Limit KB Articles to Specific Customer Groups in JSM Cloud
Platform Notice: Cloud Only - This article only applies to Atlassian apps on the cloud platform.
Summary
Learn how JSM project settings affect article visibility and the limitations on restricting access to specific customers.
This is a Confluence-based workaround, not a native JSM feature. It requires org admin privileges and only works seamlessly if your Help Center is accessed by users from known domains. Portal-only (External) accounts can't see restricted articles through the portal.
Solution
Before you jump in
These steps can only be followed if you have org admin privileges.
Portal-only customer accounts, also known as External accounts, don't have access to restricted articles through the portal. They should be assigned to users who require minimal access.
Ensuring customers who require access have Atlassian accounts
Existing customers (portal-only accounts)
Go to
https://<site>.atlassian.net/adminNavigate to Jira Service Management → Portal customers
Find the customer, click ••• → Migrate to Atlassian account
More details at Migrate a portal-only customer to Atlassian account
New users
Go to Settings → Products → Customer access
Enable approved domains — this automatically provisions Atlassian accounts for matching users
You may want to create a group (or more) to nest customers and restrict access in Confluence.
The JSM Customer role does not consume license seats — Internal (Atlassian account) or External (portal-only). Migrating customers to Atlassian accounts for restricted access does not add billable seats.
Restricting spaces/article access in Confluence
Access the article through Confluence.
Click the lock icon (or ellipses button > restriction).
Set: Only specific people can view or edit.
Add specific users or groups and grant them view permission.
Apply.
We have feature requests to improve access management to KB articles in JSM:
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