on the "Site admin" page, in the upper-left corner, click Site admin.

    Screenshot of "Site admin" link

  3. In the search field, type the name of the user and click Search. Site admin settings search field

  4. In the search results, click the name of the user. Site admin settings search options

  5. In the User info section, a red dot with the word "Dormant" indicates the user account is dormant, and a green dot with the word "Active" indicates the user account is active. Dormant user account Active user account

Configuring the dormancy threshold

The dormancy threshold is the length of time a user must be inactive to be considered dormant. The default dormancy threshold is 90 days, however you can customize the dormancy threshold for your GitHub Enterprise Server instance.

  1. In the top-right corner of GitHub Enterprise Server, click your profile photo, then click Enterprise settings. "Enterprise settings" in drop-down menu for profile photo on GitHub Enterprise Server

  2. In the enterprise sidebar, click Policies. Policies tab in the enterprise account sidebar

  3. Under Policies, click Options. Options tab in the enterprise account settings sidebar

  4. Under "Dormancy threshold", use the drop-down menu, and click the desired dormancy threshold. The Dormancy threshold drop-down menu