Unavailable Channel in Publlish
Learn why a social media channel shows as "Unavailable" in Publlish, what it means when a channel is connected to another organisation, and exactly how to resolve it and reclaim the channel.
If you're trying to connect a social media channel in Publlish and it appears in the list but is marked as "Unavailable", there's a specific reason for this — and a clear fix. This guide explains exactly what's happening and how to resolve it.
What "Unavailable" Means
A channel showing as "Unavailable" means that social media account is already actively connected to a different Publlish organisation.
Publlish enforces a one-organisation-per-channel rule: each social media account (Facebook Page, Instagram account, TikTok account, etc.) can only be actively connected to one Publlish organisation at a time.
When you try to connect a channel that's already in use elsewhere, Publlish detects the conflict and marks it as Unavailable to prevent a duplicate connection.
Why This Happens
The most common scenarios where you'll see an Unavailable channel:
Scenario 1 — A previous agency or tool The channel was connected to Publlish by a previous social media agency or by you under a different Publlish account. The connection was never properly removed.
Scenario 2 — You have multiple Publlish organisations If you manage multiple Publlish organisations (common for agencies), a channel might already be connected in one of your other orgs.
Scenario 3 — A colleague connected it elsewhere A team member connected the channel under a different Publlish organisation before it was supposed to come to yours.
Scenario 4 — A client is managing their own Publlish account too If a client has their own Publlish account and connected their own channels there, you'll see them as Unavailable when you try to add them to your agency organisation.
How to Fix It — Step by Step
Step 1 — Identify which organisation has the channel
You need to find where the channel is currently connected. Options:
- If it's your own other Publlish organisation: Log into that organisation and go to Channels to confirm it's there
- If it was connected by someone else: Ask the person who manages the other Publlish account to check
- If it was a previous agency: Contact them and ask them to disconnect the channel from their Publlish account
- If you're not sure: Contact Publlish support — they can help identify which organisation holds the connection
Step 2 — Disconnect from the other organisation
Once you've identified where the channel is connected, disconnect it from that organisation:
- Log into the Publlish organisation that currently holds the channel
- Go to Channels
- Find the channel you need to reclaim
- Click the settings menu and select Disconnect
- Confirm the disconnection
Step 3 — Connect it to your organisation
Once disconnected from the other organisation, go back to your Publlish dashboard and connect the channel normally:
- Go to Channels → Connect a Channel
- Select the platform
- Log in and authorise Publlish
- The channel should now appear as available and connect successfully
What If You Can't Access the Other Organisation?
If the channel is stuck in an organisation you don't have access to — for example, an old agency account that no longer exists, or a former employee's organisation — contact Publlish support directly.
Provide:
- The name/handle of the social account that's showing as Unavailable
- The platform (Instagram, TikTok, etc.)
- Context on why you believe you have the right to claim this channel
Publlish support can investigate and help release the channel if the situation warrants it.
Preventing This Problem in the Future
For agencies: When offboarding a client, always disconnect their channels from your Publlish organisation as part of the offboarding process. This ensures their channels are free to be connected by whoever takes over the account — whether that's a new agency or the client managing it themselves.
Offboarding steps in the agency guide →
For clients switching agencies: When switching social media agencies, ask your outgoing agency to explicitly disconnect your channels from their Publlish account before you or your new agency tries to connect them. A simple checklist item in your agency handover process prevents this entirely.
For teams with multiple organisations: Do a periodic audit of your channel connections across all your Publlish organisations to make sure no channels are sitting in the wrong place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my social channel showing as "Unavailable" in Publlish? It's already connected to a different Publlish organisation. You need to disconnect it from that organisation before you can connect it here. Disconnecting a channel →
Can the same social account be in two Publlish organisations at once? No. Each social media account can only be actively connected to one Publlish organisation at a time.
What if I don't know which organisation has my channel? Contact Publlish support with the channel details and they can help trace and release it.
Will disconnecting a channel from another organisation affect the posts already published from it? No. Published posts on the social platform are not affected by disconnecting. Only future scheduled posts would be impacted — and those can be rescheduled once you reconnect the channel in your organisation.
I'm an agency and my client's channels show as Unavailable — what do I do? The client likely has their own Publlish account with those channels connected. Ask the client to either disconnect the channels from their personal Publlish account, or grant your agency organisation access. Agency onboarding guide →
How long does it take for a channel to become available after being disconnected from another organisation? Usually immediately — once disconnected from the other organisation, try connecting it in yours right away.