FAQ

A circle is a community. Public circles are easy to find and join. Private circles show in search and need an admin’s yes. Hidden circles stay with people who have an invite or link.

You can send a friend request when you share a circle. Direct messages work with a shared circle or an accepted friendship. After you are friends you can send files in a direct message, unless they turned file receiving off. Each circle also has its own group chat.

On Home and Circles, use Local, Regional, or Worldwide. Local matches your ZIP, city, or about 50 km. You can type a ZIP in Settings or tap Find my location.

Open the circle’s feed and scroll to the bottom. Use Leave circle. You can keep friends from that circle or unfriend them when you leave.

You must be 13 or older. Ages 17 and under need a parent account on this site. After the parent says yes, they can see your activity.

No. Adults start with kids controls off — I don’t have kids. They turn on if someone 17 or under lists you as their parent. If you have no kids on this site, you can turn them off again.

Ages 17 and under pick an alias — a name circles and other members see. Your parent still sees your legal name. Pick a suggestion or type your own in Settings.

Yes. In Settings, choose Hide my real name. Other people see only your @handle. Ages 17 and under still use an alias unless that box is checked. A parent still sees the legal name.

For people 17 and under, the address on your public profile and in search is Earth, Milkyway. Your ZIP stays in Settings so local circles can still match.

Members can vote to take down a post, remove someone from the circle, or silence them for 30 days. A majority of active members, at least two votes, makes it happen. You can take your vote back by tapping again. Circle owners stay.

If you go 30 days without opening a circle, you get a system notice. Open it within 5 more days to stay. After that you leave the circle. Your posts stay. Friendships that started in that circle end. Opening the circle resets the clock. Owners stay.

On a post or profile, use Report. Circle staff and this site’s admins review reports.

Sodality follows your browser language until you pick one. Change it on your profile. Use my browser language follows the browser again.

A private profile is for you, circle-mates, and friends. A public profile is for any signed-in person.

Yes. In Settings, with a public profile, you can hide your city (ZIP is hidden too) or hide city and state/region. Your country still shows. When anything is hidden, INCOGNITO appears on the address line. Your full place stays in Settings so local circles can still match.