---
title: "How to share a dataset publicly"
description: "Turn on Public access so anyone with the URL can view and download a dataset. Check the data is safe to publish first, as you cannot recall copies."
sidebar:
  label: "Share publicly"
---

Turning on `Public access` lets anyone with the URL view and download the dataset. You cannot recall a downloaded copy. There is no view-only public mode. Public access does not grant edit (that stays with `Internal Access` group toggles), and turning it back off restores group `View` to whatever you had set before but doesn't recover already-downloaded copies.

## Before you start

- 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 `Edit` access through a group.
- Confirm that the data is safe to publish. Public access lets anyone download the dataset; once it is downloaded, you cannot recall it.
- Decide who you want to be able to edit the dataset. Public access only controls viewing and downloading. Editing still depends on `Internal Access` and account roles.

## Open Public Access

Open the dataset. In the sidebar, under `Dataset`, select `Configuration`, then select `Access` in the page's section list.

Changes save automatically when you toggle a switch.

## Make a dataset public

1. Turn on `Public access`.
2. Confirm the `Public` chip appears next to the toggle.

<img src="/_assets/dataset-access/dataset-access-settings--public.png" alt="Access section of a public dataset: Public access switch on with the Public chip, and in Internal Access the groups Engineers, Team, and Editors, each with View on and greyed out and Edit off" width="1600" height="960" />

The dataset is now publicly viewable and downloadable. Anyone with the dataset URL can open it.

## What changes when public access is on

| Area | Effect |
| --- | --- |
| Web access | Anyone with the dataset URL can view and download the dataset, signed in or not. |
| `Internal Access` group `View` switches | Forced on for every group while `Public access` is on. The dataset is publicly viewable, so signed-in groups can view it as well. |
| `Internal Access` group `Edit` switches | Unchanged. Public access does not grant editing rights. |
| Dataset creator and account owner | Unchanged. Always have full access. |

## Take a dataset back to private

Turn off `Public access` to restrict the dataset to signed-in users with view or edit permission.
| Area | Effect |
| --- | --- |
| Web access | Removed. Anyone without group access loses access to the dataset. |
| `Internal Access` group `View` switches | Return to whatever you set before public access was enabled. |
| Existing copies people downloaded | Not recalled. People who downloaded the dataset while it was public still have their copies. |

## Edit access stays separate

Public access controls who can view and download the dataset. It does not let anyone edit it.

To let workspace teammates edit the dataset, grant `Edit` to a group in `Internal Access`. See [How to share a dataset with groups](/docs/dataset-access/share-dataset-with-groups).

## Troubleshooting

**The toggle is greyed out.** You do not have permission to manage access for this dataset. See [Dataset access settings are disabled](/docs/dataset-access/troubleshoot-access-settings-disabled).

**A recipient cannot open the dataset.** Confirm the `Public` chip is showing next to the toggle. If it is not, `Public access` is off. See [A public dataset is not accessible to the recipient](/docs/dataset-access/troubleshoot-public-dataset-not-accessible).

## Related

- [Dataset access settings](/docs/dataset-access/dataset-access-settings)
- [How dataset access works in MangoMap](/docs/dataset-access/concepts-dataset-access)
- [How to configure dataset access](/docs/dataset-access/configure-dataset-access)
- [How to share a dataset with groups](/docs/dataset-access/share-dataset-with-groups)

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