---
title: "Unpublishing an article"
slug: "unpublishing-an-article"
description: "Learn how to use the Unpublish feature to manage articles in your knowledge base, ensuring only accurate content is visible to users."
updated: 2026-09-21T08:08:34Z
published: 2026-09-21T08:08:34Z
canonical: "docs.document360.com/unpublishing-an-article"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.document360.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Unpublishing an article

Unpublishing an article removes it from the knowledge base site and reverts it to Draft status. The article remains fully intact in the portal, with its content, version history, and settings preserved, and can be edited and republished at any time.

:::(Info) (<p class="fa-regular fa-circle-exclamation"></p> NOTE)
Only users with Publish permissions can unpublish articles.
:::

---

## When to unpublish an article

- An article went live before it was ready or before the related product was released.
- Significant changes need to be made and you do not want readers to encounter outdated information in the interim.
- You need to remove an article from public view without deleting it, with the intention of republishing it later.

If you are retiring the article rather than planning to republish it, archive it instead. Archiving removes it from the category tree and from portal search, and preserves its current status. See [Archive articles](/help/docs/archive-articles).

---

## Unpublishing methods

<div class="doc360-card-row">
  <div class="doc360-card">
    <div class="doc360-card__header">
      <p class="doc360-card__title">Unpublish a single article</p>
    </div>
    <p class="doc360-card__desc">Unpublish from the article editor, the Categories & Articles pane, or from inside a Folder or Index category.</p>
    <a href="#unpublish-a-single-article" class="doc360-card__link">Learn more →</a>
  </div>
  <div class="doc360-card">
    <div class="doc360-card__header">
      <p class="doc360-card__title">Unpublish multiple articles</p>
    </div>
    <p class="doc360-card__desc">Bulk unpublish from the All articles page or from inside a Folder or Index category.</p>
    <a href="#unpublish-multiple-articles" class="doc360-card__link">Learn more →</a>
  </div>
</div>

---

## Unpublish a single article

**From the article editor:**

1. Navigate to **Documentation** (<span class="fa-regular fa-book-open"></span>) in the left navigation bar.
2. Open the published article.
3. Click the **More** (<span class="fa-solid fa-ellipsis"></span>) icon at the top right of the editor.
4. Select **Unpublish** (<span class="fa-light fa-file-slash"></span>). The **Confirm unpublishing** panel appears.
5. Optionally enter a reason for unpublishing.
6. Click **Unpublish**.

<div align="center">
<img src="https://cdn.document360.io/860f9f88-412e-4570-8222-d5bf2f4b7dd1/Images/Documentation/unpublish%20dialog.png" class="article_image" alt="Unpublish option in the More menu of the article editor">
</div>

### Other ways to unpublish a single article

- **From the Categories & Articles pane:** Hover over the published article, click the **More** (<span class="fa-solid fa-ellipsis"></span>) icon, and select **Unpublish** (<span class="fa-light fa-file-slash"></span>). Enter a reason if needed and click **Unpublish**.
- **From a Folder or Index category:** Navigate to the category, hover over the published article, click the **More** (<span class="fa-solid fa-ellipsis"></span>) icon, and select **Unpublish** (<span class="fa-light fa-file-slash"></span>). Enter a reason if needed and click **Unpublish**.

:::(Info) (<p class="fa-regular fa-circle-exclamation"></p> NOTE)
You can also unpublish articles from the Recent and Starred pages.
:::

---

## Unpublish multiple articles

1. Navigate to **Documentation** (<span class="fa-regular fa-book-open"></span>) in the left navigation bar.
2. Click **All articles** (<span class="fa-light fa-list-check"></span>) in the left navigation pane. Alternatively, go to any **Folder** or **Index** category.
3. Select the published articles you want to unpublish.
4. Click **Unpublish** (<span class="fa-light fa-file-slash"></span>) from the bulk actions bar.
5. Optionally enter a reason for unpublishing.
6. Click **Unpublish**.

<div align="center">

<img src = "https://cdn.document360.io/860f9f88-412e-4570-8222-d5bf2f4b7dd1/Images/Documentation/unpublish.png" class = "article_image" alt="">
</div>

---

## What happens when you unpublish an article

- The article is removed from the knowledge base site and is no longer accessible to readers.
- The article's status changes from **Published** to **Unpublished** in the portal.
- A banner appears in the editor stating the article is currently unpublished and can be edited if needed.
- All links associated with the article are broken. Readers who follow existing links will not be able to access it.
- The article remains in the portal and can be edited or republished at any time.

Once an article is unpublished, two options appear in the top-right corner of the editor: **Publish** and **Edit**.

**If you click Publish without editing:**

| What happens | Detail |
|---|---|
| **Version republished** | The last published version of the article is restored exactly as it was. |
| **Published date** | Remains the same as the last published date before unpublishing. |
| **Article status on KB site** | Appears as **New**. |

**If you click Edit before publishing:**

| What happens | Detail |
|---|---|
| **Version created** | A new article version is created. |
| **Content** | You can update the article before publishing. |
| **Published date** | Updates to the current date when the edited version is published. |
| **Article status on KB site** | Updates to **Updated**. |

---

## Filter unpublished articles

To view all unpublished articles across your workspace:

1. Navigate to **Documentation** (<span class="fa-regular fa-book-open"></span>) in the left navigation bar.
2. Click **All articles** (<span class="fa-light fa-list-check"></span>) in the left navigation pane.
3. Click **Filter** and expand the **Status** dropdown.
4. Select **Unpublished** and click **Apply**.

<div align="center">
<img src="https://cdn.document360.io/860f9f88-412e-4570-8222-d5bf2f4b7dd1/Images/Documentation/filter%20unpublished.png" class="article_image" alt="All articles page showing the Status filter with Unpublished selected">
</div>

---

## Unpublish vs. archive vs. hide vs. delete

| Action | Visible on KB site | Status in portal | Links | Recoverable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Unpublish** | No | Unpublished (Draft) | Broken | Yes. Republish at any time. |
| **Archive** | No | Moved to the Archive page, status preserved | Broken | Yes. Unarchive at any time. |
| **Hide** | No | Hidden | Broken | Yes. Unhide at any time. |
| **Delete** | No | Moved to Recycle bin | Broken | Yes, within 30 days. |

Unpublishing sets the article status to Unpublished and gives you the option to edit it or republish the existing version when you return to it. Hiding keeps the article status unchanged and can be reversed at any time without additional steps. Use unpublishing when the article needs to be reviewed or updated before going live again. Use hiding when you want to remove the article from public view without changing its workflow state.

Archiving differs from the other three in what it does to the article's state. Unpublishing reverts the status to Draft, while archiving preserves it. An archived Published article returns as Published and goes straight back on the knowledge base site when you unarchive it, with no publish step. Use archiving when you are retiring the article and want its state frozen exactly as it is.

---

## Best practices

- Check for linked content before unpublishing. Unpublishing breaks all existing links to the article. If other articles or external pages link to it, notify stakeholders or add a redirect before unpublishing.
- Use Edit rather than Publish after unpublishing if the reason for unpublishing was inaccurate content. This creates a new version for review before going live again.
- Prefer unpublish or archive over delete when content may be needed again. Unpublished and archived articles are immediately recoverable. Deleted articles have a 30-day recovery window.
- Filter by Unpublished status regularly to audit articles that have been taken offline and may need attention.

---

## FAQ

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<p>Will unpublishing an article break existing links to it?</p>
</summary>
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<p>Yes. Unpublishing an article removes it from the knowledge base site and breaks all associated links. Readers who follow a link to the article will not be able to access it until it is republished.</p>
</div>
</details>
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<summary>
<p>If I republish without editing, will the published date change?</p>
</summary>
<div data-type="details-content">
<p>No. If you click <strong>Publish</strong> after unpublishing without making edits, the last published version is restored and the original published date is preserved. The published date only updates if you click <strong>Edit</strong>, make changes, and then republish.</p>
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<p>Can I unpublish multiple articles at once?</p>
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<p>Yes. You can bulk unpublish from a <strong>Folder</strong> or <strong>Index</strong> category or from the <strong>All articles</strong> page. Select the published articles, click the <strong>Unpublish</strong> (<i class="fa-light fa-file-slash"></i>) icon, enter a reason if needed, and confirm.</p>
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<p>Who can unpublish articles?</p>
</summary>
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<p>Only users with Publish permissions can unpublish articles. If the Unpublish option is not available to you, check your role and content access settings with your project admin.</p>
</div>
</details>
<button class="details-arrow" type="button"></button>
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<details>
<summary>
<p>How to trigger the publish-article webhook without leaving the article visible to readers? Or can I use unpublishing to trigger a webhook without publishing the article to readers?</p>
</summary>
<div data-type="details-content">
<p>Yes. You can publish an article to trigger the Article published webhook event, then immediately unpublish it to remove it from the knowledge base site. This workflow allows you to fire the publish-article webhook for external system integrations or automation without leaving the article visible to readers. The article remains fully intact in the portal and can be edited or republished at any time.

**To use this workflow:**
1. Create and configure the article as you normally would.
2. Set up the Article published webhook and map it to your desired notification channel or integration.
3. Click the <strong>Workflow</strong> button and select <strong>Publish</strong> to fire the webhook.
4. Once published, click the <strong>More</strong> icon and select <strong>Unpublish</strong> to remove the article from the knowledge base site.
5. The article will be reverted to Unpublished (Draft) status in the portal.

The published webhook will have fired in step 3, allowing downstream systems to receive the event even though the article is no longer visible to readers. This is useful for triggering cache invalidation, workflow automation, or external system synchronization without exposing incomplete or internal content.</p>
</div>
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