---
title: "User default preferences"
slug: "user-default-preferences"
tags: ["Reference", "Site Administrator"]
updated: 2023-07-05T07:41:43Z
published: 2023-07-05T07:41:43Z
canonical: "totara.help/user-default-preferences"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://totara.help/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# User default preferences

As a Site Administrator, you can set the default options within a user's account for email display, format, and digest type, and forum auto-subscribe and forum tracking. These defaults will be applied when a new user account is created, unless specified otherwise at the time.

A user can subsequently update these settings at any stage via their profile page.

User default preferences can be found under the *Quick-access menu >* *Users > Accounts > User default preferences.*

| **Setting** | **Description** | **Notes** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Email display | Users can choose which users can see their email address: - **Allow only other course members to see my email address**: Only other users who are enrolled, or are teaching in a course (Totara Learn only) can see your email address - **Hide my address from everyone**: Prevent all users (except Site Administrators) from seeing your email address - **Allow everyone to see my email address**: Any user who can access the site can see your email address | - |
| Email format | Users can choose the format in which they receive any emails from the system: - **Pretty HTML format:** Email is received with all HTML formatting and images included - **Plain text format:** Email is received without any formatting or images | - |
| Email digest type | Users can choose whether to receive forum posts as a digest or summary message, as well as which type of digest message to receive. - **No digest:** You will receive one email per forum post - **Digest - complete posts:** You will receive one digest email per day containing the complete contents of each forum post - **Digest - subjects only:** You will receive one digest email per day containing just the subject of each forum post | - |
| Forum auto-subscribe | Users can choose whether they will be automatically subscribed to a forum in which they post: - **Yes:** When a user posts they will be subscribed to that forum discussion - **No:** Don't automatically subscribe the user to forum discussions | Please see [User preferences](/18/docs/user-preferences) for more information. |
| Forum tracking | Users can choose whether any new postings are highlighted within a forum that allows forum tracking - **No:** Will not display an unread message icon against any new posts - **Yes:** Will display an unread message icon against any new posts | - |

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