---
title: "Dataset access settings"
description: "Check what each Public Access and Internal Access setting changes on a dataset, where to find them, and who can manage them, before you share."
---

Dataset access settings control whether a dataset is private, shared with specific groups, or available to anyone on the web. Use this reference when you need to check exactly what each setting changes before you share a dataset.

## Where these settings are

|  |  |
| --- | --- |
| Page | `Configuration`, under `Dataset` in the sidebar |
| Section | `Access` |
| Cards | `Public Access`, `Internal Access` |
| Required permission | You need permission to manage access for the dataset. The dataset creator and the account owner always qualify; otherwise you need an `Admin` account role and a group with `Edit` access. |

Open the dataset, select `Configuration` in the sidebar, then select `Access` in the page's section list. From a map, the `Edit data access` item in a feature popup's three-dot menu opens the same section in a new tab. The sidebar shows `Configuration` only when you can edit the dataset. If you cannot, you do not see the settings.

When you can edit the dataset but cannot manage its access, every switch in `Public Access` and `Internal Access` is disabled and `Manage Groups` does not show. See [Dataset access settings are disabled](/docs/dataset-access/troubleshoot-access-settings-disabled).

Changes save automatically when you toggle a switch.

This is the `Access` section of a public dataset, as the account owner sees it:

<img src="/_assets/dataset-access/dataset-access-settings--public.png" alt="Access section of a dataset's Configuration page. Public Access: 'Enable this setting to make your data publicly viewable and downloadable', Public access switch on, Public chip. Internal Access: Manage Groups, and the groups Engineers, Team, and Editors, each with View on and greyed out and Edit off" width="1600" height="960" />

## Public Access

| Setting | Type | Default | Effect |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `Public access` | Switch | Off for new datasets | When on, the dataset is publicly viewable and downloadable. When off, only signed-in users with view access can open it. |
| `Public` | Status chip | Hidden when off | Shown next to the toggle while `Public access` is on, so the public state is visible quickly. |

Turning `Public access` on does not change which groups have `Edit` access. It only changes whether people outside your workspace can view and download the dataset.

## Internal Access

| Setting | Type | Effect |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `View` | Switch per group | Members of that group can view the dataset after signing in. |
| `Edit` | Switch per group | Members of that group can edit the dataset if their account role is `Editor` or higher. `Edit` also counts as view access. |
| `Manage Groups` | Button | Opens the [`Access Groups`](/docs/managing-team/users-page-reference) tab on the `Users` page. |
| `Create a Group` | Button | Appears in the empty state when no groups exist and you can manage access. Opens the [`Create group`](/docs/managing-team/create-an-access-group) form. |

Group access applies to signed-in users in your workspace. It does not create a public link or grant access to anyone outside your workspace.

A single `Edit` switch covers every kind of change a group member can make to the dataset. Granting `Edit` allows attribute and geometry edits on maps that use the dataset, file updates from `Update from file`, sync changes, and dataset configuration changes.

## Switch state rules

| `Public access` | Group `Edit` | Group `View` shows | Group `View` is editable |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Off | Off | Whatever you set | Yes (if you can manage access) |
| Off | On | Forced on | No - turn off `Edit` to change `View` |
| On | Off | Forced on | No - turn off `Public access` to change `View` |
| On | On | Forced on | No |

`Edit` is editable whenever you can manage access, regardless of `Public access` or `View` state.

When you cannot manage access, every switch is disabled regardless of these rules.

## What `Edit` access lets a group do

A user with `Edit` access through a group, and an account role of `Editor` or higher, can do all of the following on the dataset:
| Action | Where it happens | Linked guide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Edit feature attributes on a map | Map view, with the layer's editing tools | [Edit feature attributes](/docs/editing-features/edit-feature-attributes) |
| Edit feature geometry on a map | Map view, with the layer's editing tools | [Edit feature geometry](/docs/editing-features/edit-feature-geometry) |
| Add or delete features on a map | Map view, with the layer's editing tools | [Add a feature](/docs/editing-features/add-a-feature), [Delete a feature](/docs/editing-features/delete-a-feature) |
| Update the dataset from a new file | `Configuration` > `Update from file` | [How to update a dataset from a file](/docs/data-updates/update-a-dataset-from-a-file) |
| Change sync settings | `Configuration` > `Sync` | [How to set up Dropbox sync](/docs/data-updates/set-up-dropbox-sync) |
| Change dataset properties and configuration | `Configuration` > `Data details` | _(future doc)_ |

A user with `View` access can do none of the above.

## Who can do what

| Action | Required |
| --- | --- |
| View a public dataset | No sign-in required. |
| View a private dataset | Be the dataset creator, the account owner, or in a group with `View` or `Edit` access. |
| Edit a dataset | Be the dataset creator, the account owner, or have an `Editor` (or higher) account role plus `Edit` access through a group. |
| Manage access for a dataset | Be the dataset creator, the account owner, or have an `Admin` account role plus `Edit` access through a group. |
| Delete a dataset | Be the dataset creator, the account owner, or have an `Admin` account role plus `Edit` access through a group. |
| Export a dataset | Same as view. |

The account owner always qualifies for every action.

## Related

- [How to configure dataset access](/docs/dataset-access/configure-dataset-access)
- [How dataset access works in MangoMap](/docs/dataset-access/concepts-dataset-access)
- [How to share a dataset with groups](/docs/dataset-access/share-dataset-with-groups)
- [How to share a dataset publicly](/docs/dataset-access/share-dataset-publicly)
- [How data updates work in MangoMap](/docs/data-updates/concepts-data-updates) - what `Edit` access unlocks in `Update from file` and `Sync`.
- [Account roles reference](/docs/account-roles/account-roles-reference) - the canonical "who can do what" matrix across datasets, maps, and groups.

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