Disconnecting a Channel from Publlish
Learn how to disconnect a social media channel from Publlish, what happens to your scheduled posts when you do, and when to disconnect vs. refresh a connection.
There are a few reasons you might want to disconnect a social media channel from Publlish — you're offboarding a client, freeing up a channel slot for a different account, or you're troubleshooting a connection issue that requires a fresh reconnect.
This guide explains how to disconnect a channel and what happens to your content when you do.
When to Disconnect vs. When to Refresh
Before disconnecting, consider whether a refresh might solve the problem instead. Disconnecting removes the channel entirely from Publlish; refreshing just renews the authentication token.
Refresh if:
- The channel is showing a connection warning or token expiry error
- Posts have stopped publishing but the channel still appears connected
- You recently changed your social media password
Disconnect if:
- You're offboarding a client and want to remove their channels from your organisation
- You need to free up a channel slot because you've hit your plan limit
- You're switching which account (e.g. a different Instagram handle) is connected in that slot
- Refreshing has failed multiple times and you want to start fresh
What Happens When You Disconnect a Channel
Before disconnecting, it's important to understand what you'll lose:
- Scheduled posts assigned to the disconnected channel will not go live — they'll remain in your queue as drafts but won't publish
- Analytics data for that channel will no longer be accessible in Publlish
- The channel slot is freed up and can be used to connect a different account
- Your content on the social platform itself is not affected — existing published posts remain on the platform
If you plan to reconnect the same channel later, your historical analytics within Publlish will not be restored — Publlish only retains analytics for actively connected channels.
How to Disconnect a Channel
- In your Publlish dashboard, click Channels in the left sidebar
- Find the channel you want to remove
- Click the settings icon or the three-dot menu next to the channel
- Select Disconnect (or Remove Channel)
- Confirm the disconnection in the prompt
The channel will be removed from your Channels list immediately. If you had a channel group that included this channel, it will be removed from the group automatically.
Disconnecting a Channel as a Team Member
If you're a member (not an admin) of a Publlish organisation, you may not have permission to disconnect channels. This is controlled by your organisation admin.
If you need a channel removed and can't do it yourself, ask your Publlish organisation admin to disconnect it. Team permissions guide →
Freeing Up Channel Slots
If you've hit your plan's channel limit and want to connect a new account without upgrading, you'll need to disconnect an existing channel first.
To see how many channel slots you're using and how many are available, go to Settings → Channels or check your plan details. Plans and pricing overview →
Reconnecting a Channel After Disconnecting
If you want to reconnect a channel you previously removed, just go through the standard connection flow again:
- Go to Channels → Connect a Channel
- Select the platform
- Log in and authorise Publlish
- Select the account and connect
Your channel history within Publlish won't be restored (analytics start fresh), but all your existing content on the social platform is unaffected. Connecting channels guide →
Frequently Asked Questions
Will disconnecting a channel delete my posts on that social platform? No. Disconnecting a channel from Publlish has no effect on your content on the social media platform itself. All published posts remain live.
What happens to scheduled posts if I disconnect a channel? Scheduled posts assigned to the disconnected channel will not publish. They'll remain in your queue as drafts. You can reschedule them after reconnecting.
Can I reconnect the same channel after disconnecting? Yes. Go through the connection flow again and connect the account as if it were new.
Will I lose my analytics data if I disconnect? Yes — analytics data in Publlish is tied to an active connection. Disconnecting means historical analytics for that channel will no longer be accessible in Publlish.
How do I free up a channel slot without losing my data? If your goal is to reconnect a different account in the same slot, disconnect the current channel (accepting the data loss) and connect the new account. If you want to preserve access to both, upgrading your plan to support more channels is the alternative.
I disconnected a channel by mistake — can I get it back? Reconnect the same account through the connection flow. The channel will be active again, but analytics history from before the disconnection won't be restored.