Frequently asked questions

The app is new, so some antivirus programs don't recognise it yet.

• Windows SmartScreen: click More info → Run anyway
• AVG / Avast: add an exception for the PawTalk folder

Only ever download PawTalk from paw-talk.xyz

• Open the server menu and choose Notification settings, then check that Mobile push is on
• Make sure Android allows notifications for PawTalk
• Battery saver can stop notifications. Set PawTalk to Unrestricted

Open the server menu and choose Notification settings:

• All messages, Only @mentions or Nothing
• Mute @everyone / @here or role pings separately

bold` → bold
*italic* → italic
__underline__ → underline
~~strike~~ → strike
||spoiler|| → spoiler
# Heading · -# small text · > quote · - list
[text](https://link) → clickable link
\* shows a character as-is

Yes! Submit GIFs at paw-talk.xyz/gifs. Once approved, everyone can use them in the GIF picker.

• ✅ Funny, cute, reactions, memes
• ❌ No NSFW

Links that leave PawTalk show a warning with the real address, so fake links can't trick you.

Only continue if you trust the site.

Right-click their name or open their profile, then choose Block or Report.

Reports are reviewed by PawTalk staff.

• DM a staff member from the member list here
• Open a ticket at paw-talk.xyz/support

Please don't ping staff. Pings to staff aren't allowed in the official server.

Share bugs, ideas and suggestions at paw-talk.xyz/feedback. Every submission is read.

Everyone on PawTalk follows the Community Guidelines.

Breaking them can lead to warnings, timeouts or bans.

See How moderation works for how reports are handled and what actions staff can take.

Read our Child Safety policy.

If you see anything that puts a child at risk, report it right away or open a ticket at paw-talk.xyz/support.

Check yours under Settings → Account Standing.

It shows whether your account is in good standing. Breaking the rules, on PawTalk or in public servers, can lower it, and a low enough standing leads to suspension.

Follow the Community Guidelines. Think something is wrong? Open a ticket at paw-talk.xyz/support.

PawTalk is an independently developed platform, but that doesn't mean every established interface convention should be rearranged simply to look different.
Familiar and consistent navigation can make software easier to understand and operate, particularly for users who rely on predictable interfaces or assistive technology.
PawTalk is developed in Sweden, where European accessibility requirements are an important part of how we approach interface design. Standards and guidance including EN 301 549 and WCAG emphasise understandable, operable and consistent digital interfaces.
That's why PawTalk may use familiar conventions, such as keeping primary server navigation in a consistent location and keeping member information predictably positioned, when changing them purely for visual uniqueness would make the interface less intuitive or accessible.
Similar placement does not mean similar implementation. PawTalk's backend, permissions, APIs, moderation systems, applications and features are independently developed for PawTalk.

A changelog date is the date an update was released, not necessarily the date everything in it was created.
While developing PawTalk, I build changes into update packages. Those packages can sit locally until I'm ready to release them. I may then upload several completed packages close together, which can make the changelog look like I created several updates within only a few hours.
For example, I might work on one package on Monday, another on Tuesday, and then upload both on Wednesday. The changelog will show both releases on Wednesday even though the work happened over multiple days.
Updates also aren't all the same size. One package might contain a larger feature, while another could simply move a button, change some text, fix a bug, or make a small UI improvement.
In short: changelog time ≠ development time. It tells you when I released the package, not how long it took me to build it.

PawTalk is developed and tested locally, separately from the live service.
Once changes are ready, I package the updated files into a ZIP update package. The package can then be released immediately or kept locally until I'm ready to upload it.
This means the live PawTalk server receives completed update packages rather than being where most development takes place.

No. PawTalk does not currently have a separate public or live beta server. Development and testing are done separately from the live service, and completed changes are packaged before being released to production.

It's a possibility I'm considering, but I can't promise anything at the moment.

New updates will normally appear in the changelog, unless they're smaller bug fixes or hotfixes that don't require their own changelog entry.
When a new update package is available, you'll also see a green arrow above “Create a Server.” This lets you know that a new PawTalk update has been released.

PawTalk is not developed entirely by AI. ChatGPT and Claude may be used to review code, find potential problems, and provide additional checks before release

I took inspiration from Discord. PawTalk isn't trying to reinvent every feature just for the sake of being different.