Sharing & Permissions

Control who can enter your Kolab space and what they can do once inside. Getting permissions right is crucial for running smooth, secure sessions.

Before sharing: Test your space's access by opening it in an incognito window.

Space Access Levels

Kolab spaces have four access levels:

Role	What they can do	Typical user
Host	Full control — manage settings, permissions, participants, and all facilitator abilities	Space creator
Facilitator	Run sessions, manage breakout rooms, control audio zones, mute participants, edit canvas	Workshop leaders, co-facilitators
Participant	View and interact with the canvas, use video/audio, chat	Session attendees
No Access	Cannot access the space	Revoked users

Note: A Kolab account is required for host or facilitator access.

Open the Share dialog to manage how people access your space. There are four ways to share:

1. Invite by Email

Share with specific people:

Open the Share dialog
Enter email addresses in the invite field
Choose an access level (host, facilitator, participant, or no access)
Send the invitation

2. Team Access

Share with your entire team at once:

Open the Share dialog
Find the Team section
Set the access level for all team members

This grants access to everyone on your team. You can see the member count to confirm who's included.

3. Private Link

A shareable link that can be refreshed if compromised:

Open the Share dialog
Find the Private Link section
Set the access level for anyone who uses this link
Copy and share the link

Tip: If you need to revoke access for anyone who has the link, click Refresh to generate a new one. The old link stops working immediately.

4. Public Link

A permanent, static link for open access:

Open the Share dialog
Find the Public section
Set the access level
Copy and share the link

Unlike the private link, the public link cannot be changed or refreshed.

Password-Protecting a Space

Add a password to require an extra step before anyone joins—great for link-shared sessions where you still want a gate at the door.

Setting a Password

Open the Share dialog
Find Space Controls and turn on Require Password
Type a password and click Save password

That's it. Anyone joining now has to enter the password first.

Note: Everyone enters the password—including you and your co-facilitators. (The only exception is Kolab's recording bot.) If you forget it, you can always recover it from the Share dialog.

Once it's set, the Share dialog shows the password under "Share this password with participants" with a Copy button. Share it through a separate channel from the link (for example, the password in chat and the link in the calendar invite).

Changing or Removing It

Change it: Click Change password, enter a new one, and save
Remove it: Turn off the Require Password toggle—the password is cleared immediately

What Participants See

When someone opens a password-protected space, they hit a screen that says "This space is password-protected" before the camera and microphone setup. They enter the password and continue.

Tip: Password protection layers on top of your other access rules—it doesn't replace them. Use it alongside a link or public access when you want open reach and a gate.

Method	Best for	Revocable?
Email invite	Specific people with specific roles	Remove individual users
Team access	Your whole team needs access	Remove team access
Private link	Controlled sharing — workshops, cohorts	Refresh link to revoke
Public link	Open access — demos, public events	Cannot revoke (remove public access entirely)

Board-Level Permissions

Each board within a space has its own access levels:

Role	What they can do
Owner	Full control of the board
Editor	Add and modify content
Viewer	View only
No Access	Cannot see the board

Board permissions are separate from space permissions. A participant in the space might be an editor on one board and a viewer on another.

Managing Permissions

Changing Someone's Access

Open the Share dialog
Find the person in the member list
Click their current role
Select a new role from the dropdown

Changes apply immediately.

Removing Access

Open the Share dialog
Find the person
Set their access to No Access or remove them

Security Best Practices

Before Your Session

Verify access settings match your intent
Test join link in an incognito window
Confirm facilitators have correct permissions
Remove any old or unused members

During Your Session

Monitor who joins (check participant list)
Remove unexpected participants if needed

After Your Session

Refresh the private link if it was shared broadly
Review and remove one-time participants
Archive or secure sensitive content

Workshop (Semi-Open)

Share via private link set to participant access
Add co-facilitators by email with facilitator access
Refresh the link after the session

Team Meeting (Private)

Use team access set to participant
Add the meeting lead by email with host or facilitator access

Public Demo (Open)

Use the public link set to participant access
Keep host/facilitator access to invited people only

Cohort Program (Controlled)

Invite cohort members by email with participant access
Invite instructors by email with facilitator access
Avoid link sharing for tighter control

Troubleshooting

"Participant can't join"

Check their email is on the invite list (if not using a link)
Verify the link is correct and active
If using a private link, make sure it hasn't been refreshed since they received it
Try opening the link in an incognito window to test

"Participant can't edit canvas"

Check their space access level
Check board-level permissions
Refresh their browser

Confirm you're a host — only hosts can manage sharing
Look for the Share button or dialog

"Participants are stuck at a password screen"

Confirm you shared the current password — if you changed it, the old one no longer works
Re-copy it from Space Controls in the Share dialog
To drop the gate entirely, turn off Require Password

Creating a Space - Initial setup
Team Administration - Managing groups
Using Breakout Rooms - Temporary grouping
System Check - Verify your setup