Confluence: How to add a anonymous / public access startpage?
Asked by HW:

Hi there,

we are not using anonymous / public access to our confluence and login is granted only by our staff.

Now I'd like to display a page for persons that access our confluence URL and are not logged in, containing some hints on how to apply for an user account. In addition, I'd like that site only to appear for anonymous users/visitors.

In JIRA this is possible via the "System Dashboard" which is also displayed for anonymous / public access. Does Confluence offer a similar functionality or a work-around? I haven't found anything in the documentation or the answers.

If you tell me that I have to manually "build" a site with public access and no access for the group "confluence-users" that would be fine, I am just wondering if there is a smarter solution to this :wink:

Thanks in advance and kind regards

Hendrik


Answers:
author: HW
body: **sigh** Sometimes one doesn't see the simple solution, even if it is right in front of him.

The page I wanted to change is the "Overview"-Page for uncategorized spaces, which is the only site anonymous visitors can see. I simply edited that page and made from it an adequate startpage for everyone (welcome-text for newcomers and login link for the registered users).

We are using the RefinedWiki Original Theme, not sure if that has any influence to the above mentioned.

Thanks again everybody, for me this question is answered...


author: tsez
body: Hi

You can customize the dashboard page in the administration console / Layouts / Global layout. And add this code:

```
#if ($helper.action.remoteUser) &lt;dashboard for logged in users&gt;#else&lt;dashboard for anonymous users&gt;#end
```

You keep the dashboard code for the logged in users and you customize the code for the anonymous users.

comments: author: Appel
body: This is also great for hiding headers etc for anonymous users.

Space Tools / Look and Feel / Layout / Main Layout / Edit

Search for:

```
#parse("/decorators/includes/common-header.vm")
```

Replace with:

```
#if ($helper.action.remoteUser)  #parse("/decorators/includes/common-header.vm")#else  &lt;!-- whatever you want to stuff in here --&gt;#end
```


author: HW
body: Hey everybody,

thanks for sharing your ideas.

@Adrian Reid That was also my first impulse, but our default startpage is already a diffenrent one :-/

@tsez I have tried to find out how to implement your code, but haven't succeeded yet. It tells me that I have to deactivate the Design in order to customize the layout like you said. I beleive I cant't do that during working hours :wink:


author: Adrian Reid
body: You could add a space which is open to anonymous users. Set access in Space Permissions for this space (Browse \> Space Admin \> Permissions). Then set this space as the default landing page by going to admin settings \> Further Configuration.

image2016-1-15 9:16:27.png  
[](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Confluence-questions/Confluence-How-to-add-a-anonymous-public-access-startpage/qaq-p/82609?attachment-id=1408){#link_11877ccaa75d7b}  
[](/tnckb94959/attachments/tnckb94959/confluence-questions/13915/1/image2016-1-15%209%3A16%3A27.png){#display_11877ccaa75d7b_0}


author: Phill Fox
body: Hi @Hendrik Wei?enberg

I am not aware of any method other than the "build" a site with only public access. So would also be interested to hear if anyone else has another solution.

Phill


Tags: confluence-administration