What's a Tumblr blog?

To make a simple analogy: If regular blogs are journals, Tumblr blogs are scrapbooks. You can also look at Tumblr blogs as slightly more structured blogs that make it easier, faster, and more fun to post and share stuff you find or create.

What's it cost?

Tumblr is free, and we're keeping it that way. In the future, we may offer additional "advanced" features for a fee. But basic service will always be available 100% free and feature-packed.

What are "Following" and "Followers"?

The Following and Followers pages available on your Dashboard display users you have chosen to follow and users who have chosen to follow you.

You can follow a blog by visiting any of its web pages and clicking the Follow icon in the upper right corner of the page. Or, you can enter the URL, username, or email of a blog on your Following pane.

Only the default blog on an account can follow others. Additional blogs cannot follow others.

What does the "block" function do?

Tumblr's block function lets you block specific blogs from appearing in your Dashboard. For more detailed information, please read our technical description.

What's a "reblog"?

You can reblog a post from another blog to add the post to your own blog. And, you can include comments of your own in the reblog if you wish.

If you open the web page for a specific blog post, you will see a reblog button in the upper right corner of the page. Just click that button to reblog the post.

Also, if you are following a blog in your Dashboard, you can reblog a post using the reblog link to the right of the post.

What's a "like"?

You can like a post from another blog to give positive feedback to the author and make it easy for you to find the post again in the future.

If you open the web page for a specific blog post, you will see a heart-shaped button in the upper right corner of the page. Just click that button to like the post.

Also, if you are following a blog in your Dashboard, you can like a post using the heart-shaped button to the right of the post.

What are Tumblr Crushes?

Tumblr Crushes are the nine blogs that you've given the most likes to. If you don't see your Tumblr Crushes, make sure that you have given at least one Like to at least nine blogs. And, make sure you are looking at your Following page rather than your main Dashboard page.

Tumblr Crushes are not supported in Internet Explorer at this time.

How do I set the title, web address / userid, and portrait photo for my blog?

From the Dashboard, click the Customize link and then click the Info tab.

How can I view or edit my posts on the Dashboard without also seeing the posts of those I am following?

If you click the title/name of one of your blogs on the right side of the Dashboard you will get a view that contains only your posts to that blog. Click on the title/name and NOT on the web address.

Can I have comments on my blog?

Some blog themes allow you to use the Appearance tab in the Customize area to add the free third-party Disqus commenting service to your blog.

If the theme you're using doesn't support Disqus on the Appearance tab, you can edit the Custom HTML of the theme to add Disqus. Go to the Customize area, click the Theme tab, and click the Use Custom HTML link at the bottom of the tab. Disqus provides detailed installation instructions on exactly what edits you need to make.

Can I have an About Me section or a blogroll?

You can use HTML to add your own text, photos, links, and script/widget code to your blog's Description. You can edit your Description by visiting the Customize area and clicking the Info tab.

What's Submit?

You can use the Advanced tab in the Customize area to enable both Tumblr and non-Tumblr users to submit posts to your blog via the web and email.

Enabling this feature will create a new Submissions area under your blog's name on the Dashboard. You can use this area to configure how'd you'd like to receive submissions and to edit, post, queue or delete the submissions you receive.

Can I have more than one blog? Can I have more than one author on a blog?

The default blog that comes with your account can only be posted to by you. But, you can use the Create Another Blog link on the Dashboard to create additional blogs.

Those additional blogs can have multiple authors if you wish. Just use the Members link for an additional blog to invite others to join. Each person must be invited individually, as each invitation link will only work one time for one person.

Only the default blog for an account can follow others. Additional blogs on an account can be followed but cannot follow others.

Can I change which blog is the default blog for my account? Can I transfer a default blog to another account? Can I delete my default blog?

Changing the default blog or moving a default blog to another account are not possible at this time. And, you cannot delete the default blog without deleting your entire Tumblr account.

Can my blog be private?

The default blog that comes with your account is public. But, you can make specific posts on your default blog private. Just click the "Advanced options" link on a posting page or the "Advanced" link on a bookmarklet page.

If you wish, you can use the Create Another Blog link on the Dashboard to create an additional blog that is completely private. Private blogs don't have standard web addresses, don't have public or themed web pages, and don't have RSS feeds. They can only be seen via the Dashboard by you and others you invite.

How large can a photo on Tumblr be?

Photos displayed on blog pages can be up to 500 pixels wide and 700 pixels tall. If you click on a photo on a blog page, you will taken to a larger version of the image if one is available. That larger version can be up to 1280 pixels wide and 1280 pixels tall. Going to a larger version is only possible if the image on the blog does not have a click-thru link that takes you to another website.

How do I make an animated GIF work in a Photo post?

Try using an animated GIF that is 512K or less in size and 500 pixels or less wide.

How do I create a Question & Answer post?

Create a new Text, Photo, Link, Audio, or Video post and end a text box with a question mark (?). Then, click the "Let people answer this" box that appears on the right side of the page. Question & Answer is not supported in Quote or Chat posts.

You cannot edit an existing post to make it a Question & Answer post. A post must be designated for a Question & Answer when it is first created.

Answers are disabled on a Question & Answer post after seven days.

Can I format text or have paragraphs in emailed posts?

Emailed posts don't support text formatting or line breaks unless you use Markdown.

Why isn't my text formatting, element formatting, or embed code being saved in my post?

You may need to use the Plain Text Editor to create or edit advanced post embeds. You can switch to it in Preferences.

Why does the login page just ask me for my email and password again and again without logging me in?

Try deleting your web browser's cookies for Tumblr.com and you should be able to log in then.

How can I set the time zone or geographic location for my blog?

Go to the Customize page for the blog and click on the Advanced tab.

Can I tag my posts?

You can assign tags to posts by clicking the "Advanced options" link on a posting page or the "Advanced" link on a bookmarklet page. You can also add tag filters in your blog's Description that will take readers to a page that only contains posts with a specific tag.

You also tag posts submitted via email. Simply prefix a tag word with a pound-sign (“#”) in your message, and it will be removed from the text and set as a tag for the post. For example, if the post is about Tumblr just include #Tumblr in your message.

Why aren't my tags being saved?

You must type a Return or a comma after each tag to confirm the tag. Confirmed tags display in green boxes. Once all of your tags are confirmed, then you can click the "Create post" or "Save changes" button and your tags will be saved.

Why aren't my Twitter Integration, Twitter feed imports, or Twitter widget working?

If you have protected your tweets at Twitter.com, you would have to unprotect them in order for Tumblr to be able to communicate with your Twitter account.

The Twitter API is sometimes overloaded or unavailable. In those cases, tweets will be temporarily unavailable.

Can I import an archive file of old posts from another blogging platform to my Tumblr blog? Can I export my Tumblr blog posts to a file?

Tumblr doesn't have the ability to import or export blog archives at this time. You can import posts that are two days old and newer from other blog platforms using the Services tab on the Customize page.

How do I get a post featured on the Popular Stuff area?

We review the posts that have been reblogged the most across all blogs and pick the best ones. So, post great stuff and you may see it featured.

How can I delete my Tumblr account or a specific blog?

Learn about deleting an account or blog on the Managing your account page.

How do feeds work?

You can learn about importing feeds on the Feeds resource page.