Guest Users not able to access Articles on Experience Cloud Sites with Classic

NOTE: This article references Classic Knowledge. For information on granting access using Lightning Knowledge please see Set Up and Configure Lightning Knowledge.  

If you are using the standard Salesforce sharing setting for Knowledge, this would indicate you are using Lightning Knowledge. If this is the case you will need to create Guest User Sharing rules to grant access to articles. Click here for more information. If you are not using standard sharing and are assigning Data Categories to Articles, then you will need to ensure you are assigning Data Categories to the Guest User profile. Click here for more information on that process.

For information on how to view the sharing options for Knowledge please go to Choose the Sharing or Access Model for Lightning Knowledge.

In Salesforce Classic
 

Ensure that a Topic Detail page variation is set to Default on the Site:

1. Navigate to Setup | Customize | Digital Experiences | All Sites
2. Click Builder next to the site.
3. Click the pages picklist in the upper left. The page list will show. 
4. Enter Topic Detail. Click on Page Properties option to the right of the Topic Detail result.
5. On Page Variations tab, determine if there is a variation with the Audience set to Default. If there is, then the Site Guest User will have access to this page. 
6. If none of the Page Variations are not set to Default you can either create a new one or set one of the existing Page Variations to Default. 
7. Republish the site if step 6 is needed. 

 
To give Guest Users permission to view articles:

1. In Experience Builder go to the Settings Menu (cog icon, left side below Page Structure).
2. Under Guest User profile, click the Profile Name (Profile Name is formatted "<Site Name> Profile").
3. You will be taken to the Profile Edit page.
4. Select Object Settings (When using the Enhanced Profile User Interface)
5. Locate the Article Types associated with the articles you wish to make public. Click on one. 
6. Click Edit then ensure that Read is selected. 
7. Save.
8. Repeat as needed depending on the number of article types required to be public. 

Steps to grant read on article types using the original User Profile User Interface:

1. Once you reach the profile page click Edit.
2. Scroll down to the article types (near the bottom of page)
3. Check Read for each article type you wish to grant public access to.
4. Save. 

If you are using the Visualforce Plus Tabs template and wish to grant access you can access the Site Guest User Profile:

1. Navigate to Setup | Customize | Digital Experiences | All Sites
2. Click Workspaces.
3. When the Workspaces dashboard loads click Administration.
4. Click Pages then select Go to Force.com
5. The Site Details page will load. Select Public Access Settings.
6. This will take you to the Site Guest User Profile.
7. Proceed with the instructions above to set access to article types.

In Lightning Experience
 

Ensure that a Topic Detail page variation is set to Default on the Site:

1. Go to Setup | Feature Settings | Digital Experiences | All Sites
2. Click Builder next to the site.
3. Select the Page properties on the upper left side then search for the 'Topic Detail' page in the find a page section.
4. Click Topic Detail then select Page properties | Page Variations.
5. In the page variations determine if there is a variation with the Audience set to Default. If there is then the Site Guest User will have access to this page. 
6. If any of the Page Variations are not set to Default you can either create a new one or set one of the existing Page Variations to Default. 
7. Republish the site if step 8 is needed.

To give Guest Users permission to view articles:

1. In Experience Builder go to the Settings Menu (Cog icon, left side below Page Structure).
2. Under Guest User Profile click the Profile Name (Profile name is formatted "<Site Name> Profile")
3. You will be taken to the Profile Edit page.
4. Select Object Settings (When using the new User Profile User Interface).
5. Locate the Article Types associated with the articles you wish to make public. Click on one. 
6. Click Edit then ensure that Read is selected. 
7. Save.
8. Repeat as needed depending on the number of article types required to be public. 

Steps to grant read on article types using the original User Profile User Interface:

1. Once you reach the profile page click Edit.
2. Scroll down to the article types (near bottom of page)
3. Check Read for each article type you wish to grant public access to.
4. Save. 

If you are using the Visualforce Plus Tabs template and wish to grant access you can access the Site Guest User Profile:

1. Navigate to Setup | Feature Settings | Digital Experiences | All Sites
2. Select Workspaces next to the site.
3. Click Administration then Pages. 
4. Select Go to Force.com then Public Access Settings
5. Proceed with instructions above to set access to article types.