---
title: Deactivate or activate a watch topic
description: You can deactivate or activate a watch topic in the Vulnerability Manager Workspace.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/security-management/vulnerability-manager-workspace/activate-deactivate-watch-topic.html
release: australia
product: Vulnerability Manager Workspace
classification: vulnerability-manager-workspace
topic_type: task
last_updated: "2026-03-12"
reading_time_minutes: 1
breadcrumb: [Use watch topics in the Vulnerability Manager Workspace, Monitoring and managing vulnerable items and test results in the Vulnerability Manager Workspace, Vulnerability Manager Workspace, Vulnerability Response Workspaces, Unified Security Exposure Management, Security Operations]
---

# Deactivate or activate a watch topic

You can deactivate or activate a watch topic in the Vulnerability Manager Workspace.

## Before you begin

Role required:

-   sn\_vul.vulnerability\_analyst, or sn\_vul.vulnerability\_admin for host vulnerable items \(VITs\)
-   sn\_vul.app\_sec\_manager for application vulnerable items \(AVITs\)
-   sn\_vul\_container.vulnerability\_analyst or sn\_vul\_container.vulnerability\_admin for container vulnerable items \(CVITs\)
-   sn\_vulc.admin for configuration test results \(CTRs\)

## About this task

-   All the inactive watch topics are displayed in the **Inactive** module in the navigation pane.
-   You can't create a remediation effort or a recurring remediation effort for an inactive watch topic.
-   You can't refresh an inactive watch topic.
-   The details of an inactive watch topic and its associated remediation efforts aren’t updated.

## Procedure

1.  Navigate to **Workspaces** > **Vulnerability Manager Workspace** > **Watch Topics**.

2.  Open the watch topic that you want to deactivate.

3.  Click the three dots and click **Deactivate**.

    The watch topic appears in the Inactive module.

4.  To activate a watch topic, select a watch topic in the Inactive module, select the three dots menu and select **Activate**.

    The activated watch topic moves to the appropriate module in the navigation pane.


**Parent Topic:**[Use watch topics in the Vulnerability Manager Workspace](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/security-management/vulnerability-manager-workspace/vr-ws-wtopic-ui-options.md)