# Making accidentally published notebook private again

**URL:** <https://talk.observablehq.com/t/making-accidentally-published-notebook-private-again/1391>\
**Category:** Feedback\
**Created:** [November 5, 2018, 7:42pm UTC](https://talk.observablehq.com/t/making-accidentally-published-notebook-private-again/1391 "2018-11-05T19:42:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![alizbazar](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/talk.observablehq.com/alizbazar/32/920_2.png) [@alizbazar](https://talk.observablehq.com/u/alizbazar)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 7:42pm UTC](https://talk.observablehq.com/t/making-accidentally-published-notebook-private-again/1391/1 "2018-11-05T19:42:00Z")

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We’re using Observable to power own internal exploratory data analysis. It’s great that the notebooks can be shared without publishing. However, I have several times accidentally clicked Publish and then realized that I cannot unpublish a notebook having to delete it altogether.

Could you a) add Unpublish functionality, or b) make Publishing notebook a bit harder at least requiring accepting a confirmation dialog?

Btw. I love your platform - it’s totally a revolutionary way to allow interactive data exploration widely accessible to people! Also very cool innovations with dependency trees and reactivity. Keep up the good work!

Cheers,  
-Albert

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**Author:** ![mbostock](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/talk.observablehq.com/mbostock/32/9_2.png) [@mbostock](https://talk.observablehq.com/u/mbostock)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 7:57pm UTC](https://talk.observablehq.com/t/making-accidentally-published-notebook-private-again/1391/2 "2018-11-05T19:57:20Z")

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Hi Albert,

Thanks for the feedback and sorry for the trouble. Yes, we are planning on allowing unpublish! Coincidentally, we shipped the ability to _unshare_ (so you can go back from Shared to Private) on Friday of last week.

Mike

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**Author:** ![alizbazar](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/talk.observablehq.com/alizbazar/32/920_2.png) [@alizbazar](https://talk.observablehq.com/u/alizbazar)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2018, 7:15am UTC](https://talk.observablehq.com/t/making-accidentally-published-notebook-private-again/1391/3 "2018-11-07T07:15:30Z")

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Awesome, thanks! 😊

-Albert

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**Author:** ![emepyc](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/talk.observablehq.com/emepyc/32/1181_2.png) [@emepyc](https://talk.observablehq.com/u/emepyc)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2018, 12:44pm UTC](https://talk.observablehq.com/t/making-accidentally-published-notebook-private-again/1391/4 "2018-11-07T12:44:36Z")

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I think another option for unpublishing would be to fork and delete the original version? The fork will remain private until you publish it. Is there any downside to this?

M;

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**Author:** ![alizbazar](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/talk.observablehq.com/alizbazar/32/920_2.png) [@alizbazar](https://talk.observablehq.com/u/alizbazar)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2018, 2:23pm UTC](https://talk.observablehq.com/t/making-accidentally-published-notebook-private-again/1391/5 "2018-11-07T14:23:57Z")

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Yes, that’s what I had to do. The downside is that it invalidates the link that I shared with the team before.

-Albert

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**Author:** ![mbostock](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/talk.observablehq.com/mbostock/32/9_2.png) [@mbostock](https://talk.observablehq.com/u/mbostock)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 9:41pm UTC](https://talk.observablehq.com/t/making-accidentally-published-notebook-private-again/1391/6 "2018-11-08T21:41:15Z")

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We just shipped the ability to unpublish a notebook. There’s a twenty-four hour window after you first publish a notebook in which you’re allowed to unpublish.

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**Author:** ![alizbazar](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/talk.observablehq.com/alizbazar/32/920_2.png) [@alizbazar](https://talk.observablehq.com/u/alizbazar)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 6:02pm UTC](https://talk.observablehq.com/t/making-accidentally-published-notebook-private-again/1391/7 "2018-11-09T18:02:05Z")

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Wow, amazing turnaround! 👏 Mind blown! 😉Thank you!

-Albert