How to AO3
Series Metadata
Listing Series
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Tags
Summary
If you're new to AO3 or just confused by tags in general, this guide attempts to break it down as simply and clearly as possible. This is written with readers in mind but might also be helpful for writers.
Series
- Part 1 of How to AO3
- Part 2 of tagging
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Tags
Summary
You can have more than one account on AO3, and you can move your fics from one account to the other. Here's how.
Series
- Part 2 of How to AO3
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Mystery Work
Part of COTD Testing Private Works
Summary
This is part of an ongoing challenge and will be revealed soon!
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Tags
Summary
Any place that you can add text on AO3, you can also add a link.
- summary
- author's note
- comment
- profile
Here's how you do it.
Series
- Part 4 of How to AO3
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Mystery Work
Part of COTD Testing Private Works
Summary
This is part of an ongoing challenge and will be revealed soon!
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Tags
Summary
When users break the Terms of Service, other users are able to report them using the Report Abuse function. Each of these reports is read and investigated by an AO3 volunteer.
This brief guide is meant to provide users with the information they need in order to write clear reports that AO3 volunteers will be able to investigate more easily.
Series
- Part 6 of How to AO3
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Tags
Summary
Have you ever wanted to block an author, a tag, a key word, or a fic title from showing up in your AO3 results? The AO3 Savior browser extension might just be what you're looking for.
This work is a tutorial for how to install and use AO3 Savior. It works across browsers on desktop, but only Firefox allows extensions on mobile.
Series
- Part 7 of How to AO3
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Tags
Summary
For anyone who wishes AO3 had dark mode, I have great news! Dark mode has been possible since 2013, you just need to know how to apply it.
Even better news? It's easier now than it ever has been before. Tutorial inside.
You need to be logged into an AO3 account for this to work.
Series
- Part 8 of How to AO3
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Tags
Summary
As I'm writing this, AO3 just announced a new limit on the number of tags that authors can add to their works. The limit is 75 total tags across Fandoms, Characters, Relationships, and Additional tags. The limit does not apply to Ratings, Warnings, or Categories.
This work is going to explain what a tag is, how it works on AO3, and what an author can do to limit their tags but still get the most use out of them. This work is aimed at authors on AO3, but readers might find it interesting as well.
This work is not going to tell writers how they should or should not tag. My goal is just to help authors make informed decisions for their own tagging preferences.
Series
- Part 9 of How to AO3
- Part 1 of tagging
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Tags
Summary
Whether you're a new user who is overwhelmed by how AO3 works or whether you're someone trying to find that fic they loved so they can reread it again, I hope this work can assist you in your search!
Note: Please do not post your own work on AO3 asking for help finding a fic. That's against the Terms of Service for the site and it could end up with you getting a warning on your account. Even if you plan to delete it later, if your post gets reported you'll still get warned.
Series
- Part 10 of How to AO3
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Useful CSS for readers by ao3commentoftheday, memorizingthedigitsofpi
Fandoms: No Fandom
05 Apr 2022
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Summary
This guide is two chapters long. Chapter One is some useful bits and pieces of CSS code that users who read on AO3 may find useful. This code only changes the way AO3 presents works to you, the reader. It does not change the way AO3 looks for anyone else.
Chapter Two provides instructions on how to create a site skin, if you've never made one before. It also contains instructions for how to combine site skins together, for example how to add the CSS code from Chapter One to the Reversi site skin for dark mode versions of the same functions.
Series
- Part 11 of How to AO3
- Part 6 of pi learns how to site skin
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Tags
Summary
If there are authors or stories out there that you'd rather not ever see in your search results again, you can create a site skin to remove them from your browsing experience.
This was first explained in an AO3 News Post, but I'm going to go into more detail so that anyone with an account can do it, with no need to do any coding at all. Just copy/paste.
Series
- Part 12 of How to AO3
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Tags
Summary
Would you like to change your AO3 so that each type of tag is a different colour? Do you want to make the Relationship tags bold instead of the Warnings? Do you want to combine this Quality Of Life feature with another skin you're already using? Read on!
Chapter One is the CSS code (for those who already know how to site skin). Chapter Two is an explanation of how to put a skin onto your AO3, as well as how to combine skins.
You must be logged into an AO3 account in order to use a site skin.
Series
- Part 13 of How to AO3
- Part 16 of pi learns how to site skin