---
url: https://spellingcreator.org/docs/guide/profiles.md
---

# Profiles

Everyone with an account has a public **display name**, an optional **bio**,
and a public **profile page** listing the lessons they've published. Your email
address is never shown to anyone: wherever the app names an author or a
commenter, it uses the display name.

## Your display name

The first time you sign in, a **Choose a display name** box appears and stays
until you pick one. A name can be 2 to 40 characters. It's what other people see
on your lessons and comments.

To change it later, open the account menu and choose **Edit display name**, or
go to **Settings** and press **Change** next to **Display name**. Changing it
also updates the name on the lessons and comments you've already posted.

Some names can't be used: names containing language that isn't allowed, and
names a moderator has banned.

## Your bio

A bio is a short "about me" on your profile page. Add one with **Add a bio** on
your own profile, or with **Edit** next to **Bio** in **Settings**. Either opens
the **Edit bio** box.

A bio can have simple formatting and links, but no pictures or other media. It
can be up to 500 characters, counting only the words you write, not the
formatting; the counter under the box measures it the same way. Leave the box
empty and press **Save** to remove your bio. Bios containing language that isn't
allowed are refused.

## Profile pages

Click any author's or commenter's name to open their profile. To find your own,
choose **My profile** from the account menu.

A profile shows the person's name, bio, follower and following counts, and their
**Published lessons**. Drafts and lessons a moderator has hidden aren't listed.
**Activity** shows their recent lessons and comments, and **RSS** gives you a
feed of the same to follow in a feed reader.

## Following people

Press **Follow** on someone's profile to follow them. The button changes to
**Following**; press it again to unfollow. The first time you follow someone
they get a [notification](./notifications.md). You can't follow yourself.

The follower and following counts on a profile open a **Connections** box with
**Followers** and **Following** tabs. These lists are public, and each name
links to that person's profile.

Once you follow people, the **From people you follow** panel on your home page
shows their latest lessons and comments, newest first.

For the endpoints and storage behind profiles and following, see
[Profiles for developers](../developers/web-app/profiles.md).