How to create an anonymous space without showing the space settings
Asked by Natascha Hartendorf:

I have created an anonymous Confluence space as a basis for an instruction manual for the users of our software.

Everything goes well but an external user can still see the "space settings button" on the left of the screen.

How can I disable the button for the space settings. Our end users don't need that button.

![space settings on anonymous space.png](/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/300239iFFEE48514548526F/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "space settings on anonymous space.png")


Answers:
author: Laura Campbell _Seibert Media_
body: Hi [@Natascha Hartendorf](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/5403948) ,

If you are open to using an app, [Spacecraft](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1230544/spacecraft-theme-for-confluence-cloud-color-your-space?hosting=cloud&tab=overview&utm_source=atlassian-community&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=question-2577552) allows you to customize public Confluence spaces and hide a number of native elements like the Space settings link, the Template \& Create button, and more.


author: Nic Brough -Adaptavist-
body: Welcome to the Atlassian Community!

The space-settings button is always presented to a visitor, you can not turn it off.

This is because it is the only way to reach certain functions within the space that are not pages - reports for example.

If your user does not have the permissions, then they will not be offered the functions.

An anonymous user is offered some of the options under manage space, manage content, and integrations. All read-only functions

An admin user is offered all the links, so they see the automation, permissions, and look-and-feel sections, as well as more of the admin functions in the other three areas.

TLDR: You can't remove space settings, and I think it is misnamed as it leads to stuff that is nothing to do with the settings.

comments: author: Natascha Hartendorf
body: you're right that it is misnamed. I watched this space as a user via the "in private" screen. The space settings show a view fields where you get a login screen but without a login you cannot get any further.

I'll bring it up to the group internally and see what my collegues think about it ;)

Another question: is this the best way to wite an instruction manual for our customers or are there better ways?


author: Nic Brough -Adaptavist-
body: I think you're already doing the right thing - a simple explanation for them that "there's some stuff in space settings you might find useful, but you'll have to log in to use most of it" in an instruction guide will get rid of 99% of your questioners (There's always going to be a 1% who don't read the guide properly and just ask the nearest admin instead)


author: Natascha Hartendorf
body: haha I know. Every year in our yearly customer satisfaction survey we get answers like "your software has too many functions and we don't know where to find them". The same persons also say "manual, no, I don't read manuals and I don't do courses" :)

We even have an instruction guide for instruction guide haters for the happy 1%.


author: Nikola Perisic
body: Hello [@Natascha Hartendorf](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/5403948) ,

Welcome to the community!

Since you are using this space for the anonymous access for external users, make sure that the "Admin" option is turned off.

Hope this helps.

BR,

Nikola

comments: author: Natascha Hartendorf
body: I want to disable this ONLY for the external anonymous user (that is our customer who is using our manual0.

I myself am the content writer for the information of this space so I must be the administrator.

regards,

Natascha


author: Barbara Szczesniak
body: [@Natascha Hartendorf](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/5403948) Maybe you could leave it on while you are creating the content in the space and turn it off when you make the content available to customers.


Tags: cloud

confluence-cloud