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---
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stage: Create
group: Source Code
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info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments
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type: reference, concepts
---
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# Merge request approvals **(PREMIUM SELF)**
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> [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/39060) in GitLab 12.8.
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Merge request approval rules prevent users from overriding certain settings on the project level.
When enabled at the instance level, these settings [cascade ](../project/merge_requests/approvals/settings.md#settings-cascading )
and can no longer be changed:
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- In projects.
- In groups. Cascading to groups was [enabled by default ](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/285410 )
in GitLab 14.5.
To enable merge request approval settings for an instance:
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1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Admin** .
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1. On the left sidebar, select ** {push-rules}** **Push Rules** , and expand **Merge request approvals** .
1. Choose the required options.
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1. Select **Save changes** .
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## Available rules
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Merge request approval settings that can be set at an instance level are:
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- **Prevent approval by author**. Prevents project maintainers from allowing request authors to
merge their own merge requests.
- **Prevent approvals by users who add commits**. Prevents project maintainers from allowing users
to approve merge requests if they have submitted any commits to the source branch.
- **Prevent editing approval rules in projects and merge requests**. Prevents users from modifying
the approvers list in project settings or in individual merge requests.
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See also the following, which are affected by instance-level rules:
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- [Project merge request approval rules ](../project/merge_requests/approvals/index.md ).
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- [Group merge request approval settings ](../group/manage.md#group-merge-request-approval-settings ) available in GitLab 13.9 and later.
