1--- 2stage: Create 3group: Source Code 4info: 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 5type: reference, concepts 6--- 7 8# Merge request approvals **(PREMIUM SELF)** 9 10> [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/39060) in GitLab 12.8. 11 12Merge request approval rules prevent users from overriding certain settings on the project level. 13When enabled at the instance level, these settings [cascade](../project/merge_requests/approvals/settings.md#settings-cascading) 14and can no longer be changed: 15 16- In projects. 17- In groups. Cascading to groups was [enabled by default](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/285410) 18 in GitLab 14.5. 19 20To enable merge request approval settings for an instance: 21 221. On the top bar, select **Menu > Admin**. 231. On the left sidebar, select **{push-rules}** **Push Rules**, and expand **Merge request approvals**. 241. Choose the required options. 251. Click **Save changes**. 26 27## Available rules 28 29Merge request approval settings that can be set at an instance level are: 30 31- **Prevent approval by author**. Prevents project maintainers from allowing request authors to 32 merge their own merge requests. 33- **Prevent approvals by users who add commits**. Prevents project maintainers from allowing users 34 to approve merge requests if they have submitted any commits to the source branch. 35- **Prevent editing approval rules in projects and merge requests**. Prevents users from modifying 36 the approvers list in project settings or in individual merge requests. 37 38See also the following, which are affected by instance-level rules: 39 40- [Project merge request approval rules](../project/merge_requests/approvals/index.md). 41- [Group merge request approval rules](../group/index.md#group-approval-rules) available in GitLab 13.9 and later. 42