---
stage: Manage
group: Import
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---

# Custom instance-level project templates **(PREMIUM SELF)**

> [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/6860) in GitLab 11.2.

GitLab administrators can set a group to be the source of project templates that are
selectable when a new project is created on the instance. These templates can be selected
when you go to **New project > Create from template** and select the **Instance** tab.

Every project in the group, but not its subgroups, can be selected when a new project
is created, based on the user's access permissions:

- Public projects can be selected by any authenticated user as a template for a new project,
  if all enabled [project features](../project/settings/index.md#configure-project-visibility-features-and-permissions)
  except for **GitLab Pages** and **Security & Compliance** are set to **Everyone With Access**.
  The same applies to internal projects.
- Private projects can be selected only by users who are members of the projects.

The **Metrics Dashboard** is set to **Only Project Members** when you create a new project. Make
sure you change it to **Everyone With Access** before making it a project template.

Repository and database information that are copied over to each new project are
identical to the data exported with the [GitLab Project Import/Export](../project/settings/import_export.md).

To set project templates at the group level, see [Custom group-level project templates](../group/custom_project_templates.md).

## Select instance-level project template group

To select the group to use as the source for the project templates:

1. On the top bar, navigate to **Main menu > Admin > Settings > Templates**.
1. Expand **Custom project templates**.
1. Select a group to use.
1. Select **Save changes**.

Projects in subgroups of the template group are **not** included in the template list.

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