diff --git a/backend/open_webui/config.py b/backend/open_webui/config.py
index 8e922dff7..48c623bef 100644
--- a/backend/open_webui/config.py
+++ b/backend/open_webui/config.py
@@ -847,6 +847,12 @@ USER_PERMISSIONS = PersistentConfig(
     },
 )
 
+ENABLE_CHANNELS = PersistentConfig(
+    "ENABLE_CHANNELS",
+    "channels.enable",
+    os.environ.get("ENABLE_CHANNELS", "False").lower() == "true",
+)
+
 
 ENABLE_EVALUATION_ARENA_MODELS = PersistentConfig(
     "ENABLE_EVALUATION_ARENA_MODELS",
diff --git a/backend/open_webui/main.py b/backend/open_webui/main.py
index a5f349278..d1cca2ac4 100644
--- a/backend/open_webui/main.py
+++ b/backend/open_webui/main.py
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ from open_webui.config import (
     ENABLE_SIGNUP,
     ENABLE_LOGIN_FORM,
     ENABLE_API_KEY,
+    ENABLE_CHANNELS,
     ENABLE_COMMUNITY_SHARING,
     ENABLE_MESSAGE_RATING,
     ENABLE_EVALUATION_ARENA_MODELS,
@@ -407,6 +408,8 @@ app.state.config.WEBHOOK_URL = WEBHOOK_URL
 app.state.config.BANNERS = WEBUI_BANNERS
 app.state.config.MODEL_ORDER_LIST = MODEL_ORDER_LIST
 
+
+app.state.config.ENABLE_CHANNELS = ENABLE_CHANNELS
 app.state.config.ENABLE_COMMUNITY_SHARING = ENABLE_COMMUNITY_SHARING
 app.state.config.ENABLE_MESSAGE_RATING = ENABLE_MESSAGE_RATING
 
@@ -972,6 +975,7 @@ async def get_app_config(request: Request):
             "enable_websocket": ENABLE_WEBSOCKET_SUPPORT,
             **(
                 {
+                    "enable_channels": app.state.config.ENABLE_CHANNELS,
                     "enable_web_search": app.state.config.ENABLE_RAG_WEB_SEARCH,
                     "enable_google_drive_integration": app.state.config.ENABLE_GOOGLE_DRIVE_INTEGRATION,
                     "enable_image_generation": app.state.config.ENABLE_IMAGE_GENERATION,
diff --git a/backend/open_webui/routers/auths.py b/backend/open_webui/routers/auths.py
index 0b1f42edf..26b909376 100644
--- a/backend/open_webui/routers/auths.py
+++ b/backend/open_webui/routers/auths.py
@@ -616,6 +616,7 @@ async def get_admin_config(request: Request, user=Depends(get_admin_user)):
         "SHOW_ADMIN_DETAILS": request.app.state.config.SHOW_ADMIN_DETAILS,
         "ENABLE_SIGNUP": request.app.state.config.ENABLE_SIGNUP,
         "ENABLE_API_KEY": request.app.state.config.ENABLE_API_KEY,
+        "ENABLE_CHANNELS": request.app.state.config.ENABLE_CHANNELS,
         "DEFAULT_USER_ROLE": request.app.state.config.DEFAULT_USER_ROLE,
         "JWT_EXPIRES_IN": request.app.state.config.JWT_EXPIRES_IN,
         "ENABLE_COMMUNITY_SHARING": request.app.state.config.ENABLE_COMMUNITY_SHARING,
@@ -627,6 +628,7 @@ class AdminConfig(BaseModel):
     SHOW_ADMIN_DETAILS: bool
     ENABLE_SIGNUP: bool
     ENABLE_API_KEY: bool
+    ENABLE_CHANNELS: bool
     DEFAULT_USER_ROLE: str
     JWT_EXPIRES_IN: str
     ENABLE_COMMUNITY_SHARING: bool
@@ -640,6 +642,7 @@ async def update_admin_config(
     request.app.state.config.SHOW_ADMIN_DETAILS = form_data.SHOW_ADMIN_DETAILS
     request.app.state.config.ENABLE_SIGNUP = form_data.ENABLE_SIGNUP
     request.app.state.config.ENABLE_API_KEY = form_data.ENABLE_API_KEY
+    request.app.state.config.ENABLE_CHANNELS = form_data.ENABLE_CHANNELS
 
     if form_data.DEFAULT_USER_ROLE in ["pending", "user", "admin"]:
         request.app.state.config.DEFAULT_USER_ROLE = form_data.DEFAULT_USER_ROLE
diff --git a/src/lib/components/admin/Settings/General.svelte b/src/lib/components/admin/Settings/General.svelte
index 8fabe5bce..ce3cfec26 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/admin/Settings/General.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/admin/Settings/General.svelte
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@
 					</div>
 				</div>
 
-				<div class="  flex w-full justify-between pr-2">
+				<div class=" flex w-full justify-between pr-2">
 					<div class=" self-center text-xs font-medium">{$i18n.t('Enable API Key Auth')}</div>
 
 					<Switch bind:state={adminConfig.ENABLE_API_KEY} />
@@ -180,6 +180,16 @@
 						/>
 					</div>
 				</div>
+
+				<hr class=" border-gray-50 dark:border-gray-850 my-2" />
+
+				<div class="pt-1 flex w-full justify-between pr-2">
+					<div class=" self-center text-sm font-medium">
+						{$i18n.t('Channels')} ({$i18n.t('Beta')})
+					</div>
+
+					<Switch bind:state={adminConfig.ENABLE_CHANNELS} />
+				</div>
 			</div>
 		{/if}
 
diff --git a/src/lib/components/layout/Sidebar.svelte b/src/lib/components/layout/Sidebar.svelte
index ce19d33ff..3b0db5c56 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/layout/Sidebar.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/layout/Sidebar.svelte
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@
 		currentChatPage,
 		temporaryChatEnabled,
 		channels,
-		socket
+		socket,
+		config
 	} from '$lib/stores';
 	import { onMount, getContext, tick, onDestroy } from 'svelte';
 
@@ -628,7 +629,7 @@
 				</div>
 			{/if}
 
-			{#if ($user.role === 'admin' || $channels.length > 0) && !search}
+			{#if $config?.features?.enable_channels && ($user.role === 'admin' || $channels.length > 0) && !search}
 				<Folder
 					className="px-2 mt-0.5"
 					name={$i18n.t('Channels')}