Change who can join your circle
Make a circle Open, Closed or Invite only, let invite links skip approval, limit it to your area, and set what newcomers see.
- In the app
- On zinola.in
Updated
Admins choose whether a circle is Open, Closed or Invite only, and can add a couple of extra rules about how people get in.
Open Who can join
In the app, open the circle, tap the gear at the top, then Who can join. On the website, choose Manage circle › Joining rules.Pick one of the three
Choose Open, Closed or Invite only.Set the extra rules
Turn on any switches under MORE RULES.Save
Tap Save.
The three choices
| Choice | Who finds it | How people get in |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Anyone nearby | They join straight away |
| Closed | Anyone can find it | They ask, and an admin approves each request |
| Invite only | Hidden from search | Only people with your link or code |
When a circle is open, anyone can read its General group, including what was already said there. Only members can write. Switching from closed to open shows a warning about this before you save.
MORE RULES
- Invite link skips approval: people with your invite link join without a request.
- Only people within the area: requests from outside the circle's reach are declined. This needs a location first, under Type & location.
What newcomers see
Under People who join without asking, choose what someone who joins straight away (an open circle, an invite or a link) sees from before they joined: None, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days or Everything. People you approve by hand get their own choice when you approve them. See Approve or decline join requests.
Whether members may invite others is a switch in Circle permissions. For what members see on their side, see Open, closed and invite-only circles.
Common questions
What is the difference between a closed and an invite-only circle?
Can people join my closed circle without waiting for approval?
Can I limit my apartment circle to people who live nearby?
Related articles
- Approve or decline join requestsRead join answers, approve or decline people one by one or all at once, and choose how much older chat history new members see.
- Choose what members can do in your circleSix switches decide whether members or only admins can create groups, pin, start polls and events, sell, start group buys and invite.
- Open, closed and invite-only circlesWho can find a circle, who can get in and who can read it, for each privacy setting, plus the extra joining rules admins can switch on.