As part of the English Wikipedia V2 Account Creation experiment, we updated the username helper text to:
Choose carefully - it's how the community will know you.
The expanded Username policy (TL;DR) panel also includes links to sections of the English Wikipedia username policy:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Username_policy
Problems
Early experiment results suggest that the overall Account Creation form improvements have increased account creation rates. However, very few users engage with the username guidance:
Fewer than 4% of users expand the username helper text.
Of those users, only a small percentage continue on to the full username policy. We should be sure that the username help text is as succinct as possible, but contains the most important information we want all new accounts to be aware of.
The current implementation also creates localization challenges. The TL;DR panel links to specific sections of the English Wikipedia username policy, but many wikis do not have equivalent sections or policy structures. This makes the content difficult to translate and maintain across Wikimedia projects.
Background
User testing (2026-04-30) found:
Nobody opened the 'Choose carefully' drawer. The link, which expands a panel with username policy guidance, was ignored by most participants. Those who did notice it didn't tap it. One participant (P9) explained they assumed it was a hyperlink that would navigate away from the page: 'I would have preferred just a little info button that I could tap and it pops up.' This combines with the form autopilot finding to point at a broader pattern: participants in familiar form flows don't read inline text, whether it's displayed openly or hidden behind a control. It's worth being direct about what this means for username policy communication - there's no strong evidence from this study (or past studies) that users will discover or read that guidance regardless of how it's presented.
This pattern holds across multiple studies: people move through familiar forms on autopilot and rarely read instructional text, whether it's visible or tucked behind an expandable control. Changing how the guidance is presented is unlikely to meaningfully increase engagement with it. What does matter is form length: the more text on the page ---> the longer the form appears ---> the less likely people are to complete the form.
Included as part of this task:
1. Improve the inline Username helper text
Community feedback suggests that the current copy ("Choose carefully") is vague and does not clearly communicate why usernames matter.
English Wikipedia is also discussing ways to ensure newcomers are aware that they may want to avoid using their real name:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MediaWiki_talk:Createacct-username-help
Suggestions include:
Avoid using your real name. (Why?)
or
Your username is public and cannot be made private later. Avoid using your real name. (Why?)
From a newcomer-friendly perspective, the helper text should be as clear, concise, and actionable as possible.
2. Reconsider how users access additional guidance
User research indicates that many participants assumed the expandable helper would navigate them away from the form, so they ignored it entirely.
Instead of using expandable helper text, consider an information icon or similar affordance that more clearly communicates that tapping it will display additional information without leaving the page.
- text "Avoid using your real name."
- add a codex icon-only small quiet button next to the codex field description
- set the icon of the button to cdxHelpNoticeFilled
- on tap the button opens a codex popover
Acceptance Criteria:
Updated inline helper text is displayed
Given a user is on the account creation form
When the username field is rendered
Then the field description reads "Avoid using your real name."
(And the previous text "Choose carefully" is not present)
Help icon button is visible next to the username field description
Given a user is on the account creation form
When the username field is rendered
Then an icon-only quiet button using the cdxHelpNoticeFilled icon is displayed adjacent to the field description
And the button has an accessible label (e.g. "More information about usernames")
Tapping the help icon opens a popover
Given a user is on the account creation form
And the username help icon button is visible
When the user taps the help icon button
Then a Codex popover opens
And the popover contains username guidance content
And the user remains on the account creation form
Popover can be dismissed
Given the username help popover is open
When the user taps outside the popover or closes it
Then the popover closes
And the user remains on the account creation form with their progress intact
Popover provides access to open username policy
Given the username help popover is open
When the user taps on "Read the full username policy"
Then a new tab opens the associated wikis' username policy (Q4664077)
Example for enwiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Username_policy
- enwiki Community should be updated here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MediaWiki_talk:Createacct-username-help#Technological_iteration