# CommunitiesSettings Metadata Type in SFDX

> CommunitiesSettings represents org-wide Experience Cloud configuration, controlling master network enablement, OWD external sharing visibility, partner user role hierarchies, and guest security policies.

- Source: https://sfdxtalk.com/docs/metadata/communities-settings-metadata-type/
- Category: Metadata
- Applies to: Salesforce Winter '27 (API version 68.0)
- Level: intermediate
- Published: 2026-11-12
- Last updated: 2026-11-12
- Publisher: SFDX Talk Editorial (unofficial; not affiliated with or endorsed by Salesforce)
- License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

## Architectural Overview

The `CommunitiesSettings` metadata type (`Communities.settings-meta.xml`) is the org-wide foundation for **Salesforce Experience Cloud** (formerly Communities). Before a single [Network](/docs/metadata/network-metadata-type/) or [ExperienceBundle](/docs/metadata/experience-bundle-metadata-type/) can be deployed to an org, `enableNetworksEnabled` in `CommunitiesSettings` must be `true`.

Beyond basic Experience Cloud enablement, `CommunitiesSettings` controls critical security and sharing architecture boundaries across all sites in the org—including whether records created by unauthenticated Guest Users are automatically reassigned to an internal owner (`enableGuestRecordReassignOrgPref`), whether external users are restricted by Account Role Optimization (ARO) and role depth, and whether Partner Super User access (`enablePartnerSuperUserAccess`) is permitted.

```mermaid
flowchart TD
    A["CommunitiesSettings (Communities.settings-meta.xml)"] --> B["enableNetworksEnabled = true"]
    B --> C["Guest User Security (enableGuestRecordReassignOrgPref)"]
    B --> D["Partner Hierarchy & Super User Access"]
    B --> E["Unlocks Network & ExperienceBundle Deployments"]
```

## Directory Location and File Suffix

In Salesforce DX projects, `CommunitiesSettings` is stored in the `settings` directory as `Communities.settings-meta.xml`.

| Property | Value |
| :--- | :--- |
| **Directory Path (SFDX)** | `force-app/main/default/settings/` |
| **File Name (SFDX)** | `Communities.settings-meta.xml` |
| **Classic Metadata File** | `settings/Communities.settings` |
| **Package.xml Type & Member** | `<name>Settings</name>` with `<members>Communities</members>` |

## Key Metadata Fields

The following table highlights the most architecturally significant fields on `CommunitiesSettings` in API version `68.0` (Winter '27):

| Field Name | Field Type | Architectural Description |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| `enableNetworksEnabled` | `boolean` | Master switch that enables Digital Experiences (Experience Cloud) in the org. Required before deploying any `Network` or `CustomSite`. |
| `enableGuestRecordReassignOrgPref` | `boolean` | Security best practice: automatically reassigns any record created by an unauthenticated Guest User to a designated default internal owner. |
| `enableOwdBasedExtUserVisibility` | `boolean` | Enforces Organization-Wide Default (OWD) external user visibility rules across Experience Cloud sites. |
| `enablePartnerSuperUserAccess` | `boolean` | Allows designated partner users with Partner Super User permission to view data owned by peers at the same role level or below on their Partner Account. |
| `canModerateAllFeedPosts` | `boolean` | Allows community moderators to moderate all feed posts visible in the site. |
| `enableCommunityWorkspaces` | `boolean` | Enables the modern Experience Workspaces management interface in Setup. |
| `enableSubdomain` | `boolean` | Enables Experience Cloud enhanced domains/subdomains for site URLs. |

## Declarative Metadata Example

The following `Communities.settings-meta.xml` enables Experience Cloud, enforces Guest User record reassignment (`<enableGuestRecordReassignOrgPref>true</enableGuestRecordReassignOrgPref>`), and enables OWD-based external user visibility:

```xml title="force-app/main/default/settings/Communities.settings-meta.xml"
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<CommunitiesSettings xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <canModerateAllFeedPosts>true</canModerateAllFeedPosts>
    <enableCommunityWorkspaces>true</enableCommunityWorkspaces>
    <enableGuestRecordReassignOrgPref>true</enableGuestRecordReassignOrgPref>
    <enableNetworksEnabled>true</enableNetworksEnabled>
    <enableOwdBasedExtUserVisibility>true</enableOwdBasedExtUserVisibility>
    <enablePartnerSuperUserAccess>true</enablePartnerSuperUserAccess>
</CommunitiesSettings>
```

### Package Manifest (`package.xml`)

```xml title="manifest/package.xml"
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Package xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <types>
        <members>Communities</members>
        <name>Settings</name>
    </types>
    <version>68.0</version>
</Package>
```

## SFDX CLI Retrieval and Deployment

Retrieve and deploy `CommunitiesSettings` using the Salesforce CLI (`sf`):

```bash
# Retrieve CommunitiesSettings into force-app/main/default/settings/Communities.settings-meta.xml
sf project retrieve start --metadata Settings:Communities

# Deploy CommunitiesSettings to the target org
sf project deploy start --metadata Settings:Communities
```

## Architect Best Practices and Gotchas

> [!WARNING]
> Never set `<enableGuestRecordReassignOrgPref>false</enableGuestRecordReassignOrgPref>` in production. Unauthenticated Guest Users should never remain the persistent `OwnerId` of records in Salesforce, as doing so complicates sharing calculations and violates Guest User security hardening standards.

- **Deployment Order in CI/CD:** Always ensure `Settings:Communities` is enabled in your `project-scratch-def.json` (`"communitiesSettings": { "enableNetworksEnabled": true }`) or deployed before [Network](/docs/metadata/network-metadata-type/), `CustomSite`, `CMSConnectSource`, and [ExperienceBundle](/docs/metadata/experience-bundle-metadata-type/) metadata.
- **External Sharing & User Visibility:** Enabling `enableOwdBasedExtUserVisibility` recalculates external user visibility across portals. Schedule changes to this setting during off-peak maintenance windows in orgs with ratusan thousands of Customer Community Plus or Partner Community users.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How is CommunitiesSettings referenced in package.xml and SFDX source format?

In package.xml, specify Settings as the type and Communities as the member, which maps to force-app/main/default/settings/Communities.settings-meta.xml.

### Can enableNetworksEnabled be disabled once Experience Cloud is turned on?

No. Once enableNetworksEnabled is set to true in an org, it is permanent and cannot be disabled via Metadata API or Setup.

### What does numberOfPartnerUserRoles control in CommunitiesSettings?

Wait—in Experience Cloud, partner account role hierarchy depth (1, 2, or 3 roles: Executive, Manager, User) is governed at the org level, directly impacting total role count governor limits.

### How does CommunitiesSettings affect Guest User record ownership and security?

CommunitiesSettings includes org-wide guest user security flags such as enableGuestRecordReassignOrgPref, which automatically reassigns records created by guest users to a default internal owner.

## Official References

- https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/api-metadata/references/meta-types/metadata-communitiessettings.md