A deprecated article is one that has been flagged as obsolete and may no longer be relevant or accurate for readers. Deprecating an article signals that the content has been replaced, removed, or significantly changed, without deleting it from your knowledge base entirely.
On the knowledge base site, deprecated articles display a Deprecated status tag and a highlighted message at the top of the page. You can customise this message to explain the reason for deprecation and include links to updated or replacement articles.
The Mark as deprecated feature is available at the individual article and page category level. Deprecated articles retain their URL and remain accessible to readers unless separately restricted.
When to use Mark as deprecated
- A product feature has been removed or significantly changed and the related article is no longer accurate.
- Content has been replaced by a newer article and you want to keep the old version accessible for reference while steering readers to the updated one.
- You are unsure whether the content may still be needed and want to flag it before deleting it.
Mark an article as deprecated
There are two ways to mark articles as deprecated: individually from the article editor, or in bulk from the All articles page.
Single article
- Navigate to Documentation () in the left navigation bar.
- Open the article.
- Click the More () icon in the article header and select More article options.
- In the Article settings panel, go to the Mark as deprecated tab.
- Turn on the Deprecated toggle.
- Enter a deprecation message in the text field. This is optional and will be displayed on the knowledge base site.
- Use the formatting options to add Bold, Italic, or Underline text, or add hyperlinks to updated articles if applicable.
- Click Save.
Multiple articles
- Navigate to Documentation () in the left navigation bar.
- Click All articles () in the left navigation pane.
- Select the checkboxes next to the articles you want to deprecate.
- Click the More () icon and select Deprecate. The Deprecated toggle is enabled by default.
- Enter a Deprecation message in the text field.
- Click Apply.
How deprecated articles appear on the knowledge base site
Deprecated articles display a Deprecated tag and a highlighted banner at the top of the page. If a custom deprecation message was added, it appears in the banner. Readers can still access and read the article in full.
Best practices
- Always include a deprecation message with a link to the replacement article so readers are not left without a clear next step.
- Deprecate articles before deleting them. This gives readers and search engines time to transition away from the old URL before it disappears entirely.
- Review deprecated articles periodically and delete those that are no longer needed to keep your knowledge base clean.
- Use deprecation for version-specific content that is outdated for current users but still relevant to users on older versions.
FAQ
Can readers still access a deprecated article?
Yes. Deprecated articles remain accessible via their URL and knowledge base navigation. Deprecating an article flags it as outdated but does not restrict access. To restrict access, use article visibility or access control settings.
Does deprecating an article remove it from search results?
No. Deprecating an article does not automatically exclude it from external search engines or the knowledge base search bar. To remove it from search results, use the Search visibility settings to exclude it separately.
Can I undo a deprecation?
Yes. Open the article, go to More article options > Mark as deprecated, and turn off the Deprecated toggle. Click Save. The deprecated tag and message will be removed from the knowledge base site.
Can I deprecate a page category?
Yes. The Mark as deprecated feature is available at both the article and page category level. The process is the same as deprecating an individual article.
Is the deprecation message visible in the knowledge base portal?
No. The deprecation message is displayed only on the knowledge base site. In the knowledge base portal, the article shows a Deprecated status indicator in the article list and editor header.