> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.botpenguin.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.botpenguin.com/bots/website-mobile-app-bot/chatbot-settings/user-access.md). # User Access Restrict who can see and interact with your website chatbot — by device, IP address, page, and country. *** ### Overview User Access lets you control the exact conditions under which your website chatbot is shown to visitors. Instead of the bot appearing everywhere by default, you can scope it to specific devices, block individual IP addresses, hide it on chosen pages, and limit it to selected countries. By the end of this guide, you'll have configured which visitors can and cannot see your chatbot. *** ### Before You Begin Complete the following before starting this guide: * You must have a website bot already created in your BotPenguin account * Admin or settings-level access to that bot * A list ready of any IP addresses, page URLs, or countries you want to restrict {% hint style="warning" icon="triangle-exclamation" %} Skipping prerequisites may cause errors mid-way through the process. Complete all items above before proceeding. {% endhint %} *** ### How It Works User Access settings are evaluated together, not independently — a visitor must pass all the checks you've configured (correct device, not a blocked IP, not on a hidden page, in an enabled country) before the chatbot widget will render for them. Changes only take effect after you save them. {% hint style="info" icon="lightbulb" %} Configure restriction → Save Changes → Widget checks visitor against rules on load → Chatbot shows or stays hidden {% endhint %} *** ### Steps 1. Go to the "Bots" section from the left sidebar, then select the website bot you want to configure.
2. Click "Settings", then open the "User Access" tab. 3. Configure the following fields as needed: | Field | Description | Example | | ---------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Device Support** | Choose All Devices, Mobile Only, or Desktop Only to control which device types can see the chatbot. If restricted to one device type, the bot will not appear on the other — even when the same website is opened there. | Selecting Mobile Only means a desktop visitor on the same URL will not see the chatbot widget at all. | | **Block IP Addresses** | Add IP addresses to deny access from, one at a time, pressing Enter after each. | `192.168.1.10` added as a chip — that visitor's IP will no longer see the bot. | | **Hide Chatbot on Specific Pages** | Add the URLs or paths where the widget should not appear, pressing Enter after each. | `/checkout` added — the chatbot will not load on your checkout page, but will still appear elsewhere on the site. | | **Select Countries to Enable Bot** | Use the searchable country picker to choose which countries the chatbot should be accessible in. Only visitors in the selected countries will see the widget; a "Select All Countries" option is available if you don't want to restrict by country at all. | Selecting only India and United States means visitors from any other country will not see the chatbot. | 4\. Click "Save Changes" to apply your configuration, or "Discard" to cancel without saving. *** ### Best Practices > 💡 Test each restriction (device, IP, page, country) individually after saving, rather than configuring all four at once — this makes it easier to confirm which rule is responsible if the bot doesn't behave as expected. > ⚠️ Double-check your country selection before saving — since this field controls where the bot is *enabled*, forgetting to include a country will hide the bot there entirely, not just limit it. > 🚀 Keep your blocked IP and hidden-page lists tidy — remove entries that are no longer relevant so the list stays easy to audit later. > 🎯 Align device and country restrictions with where your actual customers are — overly narrow settings can accidentally hide the bot from real visitors. *** ### Troubleshooting
Issue: The chatbot isn't showing up anywhere after I saved my settings Check your Select Countries field — since it works as an allow-list, if no countries (or the wrong ones) are selected, the bot won't show anywhere outside them. Also confirm you didn't accidentally add your own testing page or IP to the block lists.
Issue: I blocked an IP address, but that visitor can still see the chatbot Confirm the IP was entered correctly and that Enter was pressed to add it as a chip before saving — an unsaved entry in the input field won't take effect. Also note that IP-based blocking won't catch visitors on a different network or using a VPN.
Issue: The chatbot still shows on a page I added to "Hide Chatbot on Specific Pages" Make sure the URL matches exactly, including trailing slashes or query parameters if your site uses them, and confirm you clicked "Save Changes" after adding it.
*** ### FAQs
Does the Device Support setting work per visitor session or per bot? It's a bot-level setting — once configured, it applies to all visitors on that device type, not on a per-session basis.
Can I block both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses? Yes, the Block IP Addresses field accepts individual IP addresses regardless of format — add each one and press Enter.
Is the country restriction a block-list or an allow-list? It's an allow-list — the chatbot will only be accessible in the countries you select. Use "Select All Countries" if you don't want to restrict by country.
Can I restrict the chatbot on a specific page but still allow it on the rest of the site? Yes — add only the specific page URLs you want to hide the bot on; all other pages remain unaffected.
Do I need to save each field separately? No, all User Access fields are saved together — configure everything you need, then click "Save Changes" once.
*** ### Related Articles {% content-ref url="/pages/edl24DMaPrP8Wx226PsN" %} [Chat Window](/bots/website-mobile-app-bot/chatbot-settings/chat-window.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="/pages/hiER1Bzuh8e1XqNUQIqr" %} [Chatbot Settings](/bots/website-mobile-app-bot/chatbot-settings.md) {% endcontent-ref %} *** ### Support If everything is correct and you are still unable to move forward, write to us at . We will respond back within 48 business hours. *** ### 🎉 Completion 🎉 You have successfully completed this guide. Your website chatbot's visibility is now restricted exactly the way you configured it — by device, IP, page, and country.