Customizing Unauthorized page

The Unauthorized page appears when a reader who is not authenticated tries to access a restricted URL in your knowledge base. For example, when they are not logged in or their session has expired. Unlike the Access denied page, which applies to readers who are logged in but lack the right permissions, the Unauthorized page is specifically for unauthenticated access attempts.

Customizing this page lets you explain the situation clearly and point readers to the right next step, whether that's logging in or requesting access.

Access denied vs Unauthorized - what's the difference?

While these pages look similar, they appear in distinct situations:

• The Access denied page appears when a reader is logged in but does not have permission to view specific content. For example, a reader with access to product documentation attempts to access an admin-only section.
• The Unauthorized page appears when a reader is not logged in, or their session has expired, and they try to access a private or restricted page.

How to customize the Unauthorized page

1. Navigate to Settings () > Knowledge base site in the left navigation bar of the Knowledge base portal.
2. In the left navigation pane, navigate to Site customization.
3. Click the Customize site button.

4. From the left dropdown menu, select Unauthorized page.
5. Customize the page using one of two options:
   • Basic style - Customize the default image, heading, and paragraph.
   • Custom style - Add your own HTML and CSS. Use the Preview toggle to switch between code view and rendered view.
6. Click Save to save without applying immediately, Preview to review, and Publish to make changes live.

Basic style

Adding an image

1. Click Image. The Image panel appears.
2. Click Change and choose between:
   • Default images - Select from available default images and click Save.
   • Image - Enter an image URL or upload from your Drive and click Save.
3. Set the image alignment (left, center, or right) as needed.

Updating the heading

1. Click Heading. The Heading panel appears.
2. Enter the desired heading text.
3. Select a color from the text color palette.

The default heading will be "Sorry!"

Updating the paragraph

1. Click Paragraph. The Paragraph panel appears.
2. Enter a description to help readers understand the context.
3. Select a color from the text color palette.

The default paragraph will be "You are not authorized to access this article or page."

Custom style

1. Select Custom style and switch between the HTML and CSS sections.
2. Update the code as required.
3. Turn on the Preview toggle to view the updated page.
4. Once done, click Save and Publish.

Best practices

• Explain the situation clearly - let readers know they need to log in or request access, not just that they can't view the page.
• Provide a path forward - add a login link, a contact support button, or instructions for requesting access so readers aren't left without options.
• Keep the tone calm and helpful - avoid alarming language. A simple "You need to log in to view this page" is more reassuring than "Unauthorized access detected."

FAQ