Wikipedia:Why create an account?

Template:Sec link

Registering doesn't just give you better tools for making edits: An account facilitates everything from offering art, to working with other volunteers.

This is Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. It is free to read, and free to edit. Go beyond reading, and join the world's community of volunteers.

Wikipedia has various sister projects too, like Wikimedia Commons – where everyone collects and volunteers free media.

You don't need to be registered to contribute, but getting an account will allow you to:

• Choose an appropriate username, then click here and create your own user page. You can now collaborate, share information about yourself, or just practice editing and publishing (in your own sandbox, for example).
• From your user page, you can view a convenient list of all your contributions (edits), and use the watchlist to monitor changes made to pages that interest you.
• You can communicate with other editors via your own talk page. You will be notified of new messages when you log on. You can also opt in to exchanging emails with other users.
• Having a username enables you to start new pages, rename pages, or upload images.
• You can edit semi-protected pages. IP Address users cannot edit pages of this security level, but Autoconfirmed users can (and usually you will become an autoconfirmed user after just 10 edits and 4 days).
• Use your unified login to work on Wikimedia's other projects.
• Use custom preferences (including your discussion signature) to change the look and behaviour of Wikipedia.
• Edit without your IP address being visible, except to a few highly trusted users who have the Checkuser permission and who do not give it out to the public.
• Use more advanced editing tools.
• Vote in Arbitration Committee elections and Wikimedia Board elections.
• Become eligible for Barnstars and other awards and recognition.
• Be nominated for adminship, bureaucratship, and the ability to gain permissions.

For a little bit more detail, read on. Or, get started: Be another raindrop in the wave – contribute to the Wikipedia Project the way that you want to.

Template:Sec link is quick and completely free.

Benefits explained

Username and privacy

If you Template:Sec link, you can pick a username provided it is available and unique. Edits you make while logged in will be assigned to that name. That means you will get full credit for your contributions in the page history (when not logged in, the edits are just assigned to your IP address). You can also view all your contributions by clicking the "My contributions" link, which is visible only when you are logged in.

You will have your own permanent user page where you can write a bit about yourself. While Wikipedia is not a homepage provider, you can use this to display a few free pictures, write about your hobbies, etc. Many users use their user page to maintain a list of the articles they are most proud of, or to collect other valuable information from Wikipedia.

You will also have a permanent talk page you can use to communicate with other users. You will be notified whenever someone writes a message on your talk page. If you choose to give an e-mail address, other users will be able to contact you by e-mail. This feature is anonymous; the user who emails you will not know your e-mail address.

You are actually less identifiable logged in than you are as an unregistered editor, owing to the hiding of your IP address (so long as you avoid disclosing identifiable information on your User Page). You might want to consider privacy and the possibility of offline harassment, when deciding what to say on your User Page.

Reputation, communication, and more successful edits

Having an account gives you a fixed Wikipedia identity that other users will recognize. While we welcome contributions from unregistered editors, logging in under a User Name lets you build trust and respect through a history of good edits, and makes it easier for veteran users to assume good faith, communicate and collaborate. Having a good name (or pseudonym) to protect promotes more responsible editing, and more civil discourse.

Sometimes new or unregistered users are blocked from editing pages that are common targets of vandalism (just as this page is protected, and only users with an account can edit it). Also, bots can mistake even good faith IP address edits for vandalism. For these reasons, edits under a User Name tend to be more successful.

Your User Name may also receive recognition for good work such as Barnstars, Project Awards, Personal User Awards, or nomination for voted accolades like Editor of the Week. You need a fixed account identity to accumulate these pats on the back; they are not awarded to IP addresses.

As your reputation builds, it is possible to earn privileges such as rollback, sysop, and others. It is not possible for an unregistered editor to be granted these privileges.

User preferences

As a registered user, you can customize the way MediaWiki behaves in great detail by altering your Preferences at Special:Preferences. There, in the Appearance tab, you can change the following display settings:

• Under Skin: choose between various options as to the appearance of the website.
• Under Math: how mathematical formulas are displayed.
• Under Files: how large image thumbnails are displayed

And various editing preferences:

• How to sign your name.
• How large the editing box should be.
• How pages should be displayed in recent changes.
• and many others.

Blocked?

Shared IP addresses such as school and enterprise networks or proxy servers are frequently blocked for vandalism which, unfortunately, may also affect innocent editors on the same network. However, registered users in good standing can request existing blocks on their IP address be modified to affect only unregistered editors so that they can continue contributing to Wikipedia. If you are currently blocked from creating an account, we suggest you do one of the following:

• Try again after the block on your IP address expires. Go to my contributions and follow the Block log link at the top of that page to find the length of the block. If no block appears go to Special:BlockList and copy the IP address which appears at the top of Special:MyPage into the box next to "IP address for username:".
• Request an account by filling in this form to ask a volunteer to create an account for you. Be sure to read the instructions at Wikipedia:Request an account first and to change your password once you are logged in.
• You may wish to create an account on Meta-Wiki.

See the Blocking policy for details.

Template:Sec link

To create an account, click on the "Create an account now" link and fill out the required fields. This will be logged, and your account will be created.

See also

• Users Search box for users by name or official capacity
• Wikipedia:Account deletion
• Wikipedia:Request an account