Requesting access

Members can ask to join a closed space, and the space's admins approve or decline the request. This page covers both sides: asking for access and answering requests.

Which spaces you can ask for#

You can request access only to a closed space in an organisation you're a member of.

• Open spaces don't need a request: every member is already an editor.
• Private spaces can't be requested. They don't appear in the directory, and only their admins can add people.
• My space belongs to its owner alone.

You can't ask for a space you already have a role in, and you can have one pending request per space.

Request access#

There are two ways in.

From the directory:

1. Open the organisation and space switcher at the top of the sidebar and choose Browse spaces.
2. The directory lists every open and closed space in the organisation. Spaces you can already open show Go to space.
3. Next to a closed space, choose Request access.

From the space itself: if you follow a link into a closed space you can't open, you see a "You've stumbled across restricted content" screen. Choose Request access.

Every admin of the space is notified in the app and by email. That includes organisation admins and anyone with the Admin role on the space, directly or through a team.

Withdraw a request#

While a request is pending, the directory shows Requested next to the space.

1. Open Browse spaces.
2. Choose Withdraw next to the space.

Nobody is notified when you withdraw.

Approve or decline a request#

You need to be an admin of the space. Pending requests appear on the Spaces tab of the organisation hub, under Requests on the space's card. The notification links straight to the request and highlights it.

To approve:

1. Pick the role to give the person. It starts at Editor, and you can choose Viewer or Admin instead.
2. Choose Approve.

The person gets the role straight away and an in-app notification saying "You now have access".

To decline:

1. Choose Decline.
2. Optionally type a reason. The requester sees it.
3. Choose Confirm decline.

The requester gets an in-app notification that the request was declined, with your reason if you gave one. The reason isn't stored anywhere else.

If two admins answer the same request at once, only the first answer counts. The other admin sees "That request has already been dealt with."

Adding someone directly#

You don't have to wait for a request. Adding a person to the space from the Spaces tab also answers their pending request, and they get the same "You now have access" notification. See Grant people and teams a role.

When requests are dropped#

A pending request disappears without a decision when it can no longer be answered:

• the space stops being closed, because it was made open or private;
• the space is deleted;
• the requester leaves or is removed from the organisation;
• the requester is added to the space directly (they're notified, as above).

Limits#

Requesting access is rate-limited to six requests an hour per person, to stop admins being flooded with notifications.