This version of GitHub Enterprise will be discontinued on This version of GitHub Enterprise was discontinued on 2020-01-22. 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.

Preventing users from changing a repository's visibility

You can prevent members from changing the visibility of organization-owned repositories on your GitHub Enterprise Server appliance.

When you prevent members from changing repository visibility, only site administrators have the ability to make public repositories private or make private repositories public.

If a site administrator has restricted repository creation to organization owners only, then members will not be able to change repository visibility. If a site administrator has restricted member repository creation to private repositories only, then members will only be able to change repositories from public to private. For more information, see "Restricting repository creation in your instance."

  1. In the upper-right corner of any page, click .

    Rocketship icon for accessing site admin settings

  2. In the left sidebar, click Business.

    Business tab in the Site admin settings

  3. Under your business account's name, click Settings.

    Settings tab on the business account profile page

  4. In the Business settings sidebar, click Member privileges.

    Member privileges tab in the business account settings sidebar

  5. Under "Repository visibility change", review the information about changing the setting. Optionally, to view the setting's current configuration for all organizations in the business before enforcing the setting, click View the current configuration on your organizations.

    Link to view the current policy configuration for organizations in the business

  6. Under "Repository visibility change", use the drop-down menu and choose a policy.

    Drop-down menu with repository visibility policy options

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