# Channels

> Create topic channels for tracks, regions or interest groups, public to everyone or private to chosen attendees.

Source: https://help.highbar.ai/docs/run-your-event/community/channels
Audience: event organizers, working in the Highbar dashboard

Channels are topic spaces inside the activity stream, such as #ai-track, #europe or #first-timers. Each has its own feed of posts. Public channels are open to every attendee; private ones only to the people and tags you add.

Open **Community** > **Channels**. Turn channels on from the [Community overview](https://help.highbar.ai/docs/run-your-event/community) first: they're off for new events. In the app, they appear in the menu as **Channels**.

## Create a channel

<Steps>
<Step>
Click **Create channel**.

![The Channels page with Channels, Members, Posts and Reports at 0, No channels, Create your first channel, and an arrow pointing to the Create channel button.](https://help.highbar.ai/images/community/channels-empty.webp)
</Step>
<Step>
Enter a **Channel name**, such as ai-track. Names use lowercase letters, numbers and hyphens, up to 64 characters. Spaces turn into hyphens as you type.
</Step>
<Step>
Write a **Description** (up to 280 characters) so attendees know what it's for. Optionally pick an **Icon** (an emoji) and a **Color**.
</Step>
<Step>
Choose the **Visibility**. **Public**: all attendees can read and post. **Private**: invite-only, and hidden from attendees who aren't members. For a private channel, add **Members** **By name** or **By tag**. Everyone with a tag you add gets access.
</Step>
<Step>
Turn on **Pin to top** to keep it above the other channels. You can pin up to 3.
</Step>
<Step>
Click **Create channel**. The preview at the top shows how it will look.

![The Create channel drawer with a preview card at the top showing the networking channel, its blue emoji icon and description, then the Channel name networking, the Description (130/280), the Icon emoji picker and Color with blue selected.](https://help.highbar.ai/images/community/channels-create-top.webp)

![The Create channel drawer scrolled down, with Color, Visibility set to Public, Pinned with Pin to top switched on, and the Create channel button.](https://help.highbar.ai/images/community/channels-create-bottom.webp)
</Step>
</Steps>

The icon, color and visibility can't be changed after you create the channel.

## Manage channels

The list shows each channel's **Type**, **Members**, **Posts**, **Reactions** and **Last activity**. Search by name or description, or use **Filter** to show **Public**, **Private** or **Archived** channels.

![The Channels page with 1 channel, 1 member and 1 post. The networking channel is listed with a pin icon, its description, the Public type, 1 member, 1 post, 1 reaction and Last activity Just now, with an actions menu.](https://help.highbar.ai/images/community/channels-list.webp)

![The Filter menu on the Channels page, with an arrow pointing to the Filter button and Show options All channels, Public, Private and Archived, plus Reset and Done.](https://help.highbar.ai/images/community/channels-filter.webp)

From a channel's menu, choose **Pin to top** (or **Unpin**) and **Archive**. Archiving hides the channel from attendees without deleting it. Find it under the **Archived** filter and choose **Restore** to bring it back.

![The Channels list with an arrow pointing to a channel's actions menu, open with Unpin and Archive.](https://help.highbar.ai/images/community/channels-menu.webp)

Click a channel to open it. Its page shows the channel's badges, such as **Public** and **Pinned**, how many members, posts and reactions it has, and the posts themselves.

![A channel page for networking with arrows pointing to its Public and Pinned badges and to Manage members, above the channel's posts table.](https://help.highbar.ai/images/community/channel-page.webp)

**Manage members** adds people **By name** or **By tag**, and lists the current members with a **Remove** button. Click **Save** when you're done. On a private channel, only members can see it; on a public one, attendees also join by opening it.

![The Manage members drawer with By name and By tag tabs, a Search attendees by name box, and one member with a Remove button.](https://help.highbar.ai/images/community/channel-members.webp)

The gear opens **Channel settings**. Click **Edit** to change the name, description or pin, choose **What attendees can post** in this channel (**Messages**, **Photos**, **Stories**, **Polls**), or **Archive** it. Stories don't appear in the attendee app yet (see [Activity stream](https://help.highbar.ai/docs/run-your-event/community/activity-stream)).

![The Channel settings drawer for networking with an Edit button, What attendees can post with Messages, Photos, Stories and Polls switched on, and an Archive button.](https://help.highbar.ai/images/community/channel-settings.webp)

The posts table works like the activity stream: post as the organizer with **New post**, and hide, clear reports on or remove posts. See [Activity stream](https://help.highbar.ai/docs/run-your-event/community/activity-stream#moderate-posts).

## What attendees see

Attendees see every public channel and the private channels they belong to, with pinned channels first. Private ones carry a **Private** badge. Opening a public channel joins it.