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---
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stage: none
group: unassigned
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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: howto
---
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# Customize the Help and sign-in page messages **(FREE SELF)**
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In large organizations, it is useful to have information about who to contact or where
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to go for help. You can customize and display this information on the GitLab `/help` page and on
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the GitLab sign-in page.
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## Add a help message to the Help page
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You can add a help message, which is shown at the top of the GitLab `/help` page (for example,
< https: / / gitlab . com / help > ):
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1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Admin** .
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1. On the left sidebar, select **Settings > Preferences** .
1. Expand **Sign-in and Help page** .
1. In **Additional text to show on the Help page** , enter the information you want to display on `/help` .
1. Select **Save changes** .
You can now see the message on `/help` .
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NOTE:
By default, `/help` is visible to unauthenticated users. However, if the
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[**Public** visibility level ](visibility_and_access_controls.md#restrict-visibility-levels )
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is restricted, `/help` is visible only to signed-in users.
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## Add a help message to the sign-in page
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You can add a help message, which is shown on the GitLab sign-in page. The message appears in a new
section titled **Need Help?** , located below the sign-in page message:
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1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Admin** .
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1. On the left sidebar, select **Settings > Preferences** .
1. Expand **Sign-in and Help page** .
1. In **Additional text to show on the sign-in page** , enter the information you want to
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display on the sign-in page.
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1. Select **Save changes** .
You can now see the message on the sign-in page.
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## Hide marketing-related entries from the Help page
GitLab marketing-related entries are occasionally shown on the Help page. To hide these entries:
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1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Admin** .
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1. On the left sidebar, select **Settings > Preferences** .
1. Expand **Sign-in and Help page** .
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1. Select the **Hide marketing-related entries from the Help page** checkbox.
1. Select **Save changes** .
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## Set a custom Support page URL
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You can specify a custom URL to which users are directed when they:
- Select **Support** from the Help dropdown.
- Select **See our website for help** on the Help page.
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1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Admin** .
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1. On the left sidebar, select **Settings > Preferences** .
1. Expand **Sign-in and Help page** .
1. In the **Support page URL** field, enter the URL.
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1. Select **Save changes** .
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## Redirect `/help` pages
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> - [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/43157) in GitLab 13.5.
> - [Feature flag `help_page_documentation_redirect`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/71737) removed in GitLab 14.4.
> - [Generally available](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/71737) in GitLab 14.4.
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The `/help` URL of a GitLab instance displays a basic version of the documentation sourced from the
[`doc` directory ](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/tree/master/doc ) of GitLab. `/help` links
are often used for contextual help.
You can redirect these `/help` links to either:
- The more navigable and searchable version published at [`docs.gitlab.com` ](https://docs.gitlab.com ).
- A destination that meets [necessary requirements ](#destination-requirements ).
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1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Admin** .
1. On the left sidebar, select **Settings > Preferences** .
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1. Expand **Sign-in and Help page** .
1. In the **Documentation pages URL** field, enter the URL.
1. Select **Save changes** .
### Destination requirements
When redirecting `/help` , GitLab:
- Redirects requests to the specified URL.
- Appends `ee` and the documentation path to the URL.
- Appends `.html` to the URL, and removes `.md` if necessary.
For example, if the URL is set to `https://docs.gitlab.com` , requests for
`/help/user/admin_area/settings/help_page.md` redirect to:
`https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/admin_area/settings/help_page.html` .
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