MacRumors FAQ

This thread has been replaced by MacRumors FAQ, Forums FAQ, and Moderation FAQ in the MacRumors Help Center.

How do I contribute to MacRumors.com?

MacRumors.com and the associated pages (Forums, etc.) are free for everyone to use.

However, users who enjoy using the site and want to support the site may contribute ($25/year). To contribute, click Paid Subscriptions in your User Control Panel (User CP in the toolbar). We accept Paypal.

In thanks for your $25/year contribution we offer you the following benefits:

• The satisfaction of knowing you are helping MacRumors (the primary reason to contribute)
• Access to a private forum
• Removal of most ads
• A Demi-God, Demi-Goddess, or Contributor user title, if you want it
• The ability to customize your profile page and photo album pages

How else can I support MacRumors.com?

• Participate. Register for membership, join the MacRumors forums, post questions, comments, and answers. Join our distributed computing teams. Submit news and rumors (see below for instructions).
• Shop. Click ads of interest when you see them, to support our sponsors. Use the shopping links at the tops of pages. Save yourself money while helping MacRumors by purchasing software bundles from our promotional partners (example). Use the MacRumors Shop when you shop for hardware and software, electronics, office products, photographic equipment, and games. You can buy MacRumors logo merchandise at CafePress but it is not a fundraiser for MacRumors in order to keep prices down.
• Set a good example in the forums by being helpful as well as tolerant of others' opinions. If you spot problems in the forums, report them to the moderators.
• Visit our sister sites, listed at the bottom of our home page. Participate in the Touch Arcade forums.
• Spread the word. The ongoing success of this site depends on interested users, so we actively encourage you to tell others about the site. Link to MacRumors and its associated sites from your blogs and from other websites. Refer your friends and associates to MacRumors and encourage them to do all of the above.

How do I submit a news story or a rumor?

If you know of a news item or rumor that is suitable for the MacRumors Front Page or Mac Blog or iOS Blog, and it hasn't already appeared on those pages, you can submit it by clicking Got a tip for us? Share it... at the top of one of those pages. Not every story is chosen for publication.

The MacRumors editors are always on the lookout for newsworthy stories, and submissions help us recognize news quickly. When it is clear that a particular forum member first led us to a story, credit is given at the bottom of the story. If you have submitted a story that subsequently appears on the Front Page, Mac Blog, or iOS Blog you may not have been the first to submit it and our editors may have been writing up the story before you submitted or posted it.

Where are the RSS feeds?

• Full Feed - all MacRumors stories
• Front Page Feed - front page stories
• Mac Feed - Mac Blog stories
• iOS Feed - iOS Blog stories
• Legacy Front Page Feed - faster-loading feed with abbreviated content

Is MacRumors on Twitter and Facebook?

Twitter:

• @MacRumors - comprehensive feed
• @MacRumorsFP - Front Page feed
• @MacRumorsMac - Mac Blog feed
• @MacRumorsiOS - iOS Blog feed

Facebook:

• MacRumors on Facebook - Like and share MacRumors stories

Are there different ways to view the site?

Using the links at the bottom left of any news or blog page you can choose among the

• Mobile Version - suitable for a smart phone or other device with a small screen
• Fixed Display - a standard width suitable for any computer or tablet.
• Fluid Display - for columns that adjust to your window width. Suitable for a widescreen display.
• Fluid HD Display - for the widest columns.
  See the announcement for details.

I'm not interested in certain types of news stories

Practically everyone has an interest in some news and rumors. Only a small minority have an interest in them all.

The editors provide a selection of news stories and rumors, of many types. Which to read is always your choice. The division of stories into Front Page, Mac Blog, and iOS Blog tabs allows you to limit your viewing to only the most important news and rumors, if you so choose.

The Front Page is for the news and rumors that the editors think will have the most widespread interest. Stories of less importance or interest or that have fewer supporting details are posted on one of the blog tabs.

Why does a "Mac rumors" site have so many stories about iPhones and iPads?

Applerumors.com is an alias of this site, and more correctly describes the purpose of the site, to provide up-to-date news and rumors about Apple Inc. and its products.

MacRumors was established before Apple expanded its business from computers to the digital music, mobile phone, and tablet markets and added products and services as varied as Apple TV, the iTunes Store, and iCloud.

The site is still called MacRumors because the name is so well-known and "market branded" with millions of visitors every month.

Our news and rumors will continue to reflect Apple's business, wherever that takes us. We also cover stories of widespread interest to our regular readers, such as news and speculation about major software developers and third-party product and service vendors closely associated with Apple or competing with Apple.

Are news stories really advertising in disguise?

MacRumors does not post undisclosed paid stories. Promotional arrangements are always identified.

Routine stories about Mac apps, iOS apps, or commercial products, sites, or services are posted when the editors think they will be of sufficient interest. They are not posted for advertising purposes.

Most routine product reports are on the blog sites. You can choose whether to follow all stories or just those on the Front Page by clicking the tabs of interest or by using the appropriate RSS feed or Twitter feed.

What do I do about annoying ads?

MacRumors uses an advertising service that supplies ads from a pool. We do not select the specific ads shown or the specific advertisers who participate.

If you find a particular ad especially annoying (e.g., an ad that is oversized, obscures the page, moves around, or has sound), let us know by posting a screenshot in our Site and Forum Feedback forum and telling us the URL it links to. Using this information we can ask to have it removed from the ad pool.

If you find all ads annoying, remember that ads support the site and allow us to provide free news, rumors, and discussion, and that ads are suppressed for paid members. See "How do I contribute to MacRumors.com?" above.

Why does MacRumors still use Flash on its website?

The content we produce is Flash-free.

When our news stories link to videos hosted elsewhere, they may use Flash. We use Flash-free versions when available but we do not own the rights to content so we are not authorized to republish it in an iPad/iPhone-friendly format.

The use of Flash content in ads is up to each advertiser. If it will benefit them to stop using Flash, we presume they eventually will.

Why are some Apple products missing from the Buyer's Guide?

Advice in the Buyer's Guide about the timing of purchases is based on the history of intervals between previous releases or upgrades. First-generation Apple products do not have such a history so we cannot make purchase timing recommendations on that basis. Once products start having regular updates we can add them to the Buyer's Guide. For this reason, the Apple TV product line was not included in the Buyer's Guide until 2013, long after the first generation Apple TV was introduced.

Who are the MacRumors staff?

Arnold Kim (user arn) is site owner and Editorial Director. Eric Slivka (user WildCowboy) is Editor in Chief. Editors and contributing writers include Juli Clover, James Cull, Jordan Golson, Richard Padilla, Marianne Schultz, and Husain Sumra.

Users annk, Doctor Q, HexMonkey, Knox, r6girl, and WildCowboy assist arn as administrators, managing the site and forums and overseeing moderation. User theyeoman manages the support system.

The forums are moderated by a team of selected volunteer Forum Moderators.

MacRumors Forums FAQ (Part 1)

How do I register?

MacRumors registration is free to those age 13 and over. The rule is one person, one account. Registration allows you to participate in the MacRumors forums and our associated sites. You must agree to the Registration Agreement and observe all Forum Rules.

To register:

1. If you use email that has a junk/spam filter, add webmaster@macrumors.com to your address book, approved senders, or other whitelist so you'll receive our email.
2. Fill out the registration forms starting at the Registration page. Pick a unique User Name that will become your forum identity. Don't use your real name if it will be a concern for your privacy. Provide your real email address, which will be protected by our Privacy Policy (we never send ads or share your address). Do not use a disposable email service; such accounts may be canceled.
3. Look for an activation message in your email inbox. It was sent to the email address you provided. If you don't get the email, see Activation troubleshooting below.
4. Click the link in the email to activate your MacRumors account. If you are an AOL user, use the separate link for AOL users.
5. If activation fails, see Activation troubleshooting below.
6. You should now be able to log into the MacRumors forums.

Activation troubleshooting

These steps will solve account activation problems.

1. Did you receive the activation email? If so, skip to Step 6.
2. Did you complete all registration web pages? If not, start the registration process again.
3. Has it been less than 15 minutes since you registered? If so, wait for the email in case it simply didn't arrive yet, then return to Step 1.
4. The activation email was sent to you but you didn't receive it. Check if your email program, web-based email service, or ISP has filed the message in another folder or has quarantined it as potential spam. If you find it, click the activation link, then skip to Step 6.
5. Double-check if your email program is set to allow email from webmaster@macrumors.com. If so, skip to Step 11. If not, fix your email settings, then skip to Step 11.
6. Did the activation link in the email work? If so, you are done.
7. Did you get the error message "We could not activate your account because this web address is not valid"? If not (i.e., you encountered some other type of error), skip to Step 11.
8. Has it been more than 24 hours since you registered? If so, the Activation ID timed out, so skip to Step 11.
9. Check if your email program wrapped the activation URL onto multiple lines, so that clicking the URL gave you only a partial URL. If so, paste the whole URL together and use it in your web browser. It works, you are done.
10. Go to the Manual Activation Page. Copy and paste your User Name and Activation ID from the activation email into the web page, and click the button. If it works, you are done.
11. If this is the first time you have reached this step, have another activation email sent to you, with a fresh Activation ID, using the Email Activation Codes page. Fill in the email address that you used to register for MacRumors, click the button, and return to Step 1.
12. If you have still not received the requested activation email, check if people who don't share your ISP can send email to you. When your email is rejected because your mailbox is full or your mail server can't deliver your mail for any other reason, MacRumors activation messages bounce back to MacRumors. Even if you contact us, we can't reply to you because our messages to you bounce as well. To check for this possibility, ask a friend who has a different email domain to send you email. If you don't receive it, you'll need to solve that problem with your ISP before coming back to MacRumors and repeating Step 11. Some ISPs, including AT&T, SBC Global and Pac Bell, use spam filters that block email from some forum systems like ours. If so, you may need to use another email address such as a work address or a web-based service like Gmail, not the email account provided by your ISP.
13. If these troubleshooting steps have failed to solve the problem, use the Contact Us page to contact the administrators for assistance. Please provide your User Name, the email address you used for registration, and tell us what happened when you followed these steps.

It says my email address has been banned

Due to abusive registrations we block registrations from particular email services. Supply an alternate email address to successfully register. We disallow disposable email addresses because they do not give us a way to contact you if there is a problem with your account and because it can be a sign that you won't take responsibility for your posts. Under our Privacy Policy it is safe to use your real email address; you will not receive ads, promotions, or spam from MacRumors and we will not share your address.

How do I post?

To start a new thread or post a reply in an existing thread you must first be logged into the forums. To log in, enter your user name and password at the top right of any forum page.

You cannot post from the main forum page. You must be in a particular forum to start a thread and in a particular thread to post a reply.

How do I start a new thread?

To start a new thread:

1. Browse or search the forums to see if there is already a thread on the topic. If so, post there instead of creating a new thread.
2. Start at the main forum page.
3. Click the name of one of the forums, e.g., Mac Basics and Help.
4. Click the New Thread button at the top or bottom of the page.
5. Type a thread title in the Title box and your post in the Message box.
6. Click the Preview Post button to check if your post came out as you want it.
7. Click the Submit New Thread button.

How do I post a reply?

To post a reply in a forum thread:

1. While viewing the thread, click the Post Reply button at the top or bottom of the page.
2. Type your post in the Message box.
3. Click the Preview Post button to check if your post came out as you want it.
4. Click the Submit Reply button.

To reply to somebody else's post and show a quote of their post in your reply:

1. Click the Quote button at the bottom of their post.
2. Type your post in the Message box after the quote that will appear there.
3. Click the Preview Post button to check if your post came out as you want it.
4. Click the Submit Reply button.

To quote more than one previous post:

1. Click the multi-quote icon (it looks like a double quote mark) next to each post you would like to quote.
2. Click the Post Reply button at the top or bottom of the page.
3. Type your post in the Message box, which will contain all of the quoted posts.
4. Click the Preview Post button to check if your post came out as you want it.
5. Click the Submit Reply button.

I can't post

In order to post in the forums you need to have a registered user account, have activated your account by clicking on the activation link in your email, and be logged in.

To start a new thread you must be on a particular forum page, not the main forum page. To reply to a thread, you must be viewing that thread.

If you are certain that all of these conditions are true, there are a few other considerations.

Regular users cannot post new threads in the News and Article Discussion forums:

• MacRumors.com News Discussion
• Mac Blog Discussion
• iOS Blog Discussion

If you try to start a thread in these forums you'll get the message "You do not have permission to access this page." Only MacRumors can create new threads in these forums, but all registered users can reply to existing threads there.

The following forums have a minimum post count requirement:

• Marketplace
• Politics, Religion, Social Issues

Only users with a history of 250 posts (user title 6502 or higher) and membership for at least 6 months can access the Marketplace forum. Only users with a history of 100 posts can post in the Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. If you start a "for sale" thread or political thread in another forum to avoid this rule, your thread will be deleted. Once you reach 100 or 250 posts, you may not immediately be able to post in these forums. The privilege is added automatically when the forum system does routine processing, so check again in a few hours. The delay is normal, so please do not contact us to report it as a problem on the same day that you reach 100 or 250 posts. When you first gain access to the Marketplace forum, you will see it in the Community section of the forums.

Where is the Marketplace forum?

You will not see the Marketplace forum until you qualify to use it. See the previous paragraph.

Once you qualify, it will appear in the Mac Community section.

How do I edit or delete my post?

To edit a post you have already made:

1. Click the Edit button below your post.
2. Edit the text in the Message box.
3. If you would like to preview your changes or use the full set of editing features, click the Go Advanced button.
4. Click the Save or Save Changes button.

As a courtesy to other members, we ask that you not change posts in a way that interferes with a discussion by other members.

You cannot delete your own posts, but you are welcome to use the Report Post icon ( ) to request that the moderators remove a post you have made. They will do so in most cases, as long as it won't interfere with a discussion by other members.

How do I find my own posts?

To find your own posts, click on your user name next to a post and select Find More Posts by (yourname).

You can also find your posts by clicking either Find all posts by (yourname) or Find all threads started by (yourname) in your User Profile. To go to your User Profile, click on your user name and select View Public Profile, or click Quick Links in the toolbar and select My Profile.

You can create a bookmark to find the threads in which you have posted as follows.

• Create a bookmark to an arbitrary page, with a name like My MacRumors Threads.
• Edit the bookmark and paste this string into the URL: https://forums.macrumors.com/search...sortby=lastpost&order=descending&searchdate=0
• Replace USERNAME with your forum user name, changing any space in your user name to %20, e.g., user name Mac Guru would become Mac%20Guru.

To create a bookmark to find your posts, e.g., My MacRumors Posts, do the same but start with this string:

• https://forums.macrumors.com/search...ost&order=descending&searchdate=0&showposts=1

How do I know if someone replies to my post?

To see replies that quote your post, look on your Quote Notifications page.

To follow the discussion in a particular thread, which will include replies that quote you, replies to you that don't quote you, and replies to other users, subscribe to that thread. See How do I use thread subscriptions? below. You can ask for email notifications of new posts in subscribed threads or you can go to the main page of your User Control Panel to see a list of your subscribed threads in which there have been new posts.

You can also identify threads you have subscribed to by a checkmark in the New Posts display or the Forum Spy.

I think that my post count is wrong

If you posted to a thread that was moved to the Wasteland or deleted, those posts will be removed from your total. Individual posts deleted by moderators are also excluded from your post count.

Posts made to the Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum, the Console Games forum, the Code Sharing and Software Promos forum, and the Marketplace forum are not counted.

If your post count reaches a total that entitles you to a new forum privilege, such as uploading and avatar or using the Marketplace forum, the new privilege may not take effect immediately. It will work by the following day at the latest.

MacRumors Forums FAQ (Part 2)

How do I get help with a hardware or software problem?

Getting and giving help with hardware or software problems is one of the purposes of our forums. When you have a technical problem the following tips can help you get advice or find a solution:

1. Search. Your question may have already been answered. Search the forums, perhaps limiting your search to specific forums or to words in thread titles. Also search the Mac Guides.
2. Post. If you don't find what you need by searching, post your question in the most appropriate or most specific forum. (Posting in multiple forums is not permitted.) If you can't decide which forum is best, post in the Mac Basics and Help forum.
3. Thread title. Use a thread title that indicates the subject of the thread, not a generic title such as "Need help", so that people who might know the answer will read your thread.
4. Details. Give specific details about your problem and the software, computer, or device you are using. What version? What configuration? Did it used to work? What changed? How did you try to fix it? The more relevant information you can provide, the more likely it is that someone can help you.
5. Patience. Answers don't always appear quickly. Sometimes nobody knows the answer so you'll get no replies. You may need to answer questions from users who are trying to help you. "Bumping" a thread by posting again just to attract attention is not permitted but you can post again if you have new information to provide.
6. Common sense. Answers come from other forum members, usually strangers to you. It's free assistance but may not always be on-target. Even well-meaning users may misunderstand or misdiagnose what's wrong. Work with the people who are trying to help you and you may find a solution.
7. Return the favor. If you get help from the forum community, pay it back by helping someone else when you know an answer.
8. FAQ and Rules. Read this FAQ and the Forum Rules. Look around the forums and read some threads. You'll soon learn how things work and how to maximize the usefulness of the forums.

How do I mark my thread to show that the problem has been solved?

You can mark a thread as "Resolved" only if you started the thread. To do so:

1. Click the Edit button next to the first post in the thread.
2. Click the Go Advanced button.
3. Change the drop-down in front of the thread title to [Resolved].
4. Click the Save Changes button.

Marking a thread as Resolved is a hint to others that a solution or explanation was found or that you no longer need help or advice. It does not close the thread or prevent others from making comments if the subject is still of interest to them.

How do I use thread and forum subscriptions?

Thread subscriptions are used to track new posts in threads of interest. You can identify them using your User Control Panel, with email notifications, in the New Posts display, and/or in the Forum Spy. Forum subscriptions let you track new and updated threads in particular forums. Both can be used to notify you of new activity by email or to show you a record of recent activity when you ask for it.

Thread and forum subscriptions are viewed and controlled using the

• Thread Tools menu in a thread display
• Forum Tools menu in a forum display
• User Control Panel
• Thread Subscriptions page
• Default Thread Subscription Mode setting in your User Options

For details see Forum tip: how to use subscriptions

How do I send email or Private Messages to other forum members?

You can communicate with other forum members publicly by posting in the forums. You may also be able to send private communications to other forum members. MacRumors supports both Private Messages and email initiated within the forum system.

Private Messages (PMs) are like email but stored within the forum system and addressed by User Name. They do not reveal any personal information beyond your User Name. In contrast, if you send email to another member via the forum system, your email address (which MacRumors would otherwise never release to anyone else) will be revealed to the recipient of your message. You will learn their email address only if they choose to reply to you by email.

The Private Message is not available to the newest forum members. See Why can't I send a Private Message? below.

When you receive a Private Message, it will be noted under the Welcome message at the top right of a forum page. When you send a Private Message, you have no guarantee that the other member will notice your message. Each member can choose, in their User Options, whether to be notified when a Private Message is sent to them. The options are named Receive Email Notification of New Private Messages and Show New Private Message Notification Pop-up and we recommend that you enable them.

You can send or view messages on your Private Messages page. You can send or receive an unlimited number of Private Messages, although you can store a maximum of 500 at one time. You can delete or save your stored Private Messages using choices at the bottom right of the Private Messages page. Email initiated at MacRumors is not stored.

Private Messages and email sent via the forum system must obey all forum rules, including those against advertising and against sending unsolicited unwanted messages.

Why can't I send a Private Message?

You may not be eligible to use this feature yet.

Before you can send a Private Message or email to another forum member, these conditions must apply:

1. You must have a post count of at least 5, as shown in your user profile.
2. You must have been a forum member at least one day.
3. The recipient must have enabled receipt of Private Messages or email in their User Options. The options are named Enable Private Messaging and Receive Email from Other Members.

The first two eligibility requirements are necessary to prevent spammers, advertisers, or "bots" from joining MacRumors merely to send spam by Private Message. They are a slight inconvenience for new members but are for the benefit of all members. The third requirement is a matter of personal privacy. If a forum member chooses not to enable receipt of Private Messages or email, the moderators will not send them a message on your behalf. However, members should enable receipt of Private Messages when posting in the Marketplace forum.

Forum accounts

How do user titles work?

User titles are based on post counts:

• Newbie => 0 - 29 posts
• Member => 30 posts
• Regular => 100 posts (minimum required to post in the Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum)
• 6502 => 250 posts (minimum required for access to the Marketplace forum)
• 6502a => 500 posts (minimum required to have an avatar)
• 65816 => 1,000 posts
• 65832 => 1,500 posts
• 68000 => 1,505 posts
• 68010 => 2,000 posts
• 68020 => 2,005 posts
• 68030 => 2,500 posts
• 68040 => 3,000 posts
• 601 => 4,000 posts
• 603 => 5,000 posts
• 604 => 6,500 posts
• G3 => 8,000 posts
• G4 => 10,000 posts
• G5 => 12,000 posts

etc....

• Demi-Goddess, Demi-God or Contributor => Member who has contributed to the site and has chosen to use one of those three titles.
• (Moderator) suffix => Member who is also a moderator
• (Moderator emeritus) suffix => Member who is a former moderator
• macrumors god => administrator

The numbers come from the increasingly powerful microprocessors used in Apple computers over the years. The 6502 and 658xx are from the Apple II family, 680x0 were used in early Macintosh systems, 601 and beyond are PowerPC chips.

How do I set my avatar?

Avatars are small images that display alongside a user's name. This is a feature that is reserved for established users on the MacRumors Forums. We require a 500 post minimum (user title 6502a or higher) before you are given the opportunity to upload your own custom avatar. A few users were given avatar privileges before this milestone because they won a forum contest.

Once you reach 500 posts you may not immediately be able to upload an avatar. The privilege is added automatically when the forum system does routine processing, so check again in a few hours. The delay is normal so please do not contact us to report it as a problem on the same day that you reach 500 posts.

I forgot my forum user name or password

If you know the email address you registered with and can still receive email at that address, go to the Lost Password Recovery Form and fill in that email address. You will be sent your user name and instructions for resetting your password. If you are sure of your email address but get "The email address you entered is not in our database" it means there is no MacRumors account with that email address. Either you used a different email address for your MacRumors account or you have us confused with another Mac-related forum site.

After you reset your password, you can use the Edit Email & Password page to change your password to one you can remember. You can change your account's email address there as well.

If you have forgotten your password and either forgotten your registration email address or can no longer receive email at that email address, contact us for assistance. Tell us your forum user name, current email address, and any other information you remember about your MacRumors account so we can look up your account.

See Forum tip: keep your email address up to date

Can I change my user name?

The forum software does not let you change your user name.

If you mistyped your user name while registering, typed a user name longer than 15 characters that was then truncated, or mistakenly tried to put your email address in the user name field, promptly ask for it to be corrected using the Contact form.

If you are simply tired of your user name, consider the following problems that can result if your user name is changed:

• Other forum members will be confused, wondering where you went or how an apparently new member appeared.
• Your new user name will be shown next to each of your posts, but posts that mention you by name will still show your old user name, causing further confusion.
• In particular, posts that quote your posts will say Originally Posted by (oldusername) while the linked-to post will not match that name.
• If you have participated in editing any of the MacRumors Guides, the edit history will show the wrong information, listing the old user name as page author and in edit histories.
• If you use the Marketplace forum, your records of successful transactions will probably be missed by other users.
• If you use the same name at multiple websites and think that your user name at MacRumors should match, remember that making yourself easier to find across websites can have disadvantages as well. Using different user names adds to your privacy.
• If you have been mentioned in lists or forum announcements or been given kudos for achievements, e.g., contest winners, member directories, top poster reports, or credit for news story submissions, they will reflect the wrong user name.
• User names can be changed only manually by the administrators. While we understand that it is sometimes necessary, handling such requests, including the required recordkeeping, takes time away from work that benefits all forum users.

If you think that your case represents an exception to these cautions, use the Contact form to request a change of user name and explain the circumstances. You must mention that you have read this FAQ section; otherwise we will refer you to it. We will consider your request and grant it, deny it, or ask for more information.

We have found that this policy strikes the right balance between members with user name concerns and the forum community as a whole.

We prohibit user name changes made for the purpose of "hiding" from previously made posts, covering up a bad reputation, or to trick other users. You may not change user names by re-registering since re-registration violates forum rules.

The quality of your posts defines you more than your user name, but once you've established a presence in the forums people tend to recognize you by your user name and your avatar if you have one. It benefits the community for you to keep your user name, which is why we discourage user name changes. If you are itching for a change and have an avatar, we suggest that you upload a new avatar!

How do I cancel my account?

There is normally no need to cancel a MacRumors account. If you expect not to need to post at MacRumors, you can simply stop visiting our site. There is nothing you need us to do. Under our Privacy Policy, we won't email you or release your contact information. Inactive accounts are of little consequence. The advantage is that if you change your mind, perhaps because you have an Apple-related question, you can return to MacRumors, log in, and post.

For additional privacy, you are welcome to remove the information in your User Profile (Instant Messaging names, Location, etc.) since this information is visible to the public for both active and inactive MacRumors accounts.

If you have subscribed to any forums or threads, have asked for email notifications, and are no longer interested in receiving those messages, delete the subscriptions on your List Subscriptions page.

If there are exceptional circumstances, such as an employment contract, that require that your account be canceled to prevent you from logging in, use the Contact Form to let us know. We'll probably direct you to this FAQ section unless you tell us you've already read it!

Canceling an account does not remove previously made posts from the forums, nor quotes of those posts by other members. If you are concerned about information in one of your previous posts (e.g., it contains too much personal information), you can edit the post yourself or report it to the moderators and ask that it be deleted. We strongly discourage you from editing or deleting large numbers of previous posts, since that may leave thread discussions "broken" or confusing to those who read them in the future.

Forum rules and moderation

What are the rules?

All forum users are responsible for observing the following rules:

• Forum Rules (click Rules at the top of any forum page)
• Registration Agreement (coming soon)
• Rules for Appropriate Debate (coming soon)

Rules for specific forums:

• Marketplace Rules (coming soon)
• Guidelines for Software Developers (coming soon)

How are the forums moderated?

The MacRumors forums are moderated by a team of carefully selected volunteer Forum Moderators. In addition to helping us manage the site, they edit, move, merge, or remove threads or posts that do not comply with the Forum Rules, remind users about the rules, and apply forum discipline where necessary.

This is a busy bulletin board exceeding 10000 forum posts per day. The moderators cannot read them all so they rely on members to report problem posts that they encounter. The point of moderation is not to limit discussion, promote or suppress points of view, or any other secret agenda. The goal of moderation is to keep the forums enjoyable and free from problems that detract from the experiences of our users.

More information:

• If you see a post that breaks the rules, see How do I report a post? (coming soon)
• For full details about moderation, including what to do if your posts are moderated, see the Moderation FAQ (coming soon).
• If you need to talk to the moderators, see How to contact the moderators and administrators.

MacRumors Forum Tips and Tricks

Avoiding session timeout

When you log in, checking the Remember Me? checkbox will prevent your session from being timed out after 15 minutes of inactivity. If you are on a shared or public computer, either leave the checkbox unchecked or be sure to log out of MacRumors before anyone else uses the computer.

Finding the posts you want

The New Posts link at the top of each forum page shows you the latest new threads and posts. By bookmarking the appropriate URL, you can exclude particular forums from the New Posts display. Forum Spy constantly updates, showing you all the new posts as they are added. You can configure it to exclude certain forums by using the Preferences option at the top of the forum spy page.

The 'Vote Now' bug

If you edit a post and the button labels are wrong, it's a Safari bug that Apple knows about but has yet to fix. The bug applies to some versions of Chrome as well. Most commonly, there will be a Vote Now button where the Save button should be, and other buttons may be out of place too. If you encounter this bug, either reload the page or click the middle of the three buttons, no matter what label it has. That's the Go Advanced button and it will take you to the full edit screen where the buttons will be correct.

The 'Missing Security Token' bug

If you get a message about a missing security token when you are trying to search or post, it's because the forum system is confused about your login status. This occurs when you have two windows or tabs open at MacRumors with only one of them logged in. To fix it, reload the pages.

The 'Breadcrumb' bug

If you keep going back to the main forum page when you click on the forum path above the thread title (e.g., Mac Forums > Mac Community > Site and Forum Feedback), the problem is a Safari extension or a Firefox plug-in. Disable your extensions or plug-ins and re-enable them selectively.

Forum features

General information about the vBulletin forum software (not necessarily reflecting the way MacRumors has customized it):

• General Forum Usage
• User Profile Features
• Reading and Posting Messages
• vB code markup
• Search the vBulletin FAQ

Moderation FAQ: Moderation and Post Reports

The MacRumors forums are moderated by a team of carefully selected volunteer Forum Moderators. They

• help forum members use the forums properly by offering guidance and answering questions
• maintain reference information in the forums and Mac Guides
• edit, move, merge, or remove threads or posts that do not comply with the Forum Rules
• remind users about the rules and apply forum discipline where necessary
• test new forum features
• help set forum policies

Administrators oversee the moderators, manage the site and forum system, and make policy decisions. You can contact them various ways: post reports, Private Messages, the Contact form, and Feedback threads. See How to contact the moderators and administrators

What should I do if I see a post that breaks the forum rules?

Please report the post to the moderators so they can take care of the problem.

Don't complain about the post in the forums and don't quote the post since it will just call attention to an inappropriate post and your post won't make sense if the moderators remove the offending post. Be sure not to make an angry post that breaks the rules yourself.

If you are unsure whether a post breaks the rules, report it anyway; the moderators will check if it does or not.

If you have a concern about a forum problem and want a reply, use the Contact form, not a post report.

How do I report a post?

To report a post, click the Report Post icon to the left of the offending post. You will be given a form to describe the problem.

You can also report your own post when you need help from the moderators, for example to ask the moderators to delete a post when you change your mind, remove a duplicate post you made by mistake, or move a thread you posted in the wrong forum.

Tips for reporting posts:

1. To report a thread, report any post in the thread and explain what the problem with the thread is.
2. If you are reporting a duplicate thread, please provide a link to the previous thread.
3. If you are reporting an ongoing problem (e.g., a user making multiple trolling posts) rather than a specific post, please provide links.
4. Other users don't know that you reported a post. Your anonymity is protected.
5. Don't report a post by sending a Private Message to a moderator you think is online. They may be just leaving or not on moderation duty so your message may have to wait for their return, when they will probably ask you to file a post report anyway.

Thank you to those who report posts needing moderator attention. Your efforts improve the quality of the forums!

What happens when I report a post?

The post report form will be sent to whichever moderators are on duty at the time. They will evaluate the reported post to see if it breaks forum rules. If not, they'll take no other action. If the post breaks rules, they'll usually edit or remove the post. Depending on the situation they'll remind the user about the rule, issue a warning, or apply discipline (a time-out or ban).

Every report is reviewed but you will not receive a reply to a Post Report. If you require a reply, use the Contact form instead.

Can I report Private Messages and Visitor Messages?

Yes. Private Messages and Visitor Messages are subject to the forum rules. Reporting them is similar to reporting posts. The reports are handled the same way by the moderators.

If you receive a Private Message that breaks forum rules (e.g., ads or insults), click the Report Private Message icon in the top right of the message and explain the reason you are reporting it.

To report a Visitor Message on your User Profile, click the Report link under the message and explain the reason you are reporting it.

Everyone can read Visitor Messages but the moderators cannot read your Private Messages. Therefore, when you report a Private Message a copy of the message will be forwarded to the moderators along with your description of the problem.

How do I know if my post reports are helpful?

In almost all cases, your post reports are exactly what the moderators need to do their jobs. Whether post reports are about serious or trivial problems, we appreciate your help in keeping the site running smoothly.

If now and then you submit a post report that the moderators decide doesn't require action, which can happen in borderline cases or where you don't understand the nuances of forum rules and site policies, there's little harm done. If you make a habit of reporting posts that don't need to be reported, the moderators will probably let you know and explain the rule involved, to save you and themselves future time and trouble.

Why do users get reminders, warnings, or time-outs?

Most users follow the forum rules but sometimes users need to be reminded. The moderators routinely remind users of the rules, whether the rules involved are major or minor. If you're alerted about the rules, please understand that it's to help you use the forums properly, avoid causing problems for other users, and to help all users get the most out of the forums.

Reminder and warning messages and personal Private Messages about the rules are not punishment. They help you avoid future problems that could otherwise lead to discipline. Even time-outs are a way to give you another chance, with a strong enough warning to encourage you to follow the rules and avoid a permanent ban.

The rules and moderation guidelines are applied equally to all forum members but messages and disciplinary actions depend on the rule involved, the nature of the violation, and the user's history of prior violations. Repeated rule-breaking causes stronger actions, so a reminder one time can become a warning or time-out the next time.

What do the "In Time-Out" and "Banned" and "Guest" user titles mean?

In Time-Out means a user's account has been temporarily suspended for breaking forum rules, as a warning not to repeat it. They know the reason and the length of the time-out because it's shown when they try to access the forums. They will not be able to post or reply to Private Messages until the suspension ends.

Banned means a user's account was permanently canceled for breaking forum rules. They know the reason because they know what they've posted recently and a one-line message from the moderators is shown when they try to access the forums. Bans are issued when major rules are broken or rules are broken repeatedly, because it's a detriment of other users. Reinstatement after a ban can come only from administrators or the site owner, if they have reason to expect you will no longer break rules. Even a successful reinstatement may involve a mandatory delay.

Guest means that the user's account has been canceled, usually at the user's request. For example, users who take a job with Apple usually need to cancel their forum memberships. They can apply for reinstatement if and when the reason for cancelation ends.

How are Moderators Selected?

Moderation selection is a long and careful process that starts with recommendations from the current moderators. We look for users with the right personality, interests, and instincts: those who are helpful, friendly, rational, fair, who speak honestly, who understand how the MacRumors site is run, and whose participation has consistently been a benefit to their fellow forum members, not about privilege or ego.

They don't have to have volunteered and they don't have to have paid for membership. They must have been a member long enough to understand the forum community, and an ongoing participant, but there's no fixed minimum length of membership or post count. From their involvement they tend to be fairly well-known users, although some candidates come to our attention for their behind-the-scenes efforts to help other users.

It's advantageous for us to have team members with a range of views and opinions. We have no requirements that moderators share political or religious views (and they don't) but they must all be able to put aside personal biases when moderating. It's a benefit when we have moderators across many time zones, both men and women, and moderators of different ages. We don't require technical expertise with Apple products. Although many moderators routinely help users with technical problems, it's not part of their assignment as a moderator, just what they were already doing. We don't require prior forum moderation experience; we provide the necessary training. Moderators must be able and willing to spend time moderating that they might otherwise have spent in normal forum participation or away from MacRumors.

In summary, we look for forum members who excel in many ways and are very well suited for the role we ask them to take as moderators. We're admittedly picky and the number who qualify is small.

Moderation FAQ: Moderation of Your Posts

What happens if I break the rules?

You'll probably annoy other users. If someone reports the post, your post will be reviewed by the moderators and probably edited or removed. You may get a reminder or warning from one of the moderators. If you take the time to review the rules and avoid the problem in the future, that will be the end of it. The moderators know that anyone can make a mistake and prefer to explain the rules and give users second chances rather than limit their use of the forums.

For repeated breaking of rules or for breaking the most serious rules (e.g., personal insults, hoaxes, advertising), discipline may be applied even on the first offense. Usually a temporary forum suspensions (time-out) will be applied if previous warnings haven't been sufficient. With a time-out you won't be able to access the forums for a certain number of days and will instead see a message about the reason for the suspension. Flagrant violations of serious rules may earn you a permanent suspension, i.e., a forum ban.

Any reminders or warnings you've received in the last 14 days are summarized on the Reminders tab of your User Profile. Only you and the moderators see them; other users cannot see this information when they look at your User Profile. The same list of recent reminders and warnings can also be found in your User Control Panel.

Why didn't I get a more personal message?

The moderators use automated reminder messages to ensure consistency, facilitate recordkeeping, and for efficiency. We're sorry the moderators can't send a personal message each time there's an issue in the forums but they have a large number of forum members to serve. If the moderators think a reminder requires further explanation they'll take the time to add extra comments at the bottom of the message for clarification.

Moderation of your posts is not personal and you are not being singled out. The moderators don't know forum members personally and don't play favorites. Other users are moderated exactly the same way in the same circumstances.

Moderation privacy

Almost all moderation is handled privately to avoid embarrassing forum members. Reminders and warnings are sent by Private Messages so only you and the moderators see them. When reminders and warnings are listed on your User Profile, only you see them there; other users do not see them. The moderators keep records of their actions so administrators can review the messages, but these records are not shared with other users.

In keeping with this privacy policy, if you post in the forums asking why your post was moderated, your post will be removed (it's almost always off-topic to the thread it's in). The answer to "Why was my post deleted?" is always the same: it violated a forum rule or was a quote of a post that violated a forum rule. If you want a further explanation use the Contact form so we can be perfectly frank and discuss your posts and forum record. You can post in the Site and Forum Feedback forum if you want to discuss forum rules and moderation policies in general, but keep it general, not about a specific case of moderation.

Moderation privacy does not mean that moderation is secretive or mysterious. The rules are posted for all to see. We'll discuss any aspect of your moderation with you and explain the reasons for any moderation action you question. Each moderator sees the actions taken by the other moderators, so no moderator acts in a vacuum. Administrators oversee and review the moderators to make sure moderation policies are followed. The administrators are also subject to review by other administrators and/or the site owner.

There are two exceptions to moderation privacy:

1. If you are assigned a time-out, your user title will change to "In Time-Out". This is necessary so that other users can tell that you are unable to reply to posts (e.g., when you've been asked a question in the forums) and unable to reply to Private Messages (e.g., about a thread in the Marketplace forum).
2. You can waive your right to moderation privacy when posting in the Site and Forum Feedback forum if you say explicitly that you give us permission to discuss the reasons behind your moderation. This includes your previous forum record, since that's a factor.

What if I disagree with moderation of my posts?

Users sometimes want to inquire about, question, or dispute a moderation action.

Facts to consider

• Moderation is almost always correct, appropriate, and done fairly. We know that reasonable people can have differences of opinion about the meaning of particular posts or how to interpret rules. Language is imprecise and sarcasm and nuances are hard to detect over the Internet so it's possible that your post was misinterpreted by other users and by the moderators. However, our moderators are experienced at interpreting posts, applying the forum rules, and making judgement calls in borderline cases.
• What's past is past. What concerns us is your future use of the forums. If you've been given a reminder, warning, or time-out based on the forum rules, it's because we think you can follow the rules in the future. These actions are intended to help you use the forums properly and maintain your posting privileges.
• No matter what your past forum record is, follow the rules and you'll avoid problems and get the most out of the forums.

If you don't accept an action by or message from the moderators, here's what to do and what not to do:

What to do

1. If you received a reminder, warning, time-out, or ban, read the applicable summary, which tells you the specific information you need to know.
   See also the MacRumors FAQ.
2. Review the information here in the Moderation FAQ.
3. Consider the reason you think you should not have been moderated and see if it's on the RuleBreaking Top 10. If so, an answer is there too.
4. If you still disagree, use the Contact form and tell us why you disagree. An administrator will review your posts, account history, and the actions by the moderators based on your message and the moderation records, and in most cases email you a reply within one week. Sometimes they may send you a Private Message.

What not to do

1. Do not lose your temper. The moderators are willing to answer questions and the administrators are willing to review moderation cases, but blowing up will not help you make your case.
2. Do not contact us without reviewing the information listed above. You'll be wasting your time and ours.
3. Do not send a Private Message to dispute moderation. Instead use the Contact form so that administrators can review the case independently.
4. Do not report a reminder or warning message as if you were reporting an inappropriate Private Message, since you will not get a reply.
5. Do not post about the moderation of a thread in that thread. To ask general questions about moderation or moderation policies, post in the Site and Forum Feedback Forum. To ask questions about specific cases of moderation, use the Contact form. To maintain user privacy we do not answer questions about specific cases of moderation in forum threads. There is one exception - see point 2 under Moderation privacy.
6. Do not insult the moderators for doing their job. Insulting any forum member is against the rules.
7. Do not re-register during a time-out or after a ban. You will likely be recognized and permanently banned. Trying to bypass a time-out or ban shows an unwillingness to respect the rules that will dim any chance you have of retaining your account or being reinstated after a ban.

How are moderation errors handled?

When members complain about unfair or incorrect moderation, they are usually wrong. The moderators follow guidelines to ensure consistency and are experienced at applying the forum rules uniformly. Still, we take all complaints seriously and there's a procedure to follow if you have complaints. See the "What if I disagree with moderation of my posts?" section of this Moderation FAQ.

Moderators are people too. Although we try to choose moderators who are exceptionally level-headed, it is possible to annoy them. This isn't being unfair; it's being human. The moderators trade cases or rely on their team approach to make sure moderation isn't personal, even if you mistakenly treat it as such. We try for consistency in enforcement of the rules, but with multiple moderators we can't be 100% consistent when judgment calls are required.

It's possible for your intentions to be misinterpreted when you post. Moderators work quickly and if your post has multiple interpretations and it's been reported for breaking the rules, the moderators may draw the same conclusion without studying the history of your interactions with other forum members. You can lessen the chances of this by avoiding posts with sarcasm and teasing, even with forum friends.

Our volunteers do their best and they put tremendous effort into helping the site. Still, we rely on checks and balances to avoid moderation problems. The moderators work as a team and know of each other's actions. Administrators review moderation and help establish and interpret site policies. No moderator or administrator works in a vacuum and their actions are recorded. If an administrator or moderator has acted mistakenly or inappropriately, we'll correct it. If you've been timed-out or banned by mistake we will reinstate your account. If your posts or account have been handled in accordance with our rules, policies, and moderation guidelines, moderation decisions will stand.

Where do I post comments about moderation?

The Site and Forum Feedback forum is for comments and questions about MacRumors and its forums. It is open to all members and suitable for some posts about moderation. The purpose of the forum is to let you ask questions about using the forums or about forum policies, make suggestions, or ask what other people think about an issue. We monitor the Site and Forum Feedback forum every day.

Can you post comments about moderation in the Site and Forum Feedback forum?

To comment on an general moderation issue, post in a previous thread on the topic or start a new thread for a new topic.

Do not use the Site and Forum Feedback for personal moderation issues since forum moderation is handled privately. See "Moderation privacy" above. If you want specifics about a particular case, see "What if I disagree with moderation of my posts?" above. If you just received a reminder, warning, or time-out about a particular rule and immediately start a Feedback discussion questioning that rule, you may be directed to use the Contact form instead, since your comments are probably about your specific case of moderation.