# Get to know the member directory > For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](/llms.txt). https://help.circle.so/p/audience/member-management/get-to-know-the-member-directory Category: [Audience](https://help.circle.so/p/audience) › [Member management](https://help.circle.so/p/audience/member-management) --- _Last updated: October, 2026_ > ℹ️  **Before you begin:**  This article focuses on the member directory experience without connect, to learn about connect see [**Get to know Connect**](https://help.circle.so/p/audience/member-management/get-to-know-connect-beta) **.** The member directory is a comprehensive list of all community members, providing an easy way to connect, network, and collaborate. This article will walk you through accessing the member directory, configuring directory settings, and searching for member profiles. ## **Access the member directory** Admins and members can access your community's member directory depending on the visibility settings you have configured. To access the member directory: - **Desktop** : In the desktop app or web browser, click the community name or logo (or the dropdown icon next to it) in the top-left corner, select  **Back to community,**  then \*\*\*\*click the  **Members**  tab on the top navigation bar. If you've [**customized**](https://help.circle.so/p/basics/customization/manage-links-on-the-top-navigation-bar?locale=en#edit-links) the name of the member directory link for the web, the updated name will appear on the navigation bar instead. - **Mobile apps** : Tap  **Members**  tab on the top navigation bar to access the member directory. If you've [**customized**](https://help.circle.so/p/basics/mobile-apps/customize-navigation-tab-order-in-mobile-apps?locale=en#customizing-tab-names) the name of the member directory tab for your mobile app, the updated name will appear on the navigation bar instead. ### **View member profiles** You can view members' profiles by clicking their name or profile photo in the directory. From the member profile, you can: - Message member - Last seen status - Copy the profile link - Edit member ( **Admin only**  option) - View as ( **Admin**  only option) - View profile information ( **About**  tab) - View member’s posts, comments, and space access - View rewards ( **Admin only**  option) ## **Manage directory settings** As an admin, you can adjust directory defaults and eligibility for profile visibility in the member directory on desktop. To access these settings, click **More actions (three dots)** located in the right corner of the directory navigation bar. ![](https://assets-v2.circle.so/gvaoqe3ui0gegexc6vg9jr54r9pw) ### Directory visibility You can set the visibility of the member directory as either public or private. The current visibility status is displayed on the directory navigation bar on the desktop. To change it, hover over Directory visibility and select  **Make public**  or  **Make private**. ![](https://assets-v2.circle.so/loxs3m1wdi6pklms8a4snfps6us6) > 💡 Tip: In addition to directory privacy, you can customize the directory link by modifying its name, managing how the link opens, and controlling its [visibility](https://help.circle.so/p/basics/customization/manage-links-on-the-top-navigation-bar?locale=en#difference-between-link-visibility-and-directory-visibility) on the top navigation bar for desktop. For more details on managing the directory link, refer to our guide [here](https://help.circle.so/p/basics/customization/manage-links-on-the-top-navigation-bar). **Public** Setting the member directory to  **Public**  makes it accessible to all community members, excluding visitors. When the member directory is public, members can also use the member count badge in the navigation bar for spaces or space groups to access the member directory, which is automatically filtered to members of that space or group. **Key considerations:** - If the member directory is public but the [**visibility of the member directory link**](https://help.circle.so/p/basics/customization/manage-links-on-the-top-navigation-bar?locale=en#difference-between-link-visibility-and-directory-visibility) for the top navigation bar is restricted to  **Admin**   **only**  or  **Disabled** , the directory link will not appear on the navigation bar. In this case, however, members can still access the directory by directly entering the URL in their browser: [Your community URL/members]. - Members can choose to hide their profile from the member directory, search, and leaderboard by disabling the  **Show my profile in the member directory**  toggle in their profile settings. **Private** When the member directory is set to  **Private** , only admins can view and manage it. Members, including moderators, will not see or access the member directory link, regardless of the link visibility settings in the top navigation bar. When the member directory is private, members can see the member count badge in spaces and space groups. However, they cannot access the member directory of any space or space group. > 💡  **Tip** : You can also hide member count in your community spaces and space groups, regardless of the above settings for the member directory! > > To learn more about managing member count visibility for spaces, see [**Hide members count in spaces and space groups.**](/p/basics/spaces/hide-members-count-in-spaces-and-space-groups) ### **Set default view** You can choose the default view for the directory, setting it to either  **Grid**  or  **List**. This default view will be applied the first time members access the directory. ![](https://assets-v2.circle.so/4zpeylr1iw31wmnwupopulzqujtz) On desktop, both you and your members can switch between views by clicking the  **View**  toggle on the directory navigation bar. On mobile apps, the directory appears in list view by default, regardless of the view selected on desktop. > ℹ️ Note: As an admin, changing the view using the toggle will not affect the default view set in the directory settings. ### **Set default sort order** You can establish the default sort order for your member directory by choosing from the following options: - Alphabetical - Oldest - Latest ![](https://assets-v2.circle.so/f9ff5ir3lubh07ie5vldrfeu0nbe) Only admins can modify this order on desktop, and the selected sort order will apply to all members of your community when they view the member directory. ### **Find members** You can allow members to search the member list. To do this: 1. Click **More actions (three dots)** located in the right corner of the directory navigation bar. 2. Click  **Customize filtering**  from the dropdown menu option. 3. In the  **Customise filters**  dialogue, turn on  **Allow members to search and filter the member list**. You can refine the list within the directory using various filters located at the top of the directory, including: - Near me: The  **Near me**  filter uses the geo-coded location field set in member profiles to identify members in the same location as you are. For example, if you are in Paris looking to connect with others in the city, you can use the  **Near me**  filter to quickly see the list of members who have set their profile location to Paris. ℹ️ Note: This option is currently only available when accessing the directory from the desktop. - Online - Recently joined - Location - Tag - Bio - Website - Twitter URL - Headline When using multiple filters, they are applied using the  **"And" condition** , meaning all selected criteria must be met. To refine your search further, you can apply the same filter multiple times to create highly specific combinations for more granular results. ### **Navigate to the manage members page** As an admin, you can also access the [**manage audience**](/p/audience/member-management/manage-your-community-members) page directly from the member directory by clicking **More actions (three dots)** and selecting  **Manage audience**. The manage audience page allows you to: - Invite members - Manage members - Access bulk action logs - Manage invitation links - Manage member tags - Manage profile fields ## Find and filter members If filtering is enabled for the member directory, you can refine the members shown using filters that have been enabled in the left sidebar. To find members, choose one of the default filters visible on the sidebar. > ℹ️ Note: On desktop, the member directory is in the left sidebar. On Circle's mobile apps and branded apps, however, these filters are accessible at the top of the screen. Simply swipe horizontally to view all available filters. ## **Relevant articles** - [**Hide members count in spaces and space groups**](https://help.circle.so/p/basics/spaces/hide-members-count-in-spaces-and-space-groups) - [**Manage links on the top navigation bar**](https://help.circle.so/p/basics/customization/manage-links-on-the-top-navigation-bar)