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What’s the difference between public and private channels?

If you’ve noticed a little lock icon next to a channel name in your Bubbles sidebar, that means the channel is private. Here’s how public and private channels work and how you can switch between them.

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Written by Hello Bubbles
Updated today

Understanding public and private channels

  • Public channels

    • Visible to everyone in your workspace

    • Any teammate can view and join

    • Great for open discussions, team-wide updates, or shared project notes

  • Private channels

    • Only visible to the person who created them and anyone they specifically invite

    • Others won’t see the channel in their sidebar unless invited

    • Perfect for sensitive topics or small-group discussions

How to make a channel private or public

  • Open the channel you want to edit

  • Click the Share button in the top-right corner

  • Find the option for Team access

  • Choose either:

    • Can access → Makes it public

    • No access → Makes it private

Once you set it to No access, you’ll see a lock icon next to the channel name in the sidebar.

Good to know

  • New channels are public by default.

  • Teammates can see bubbles within public channels even if they haven’t joined.

  • You can change channel privacy anytime using the same Share menu.

Still stuck?

If you’re unsure how to manage access or run into visibility issues, email hello@usebubbles.com, the support team will guide you through the right setup.

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