docs/content/admin/user-management/managing-users-in-your-enterprise/suspending-and-unsuspending-users.md

title	redirect_from	intro	versions	type	topics
Suspending and unsuspending users	[/enterprise/admin/articles/suspending-a-user/ /enterprise/admin/articles/unsuspending-a-user/ /enterprise/admin/articles/viewing-suspended-users/ /enterprise/admin/articles/suspended-users/ /enterprise/admin/articles/suspending-and-unsuspending-users/ /enterprise/admin/user-management/suspending-and-unsuspending-users /admin/user-management/suspending-and-unsuspending-users]	If a user leaves or moves to a different part of the company, you should remove or modify their ability to access {% data variables.product.product_location %}.	[{enterprise-server *}]	how_to	[Access management Enterprise Security User account]

If employees leave the company, you can suspend their {% data variables.product.prodname_ghe_server %} accounts to open up user licenses in your {% data variables.product.prodname_enterprise %} license while preserving the issues, comments, repositories, gists, and other data they created. Suspended users cannot sign into your instance, nor can they push or pull code.

When you suspend a user, the change takes effect immediately with no notification to the user. If the user attempts to pull or push to a repository, they'll receive this error:

$ git clone git@[hostname]:john-doe/test-repo.git
Cloning into 'test-repo'...
ERROR: Your account is suspended. Please check with your installation administrator.
fatal: The remote end hung up unexpectedly

Before suspending site administrators, you must demote them to regular users. For more information, see "Promoting or demoting a site administrator."

{% tip %}

Note: If LDAP Sync is enabled for {% data variables.product.product_location %}, users are automatically suspended when they're removed from the LDAP directory server. When LDAP Sync is enabled for your instance, normal user suspension methods are disabled.

{% endtip %}

Suspending a user from the user admin dashboard

{% data reusables.enterprise_site_admin_settings.access-settings %} {% data reusables.enterprise_site_admin_settings.search-user %} {% data reusables.enterprise_site_admin_settings.click-user %} {% data reusables.enterprise_site_admin_settings.admin-top-tab %} {% data reusables.enterprise_site_admin_settings.admin-tab %} 5. Under "Account suspension," in the red Danger Zone box, click Suspend. 6. Provide a reason to suspend the user.

Unsuspending a user from the user admin dashboard

As when suspending a user, unsuspending a user takes effect immediately. The user will not be notified.

{% data reusables.enterprise_site_admin_settings.access-settings %} 3. In the left sidebar, click Suspended users. 2. Click the name of the user account that you would like to unsuspend. {% data reusables.enterprise_site_admin_settings.admin-top-tab %} {% data reusables.enterprise_site_admin_settings.admin-tab %} 4. Under "Account suspension," in the red Danger Zone box, click Unsuspend. 5. Provide a reason to unsuspend the user.

Suspending a user from the command line

{% data reusables.enterprise_installation.ssh-into-instance %} 2. Run [ghe-user-suspend](/enterprise/{{ currentVersion }}/admin/guides/installation/command-line-utilities#ghe-user-suspend) with the username to suspend.

$ ghe-user-suspend <em>username</em>

Creating a custom message for suspended users

You can create a custom message that suspended users will see when attempting to sign in.

{% data reusables.enterprise-accounts.access-enterprise %} {% data reusables.enterprise-accounts.settings-tab %} {% data reusables.enterprise-accounts.messages-tab %} 5. Click Add message. 6. Type your message into the Suspended user message box. You can type Markdown, or use the Markdown toolbar to style your message. 7. Click the Preview button under the Suspended user message field to see the rendered message. 8. Review the rendered message. {% data reusables.enterprise_site_admin_settings.save-changes %}

Unsuspending a user from the command line

{% data reusables.enterprise_installation.ssh-into-instance %} 2. Run [ghe-user-unsuspend](/enterprise/{{ currentVersion }}/admin/guides/installation/command-line-utilities#ghe-user-unsuspend) with the username to unsuspend.

$ ghe-user-unsuspend <em>username</em>

Further reading

• "Suspend a user"