# Require approval and auto-publish

> There is no separate Auto-publish switch. Require approval on a brand decides whether AI posts wait in Approvals or can go out on schedule.

- HTML: https://postless.app/guides/auto-publish
- Published: 2026-09-03
- Author: Postless
- Category: Product
- Tags: founders, creators, agencies, teams, auto-publish, scheduling

Postless does not have a control labeled Auto-publish. The brand switch **Require approval** is what holds or releases AI posts.

- **On** (default): AI posts need your approval before they can publish, including scheduled auto-publish.
- **Off**: new AI posts are approved when created. If they have a time, they go to **Scheduler** and publish when due.

Copy on the switch: “AI-generated posts need my approval before auto-publish.”

**AI content planning** is a different switch. That one generates weekly idea cards (and can generate that week’s posts). It does not bypass approval.

## Turn approval on or off

1. Open **Brands** and the brand (or pick it in the switcher, then open it from **Brands**).
2. Open the **Workflow** accordion.
3. Toggle **Require approval**.
4. Toast: **Automation settings saved**.

The change applies to **new** AI posts for that brand only.

## What still goes out

### Require approval on

These wait in **Approvals** with **Needs approval**:

- **Generate Post** from Planner
- **Create Post** from Brand Inbox
- **Generate draft** / **Regenerate** in the editor when the result is AI-generated
- Posts created by weekly auto-planning

They publish only after **Approve** (scheduled time) or **Publish now** / **Approve & Publish Now**.

### Require approval off

New AI posts are already approved. Approvals explains: “New posts are published automatically (scheduled when a time is set).”

Due, approved, **Scheduled** posts are sent by the publisher. You still need connected accounts and to meet platform media rules (for example Instagram needs media).

### Always true, either setting

- Posts you write with header **Create Post** (not AI-generated) are approved. Use **Publish → Schedule…** or **Publish now**.
- **Publish now** and the scheduled sender both require the post to be approved if it is AI-generated.
- Disconnecting a platform or missing publishing defaults causes publish to fail (**Failed** on **Posts**).

## When to keep review on

Keep **Require approval** on if you want to edit, regenerate, or drop drafts before they can go live. That is the default for **Build My Brand**.

Turn it off only if you are comfortable with approved AI posts publishing at their planned times without a stop in **Approvals**. You can turn it back on anytime; older unapproved posts remain in Approvals until you handle them.

## AI content planning vs auto-publish

| Switch                  | Location           | If on                                                                   |
| ----------------------- | ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **AI content planning** | Brand **Workflow** | Weekly auto-planner may generate idea cards and later that week’s posts |
| **Require approval**    | Brand **Workflow** | Those AI posts still stop in **Approvals** until you approve            |

**Use As Scheduler** starts with AI content planning off. You can still schedule your own posts. Enabling planning later does not publish until posts exist and are approved (or approval is off).

## If this fails

- Posts still sitting in Approvals after you turned approval off: those rows were created earlier. Approve or delete them.
- Scheduled time passed, status **Missed**: use **Approve & Publish Now** or **Reschedule**.
- Nothing publishes with approval off: check **Scheduler** for a time, **Settings → Connections**, and Instagram/TikTok/YouTube media requirements.
- **Week ready email** is not the same as publishing. It only emails when a week’s posts have been generated, and needs **Email notifications** in Settings.

## Related

- [Approvals](https://postless.app/guides/approvals)
- [Scheduling](https://postless.app/guides/scheduling)
- [Set up your brand profile](https://postless.app/guides/brand-setup)