---
stage: Verify
group: Pipeline Execution
info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments
type: howto
---

# GitLab CI/CD instance configuration **(FREE SELF)**

GitLab CI/CD is enabled by default in all new projects on an instance. You can configure
the instance to have [GitLab CI/CD disabled by default](#disable-gitlab-cicd-in-new-projects)
in new projects.

You can still choose to [enable GitLab CI/CD in individual projects](../ci/enable_or_disable_ci.md#enable-cicd-in-a-project)
at any time.

## Disable GitLab CI/CD in new projects

You can set GitLab CI/CD to be disabled by default in all new projects by modifying the settings in:

- `gitlab.yml` for source installations.
- `gitlab.rb` for Omnibus GitLab installations.

Existing projects that already had CI/CD enabled are unchanged. Also, this setting only changes
the project default, so project owners can still enable CI/CD in the project settings.

For installations from source:

1. Open `gitlab.yml` with your editor and set `builds` to `false`:

   ```yaml
   ## Default project features settings
   default_projects_features:
     issues: true
     merge_requests: true
     wiki: true
     snippets: false
     builds: false
   ```

1. Save the `gitlab.yml` file.

1. Restart GitLab:

   ```shell
   sudo service gitlab restart
   ```

For Omnibus GitLab installations:

1. Edit `/etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb` and add this line:

   ```ruby
   gitlab_rails['gitlab_default_projects_features_builds'] = false
   ```

1. Save the `/etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb` file.

1. Reconfigure GitLab:

   ```shell
   sudo gitlab-ctl reconfigure
   ```

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