Commons:First steps/Account

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First steps
First steps tour Understanding Commons Creating an account File uploading License selection Tips & tricks A perfect upload Sorting of files Tools that make life easier Useful media software Third parties Reuse of Commons' media files

How to create and customize an account at Wikimedia Commons

To upload files you'll first need an account on Wikimedia Commons and you have to be logged in. Creating an account is free and doesn't take more than a few seconds.

[edit] Creating an account

	Click on the "Log in / create account" link in the upper right corner.
	This'll take you to a login mask. Click the boldface link "Create an account".
	You'll now see the account creation mask. Give the correct result of the simple calculation displayed. This is necessary for spam protection. Then enter a username and a safe password. An email address isn't required. If you enter one, you can exchange email with other users. If you decide to enter an email address, you'll have to confirm it at a later stage. Remember that a confirmed address would be the only chance to get a new password, in case you'd ever forget it. Your email address will only be shown to those users you choose to send emails to.

[edit] Customizing your preferences

	Once you've logged in, you can change the appearance of your interface—for example the interface language. You'll also see your user name and other new tabs displayed at the top of the page.
	If you intend to change your user preferences, just click on the "preferences" tab. There's a wide range of possible adaptations. You could just start by choosing your preferred language from the drop down list.
	Don't forget to save your customized preferences by clicking on the "Save" button below. In case your changes didn't quite turn out the way you expected, you can always revert to the default settings using the "Reset" button.

[edit] Further reading

MediaWiki handbook pages:

• Logging in
• Preferences
• User style