# Private and Password-Protected Pages

Not every page should be public. ContextOwl controls access per article: keep a page members-only, or lock it behind a password for anonymous readers.

## Set visibility

Every article has one of three visibility tiers. Set it in the composer's **ACCESS** control, or in the **ACCESS** panel on the article's docs page:

- **PUBLIC**: anyone can read it when the workspace is public.
- **INTERNAL**: members only. Signed-out visitors get a "sign in to view" prompt.
- **PRIVATE**: hidden from anyone who is not a member.

A page is only publicly readable when both its workspace is public and the article is public. Internal and private articles are excluded from public docs, search, the sitemap, and machine-readable exports; signed-in members with read access still see them.

## Add a password

1. In the **ACCESS** panel, type a password in **Set password**.
2. Select **SET**.

The article now shows a lock on its Visibility row. Passwords are stored hashed, so ContextOwl never keeps the plaintext. Select **CLEAR** to remove the password.

## What readers see

- Members (viewer and up) read locked pages without entering a password.
- Anonymous readers get a **Password required** prompt and select **UNLOCK**. The unlock lasts for that browser session.

## Plan

Internal, private, and password-protected pages are a paid feature. If those options are disabled, upgrade your plan from **Admin > Plan**.