Administration FAQ

This page answers some questions related to Administrators on Wikipedia.

See also: Wikipedia:Administrators, Wikipedia:Formal organization

Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines describes how Wikipedia arrives at its policies and guidelines through a process of discussion and consensus. Discussion takes place in the various policy pages which form part of the "Wikipedia:" namespace. Sometimes policy is discussed off-wiki, but decisions always take place on-wiki.

Two words for the same thing. An administrator is simply a Wikipedian who can access the few restricted Wikipedia software functions: deleting articles and uploaded files, protecting and unprotecting pages, and blocking and unblocking users or IP addresses. The software internally uses the string "sysop" to flag their accounts, perhaps one reason that term is used. "Sysop" is simply a shortened term for system operator. They tend to be friendly folks who are willing to help you, if you post on their "talk page". See the current list of administrators.

First, you need a user account. Then, make useful edits over a period of time. In this way, you prove to the community that you are here in good faith. Read Wikipedia:Guide to requests for adminship. If you feel you meet the standards set out there, you can add your name to Wikipedia:Requests for adminship, in accordance with the nomination process. If the community agrees that you're what they want in an admin, then, voila! Be sure to read administrators' reading list, Wikipedia:Administrators, deletion policy, protection policy, and blocking policy, and use your new "powers" with caution.

Administrators monitor each other; nearly all admin powers are completely reversible by any other admin (including page deletions, lockings, and IP bannings). The Arbitration Committee also has the power to discipline administrators, and has done so in several cases. In a truly rare case the Wikimedia Board of Trustees could step in. You can report problems with admins misusing their privileges at Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard/Incidents.

Only administrators can unblock IP addresses. Developers can unblock multiple IPs at once. To request that an IP address be unblocked, see Wikipedia:Appealing a block and follow the instructions there.

You can request for an administrator to block a user or IP that is blatantly vandalising at WP:AIV (see requirements on that page). More complex cases can be presented at WP:AN/I.