If you've never used a particular template before, or have not used it recently, read it (e.g., with preview) to ensure it actually says what you want to say.

These templates are placed on talk pages to warn a user against vandalism, to convey a standardized message, or to place a standard boilerplate note at the top of a page. If the tone or content of a template isn't appropriate, don't use the template — just say it normally.

The purpose of user warnings is to guide good-faith testers and dissuade bad-faith vandals. You should check that the user has made harmful edits since their last warning – the user must be given a chance to see and react to each warning given. User blocks serve to prevent further vandalism rather than to punish bad users. If a user stopped vandalizing some time ago, and their edit histories don't suggest a pattern of chronic vandalism, there's no need to warn or block them at all (although a welcome template might help future visits). Likewise, if a user is in the midst of an obviously bad-faith vandalism spree, there's no need to warn them before temporarily blocking them.

Note:

• Always substitute messages by adding "subst:" before the name of the template, so that the message does not change if the template is edited.
• Give the name and level of the template you have used in your edit summary, so that other users know what templates have been used.

[edit] Layout

Warnings should follow the layout below as discussed by Wikiproject User Warnings.

• Warnings should be grouped by date under the heading "Notices". Note: If there have been multiple warnings, add the template {{s/wnote}} (or {{repeat vandal}} if the account has been repeatedly blocked) at the top of the Warnings section.
• User warnings and block messages should be placed without line breaks.
• Old warnings may be archived into page history when they are no longer useful. Give consideration to the IP's contribution history when deciding how long to leave warnings visible. Always note the archiving of old warnings, but be sure to remember that any editor—including anonymous IPs—may remove messages at will from their own talk page.

 ==Notices== {{subst:s/wnote}} 

 ===March 2009=== # warning # warning 

 ===November 2009=== # warning #: comment about warning # warning * block # warning 

[edit] Warnings and notices

[edit] Multi-level templates

• Level 1 – Assumes good faith. Generally includes "Welcome to Wikipedia" or some variant.
• Level 2 – No faith assumption; just a warning
• Level 3 – Assumes bad faith; cease and desist
• Level 4 – Assumes bad faith; strong cease and desist, last warning
• Level 4im – Assumes bad faith; very strong cease and desist, first and only warning

[edit] Single-level templates

[edit] Blocks

[edit] Foreign-language contributors

[edit] Miscellanea

[edit] Meta-templates

[edit] Creating and renaming user talk templates

If you want to change the name of a series, or propose a new multi-level series, make sure to leave a note about it on WT:UTM, so that it can be fully integrated as a warning template, if there are no major objections. Before creating new templates, please check to see if the template in mind already exists, to avoid duplication. Note: User warning templates are generally semi-protected. However, creation of a template does not automatically semi-protect it; be sure to request semi-protection. In the meantime, make sure the template does not erroneously indicate that it is already semi-protected.

If you add any templates here, please make sure to add them to the respective page "Wikipedia:Template messages/User talk namespace/XXX templates".

[edit] History of this page

In early 2007, the multi-level templates underwent a harmonisation program by the WikiProject user warnings. The old template grid may still be found here with the details here. Please visit the project pages, for some important changes about the implementation of these templates, especially the test templates and the new vandalism warnings.

[edit] See also

• Wikipedia:Substitution
• Wikipedia:Template messages/Talk namespace
• WikiProject on User Templates
• Wikipedia:Don't template the regulars
• Wikipedia:Mark of Cain (essay)
• Wikipedia:Userboxes