docs/content/admin/configuration/configuring-your-enterprise/enabling-private-mode.md

title	intro	redirect_from	versions	type	topics
Enabling private mode	In private mode, {% data variables.product.prodname_ghe_server %} requires every user to sign in to access the installation.	[/enterprise/admin/articles/private-mode/ /enterprise/admin/guides/installation/security/ /enterprise/admin/guides/installation/securing-your-instance/ /enterprise/admin/installation/enabling-private-mode /enterprise/admin/configuration/enabling-private-mode /admin/configuration/enabling-private-mode]	[{enterprise-server *}]	how_to	[Access management Authentication Enterprise Fundamentals Infrastructure Networking Privacy Security]

You must enable private mode if {% data variables.product.product_location %} is publicly accessible over the Internet. In private mode, users cannot anonymously clone repositories over git://. If built-in authentication is also enabled, an administrator must invite new users to create an account on the instance. For more information, see "[Using built-in authentication](/enterprise/{{ currentVersion }}/admin/guides/user-management/using-built-in-authentication)."

{% data reusables.enterprise_installation.image-urls-viewable-warning %}

With private mode enabled, you can allow unauthenticated Git operations (and anyone with network access to {% data variables.product.product_location %}) to read a public repository's code on your instance with anonymous Git read access enabled. For more information, see "[Allowing admins to enable anonymous Git read access to public repositories](/enterprise/{{ currentVersion }}/admin/guides/user-management/allowing-admins-to-enable-anonymous-git-read-access-to-public-repositories)."

{% data reusables.enterprise_site_admin_settings.access-settings %} {% data reusables.enterprise_site_admin_settings.management-console %} {% data reusables.enterprise_management_console.privacy %} 4. Select Private mode. {% data reusables.enterprise_management_console.save-settings %}