# Set up space groups https://help.circle.so/p/basics/spaces/set-up-spaces-for-interest-groups Category: [Basics](https://help.circle.so/p/basics) › [Spaces](https://help.circle.so/p/basics/spaces) --- _Last updated: September, 2026_ Space groups are a great way to categorize and organize the spaces in your community. By grouping related spaces together, you can make it easier for members to discover content and engage with others who share their interests. Here's what you need to know to set up and configure space groups effectively. ## **About space groups** You can create multiple space groups to organize your spaces in the sidebar. When you create a new space, it is always added to a space group. ![](https://assets-v2.circle.so/damtqozgkkd5fbztp8tbnt4xmuhj) Each space group also includes an index page that serves as a space directory, allowing members to easily browse and find spaces within that group. You can access this index page by hovering over the space group name, clicking **More options (three dots)** and selecting  **See spaces**. Space groups are essential and beneficial in many use cases, such as: - **Organizing spaces based on interest groups** : If your community covers a wide range of topics, you can use space groups to categorize spaces by theme. For example, a community focused on personal development might have space groups for "Health & Wellness," "Career & Business," and more. - **Sorting spaces based on cohorts** : For communities that run cohort-based programs or courses, space groups can be used to organize spaces by cohort. For instance, a community for a coding bootcamp might create space groups for each cohort, such as "Spring 2023," "Summer 2023," and "Fall 2023." With each space group having spaces dedicated to those cohorts. - **Organizing spaces for different membership levels** : Some communities offer different tiers of membership with access to exclusive spaces. Space groups can be used to organize these spaces and control access based on membership level. For example, a community might have a "Basic" space group with open spaces and a "Premium" space group with additional spaces and resources. - **Grouping spaces by geographic region** : Communities with members from different geographic locations can use space groups to organize spaces by region. For example, a global nonprofit community might have space groups for "North America," "Europe," "Asia," and "Australia/Oceania." Within each region's space group, there could be spaces for local events, discussions, and resources. You also have the option to move spaces between groups as your community evolves and space groupings change. This flexibility allows you to continually optimize your space organization. ## Creating space groups To create a new space group: 1. Click the community name or logo (or the dropdown icon next to it) in the top-left corner and select  **Back to community.** 2. Hover over any existing space group in the sidebar. 3. Click the ➕ icon, and select  **Create space group**. 4. Enter the name and configure the space group settings (described below). 5. Click **Create.** ## **Custom URL slug (optional)** When creating a space group, you can enter a custom slug for the group if needed. If you do not add a custom slug, the space group name will be used as the slug. For example, if your space group name is "Health and Wellness" and your community URL is "[https://community.circle.so](https://community.circle.so/)," then your space group URL would be "[https://community.circle.so/s/health-and-wellness](https://community.circle.so/s/health-and-wellness)." You can always change the custom URL after creating the space group. ## Permissions ## **Hide member count** You can toggle on the  **Hide member count**  to hide the member count from the space index page. This will hide the members badge with their count from the top right of the index page. Members won't be able to access the members directory from the index page anymore. **Hide from non-space members** When you enable the  **Hide from non-space members**  toggle, community members who are not part of any space within this space group will not see the space group in their left sidebar. If your community is public, visitors won’t be able to see the space group either. > ℹ️  **Note** : With this option enabled, non-members of spaces within the group won't be able to view posts from it on the Feed and profile pages, even if the spaces are public. **Only show joined spaces in the sidebar** When you enable the  **Only show joined spaces in the sidebar**  toggle, community members will see only the spaces within a space group they have already joined. If you have any secret spaces within the space group, they will stay hidden by default regardless of this setting. > 💡  **Tip** : Admins can access and manage all spaces, including secret spaces. If the space is not visible in the sidebar for them, they can still access it from Spaces page or direct link to space. **Allow members to create spaces** You can allow your members to create new spaces within this space group by enabling this toggle. When the  **Allow members to create spaces**  is enabled, any members of your community who can see the space group can create a new space within it. > ℹ️  **Note** : While members can create spaces in the space group where this setting is enabled, they cannot manage the space settings, manage members of the space, or delete it once the space is created. Only admins and moderators can manage the spaces. ## **Space access (legacy)** This section allows you to configure automated access to new spaces and manage adding members to the space group’s members list. These settings in the space group configuration only apply to legacy space access and are available to communities created **before January 29, 2025**. Communities created after this date will only have a **Permissions** section. ### **Automatically add members to new spaces within group** When  **Automatically add members to new spaces within group**  is enabled, members of this space group will automatically be added to any new spaces created within it. If you are using access groups, this setting will grant manual space access to members separate from the access group. This means that the space grant given through this setting will appear under the  **Manually added**  section within the members' account (the Edit account page). > ❗ **Important** : Please note that when enabled, this setting will apply to new spaces with any kind of access, including private and secret. This means that even if the new space is set to private or secret, all members of this space group will be added to it. ### **Automatically add members to this group when they join a space inside it** When enabled, a member will be added to the space group members list when they join a space inside it. Note that it only adds the member to the space group member list and not all the spaces inside it automatically.  This is useful for cases where you create a new space afterward and utilize the **Add everyone from the space group** toggle to add everyone who is part of the space group members list. ## **Organizing and managing space groups** You can easily organize and manage space groups to keep your sidebar tidy and well-structured. ### **Reordering space groups** Reordering allows you to prioritize and arrange your space groups according to your preferences and needs. To [reorder](https://help.circle.so/p/basics/spaces/organize-spaces-and-space-groups-in-the-sidebar?locale=en#reorder-space-groups) space groups in the sidebar: 1. Click and hold the space group name you want to move. 2. Drag and drop the space group to the desired position in the sidebar. ### Collapsing and expanding space groups The space groups in your community sidebar feature expandable/collapsible functionality, which allows you to show or hide all the spaces visible to you within each group. This feature helps keep your sidebar organized and clutter-free, enabling you to focus on the spaces that are most relevant to you. > ℹ️  **Note:** The option to collapse or expand a space group is available to all members in their account **only on both desktop and mobile browsers**. The space group collapse state is saved for their account and persists across both desktop and mobile browser sessions upon page reloads. Note that as an admin, it is not possible to set a default space group collapse state for everyone in your community. To collapse a space group: 1. Locate the expanded space group you wish to collapse in the community sidebar. 2. Click the space group name or the upward-pointing arrow next to it. The space group will now be collapsed, and the spaces within it will be hidden from view while the space group name remains visible. When you hover over the collapsed space group name, the icon next to it will change to a right-pointing arrow, indicating that the space group is collapsed. To expand a space group and reveal its associated spaces: 1. Locate the space group you wish to expand in the community sidebar. 2. Click the space group name or the downward-pointing arrow next to it. The space group will now be expanded, and the spaces within it will be visible. When you hover over the space group name, the icon next to it will change back to a downward-pointing arrow, indicating that the space group is expanded. ### **Managing space groups** You can manage various aspects of your space groups, including: - Updating space group settings. - [Managing](https://help.circle.so/p/audience/member-management/manage-members-within-spaces-and-space-groups?locale=en) space group members. - Adding or removing [moderators](https://help.circle.so/p/administration/moderation/assigning-moderators). - Permanently [deleting](https://help.circle.so/p/basics/spaces/deleting-a-space-or-space-group?locale=en#delete-a-space-group) space groups. To access these options: 1. Hover over the space group in the sidebar. 2. Click **More options (three dots)** and select **Edit space group**.