How do I create an account?
To create an account, you need an invitation code or link (refer to the Invitations FAQ for more information). Once you receive an invitation email, use the link provided in the email to go to the account creation page. If you've been provided with an invitation link by another user, using this link should take you to the right place. If you have been given a plain code (a series of numbers and letters), then refer to How do I use an invitation that is not a link?
Will my username be publicly displayed?
Yes, so be sure to choose something you're happy for others to know you by! Although you can use Pseuds (refer to the Pseuds FAQ) to post under different names on the Archive, your username will be publicly displayed next to the pseud. The connection will appear in the following format:
Pseud (Username)
What characters can I have in my account username?
You can have letters, numbers, and underscores in your username. Due to the Archive's technical requirements, usernames can only be created using basic Latin script without spaces or diacritics, and without punctuation such as periods or commas. They must begin and end with a letter or a number, and they must be at least 3 characters and no more than 40 characters in length.
List of allowed characters: Aa, Bb, Cc, Dd, Ee, Ff, Gg, Hh, Ii, Jj, Kk, Ll, Mm, Nn, Oo, Pp, Qq, Rr, Ss, Tt, Uu, Vv, Ww, Xx, Yy, Zz, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, _.
If you would like more flexibility, such as spaces and special characters, you can create a Pseud (refer to the Pseuds FAQ). Note that even if you use pseuds, your username will be displayed publicly next to the pseud (the format will be "Pseud (Username)"), so be sure that you choose one you're happy for others to know you as!
How do I verify my account?
After you have created an account, you will receive a link to activate it. Follow the link in the email to verify and activate your new Archive of Our Own account. If you don't verify your account within 14 days of setting it up, your registration will expire and you'll need to go through the account creation process again. For more information on invitations, please check out the Invitations FAQ.
If you don't get the activation email within a few hours of registering, please check your spam filter. If you still haven't received the email within 48 hours, please contact Support and ask them to help you activate your account. When contacting Support, please mention the email connected to your account. In order to ensure that the notification isn't blocked by your email server, you can add [email protected] to your whitelist.
What should I do if I think my account has been hacked?
If you suspect someone is using your account without your permission, you should immediately change your password and contact Abuse to make sure your account isn't used for any unwanted purposes.
How can I change the email associated with my account?
You can change the email associated with your account on the Edit Profile page by following these steps:
- Log in, and go to your dashboard by selecting the greeting "Hi, [username]!" and choosing "My Dashboard" from the menu, or by selecting your profile image.
- Select "Profile" from the menu found at the side of the page (or across the top in a mobile device).
- Use the "Edit My Profile" button, which can be found at the bottom of your profile.
- Use the "Change Email" button, which will be the last option below the page header.
- Enter the new email address in the "New Email" and "Confirm New Email" fields.
- Enter your password in the "Password" field
- Use the "Change Email" button to commit your changes. You will receive an email at your previous email address notifying you of the change.
How do I change my password?
You can change the password for your account on the Edit Profile page by following these steps:
- Log in, and go to your dashboard by selecting the greeting "Hi, [username]!" and choosing "My Dashboard" from the menu, or by selecting your profile image.
- Select "Profile" from the menu found at the side of the page or across the top in a mobile device.
- Use the "Edit My Profile" button, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
- Use the "Change Password" button.
- Enter the new password in "New Password" and "Confirm New Password" fields.
- Enter your current password in the field labelled "Old Password".
- Use the "Change Password" button at the bottom of the form to commit your changes.
How can I change my username?
Before you change your username, please know that any links containing your old username will not automatically forward to your new username. Links to your individual works don't contain your username so they won't break, but any links to your Dashboard, Profile, Works page, Series page, and so on will break, because your username is part of the URL (link). Creating a pseud instead will not cause the same problems.
To change your username:
- Log in, and go to your Dashboard by selecting the greeting "Hi, [username]!" and choosing "My Dashboard" from the menu, or by selecting your profile image.
- Select "Profile" from the menu found at the side of the page or at the top in a mobile device.
- Select "Edit My Profile" at the bottom of the page.
- Select the "Change User Name" button.
- Fill out the form with your new username and your password.
- Use the "Change User Name" button to commit your changes.
Usernames must be unique. You can't change your username to one already taken by someone else. If someone has already taken the username you'd like, consider using a pseud instead (refer to the Pseuds FAQ).
However, you can change the capitalization of your existing username without changing your user page's web address. In other words, if you currently have the username "superfan", you can rename your account to "Superfan", "SuperFan", or even "SuPeRfAn" without breaking any links. When making a capitalization change, make sure that your browser hasn't saved your previous capitalizations—some will automatically change it back when you attempt to update it.
To find out exactly how a username change would affect your works, bookmarks and other parts of your account, please check out How does changing my username affect my account?
How does changing my username affect my account?
Changing your username will:
- Change the username on all of your works and bookmarks.
- Change your username on all comments and kudos you have left across the site.
- Change your default pseud.
- Break links to your profile page, since the URL contains your username.
- Break links to your works listing, since the URL contains your username.
- Break any other links containing your username. For example, archiveofourown.org/users/$USERNAME/series.
Changing your username won't:
- Break links to your individual works, collections, or challenges since the direct links don't mention your username. For example, a link to one of your works might be structured like this: archiveofourown.org/works/12345678.
- Immediately change your username in internet search listings, such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo.
- Delete your works, bookmarks, subscriptions, history, or any other content you have created on the Archive.
Please use this feature with caution. Note that changes to your username may take several days or more to appear. If your username on your works, bookmarks, collections, etc. hasn't changed after a week, please contact Support.
How can I recover my lost username or password?
You can recover a lost password via the password recovery form. You must enter either your username or the email address associated with your account in the corresponding field and use the "Reset Password" button. If you've forgotten your username, entering your email address will retrieve this as well as resetting your password. Your details will be emailed to you at the address associated with your Archive account. If you have lost access to the email address associated with your Archive account as well, then please contact Support for help.
How do I delete my account?
Deleting your account will remove your works from the Archive. If you would like to delete your account but want to keep your works online, please consider orphaning your works (refer to the Orphaning FAQ).
You can delete your account on your Profile page as follows:
- Log in and go to your Dashboard by selecting the greeting "Hi, [username]!" and choosing "My Dashboard" from the menu, or by selecting your profile image.
- Select "Profile" from the menu.
- Use the "Delete My Account" button at the bottom of your profile. Please note that this is a permanent action. There is no way of restoring a deleted account.
- If you have any works, you will be asked if you would like to orphan them or delete them.
To find out how deleting your account would affect comments and kudos you've left, refer to What happens to comments I've left when I delete my account? and What happens to kudos I've left when I delete my account? in the Comments and Kudos FAQ.
How do I refuse a gift?
Log in and go to your Dashboard by selecting the greeting "Hi, [username]!" and choosing "My Dashboard" from the menu, or by selecting your profile image. Select "Gifts" from the menu found at the side of the page or at the top on a mobile device. This will take you to a list of your gifts.
Select the "Refuse Gift" button under any work to refuse it. The work will remain accessible on the Archive, but it will no longer show up in your gifts, and it won't include your username as a recipient in either the work blurb or the gifting section of the work's notes.
Work creators aren't notified if you refuse a gift, and the work cannot be gifted to you again.
If you'd like to be notified when you receive a gift, check out How do I change the way I receive comment notifications? If you'd like to accept a gift you've previously refused, refer to Is there any way to accept a gift after refusing it?
Is there any way to accept a gift after refusing it?
Yes. Log in and go to your Dashboard by selecting the greeting "Hi, [username]!" and choosing "My Dashboard" from the menu, or by selecting your profile image. Select "Gifts" from the menu found at the side of the page or at the top in a mobile device. This will take you to a list of your gifts.
From there, select the "Refused Gifts" button. This will take you to a list of gifts you have refused. To change a work's acceptance, select the "Accept Gift" button in that work's blurb. The work will move back into your list of accepted gifts, and your username will once again be listed as a recipient in the work's blurb and notes.
Work creators aren't notified if you accept a previously refused gift.
For more information on how to refuse a gift, check out How do I refuse a gift?
Where can I get more information if my question isn't answered here?
Some frequently asked questions about the Archive are answered in other sections of the Archive FAQ, and some common terminology is defined in our Glossary. Questions and answers about our Terms of Service can be found in the Terms of Service FAQ. You may also like to check out our Known Issues. If you need more help, please submit a Support request.