The everyday basics
What does “create an account” mean?
Sign up, sign in and passwords, explained without assuming you have done it before.
An account lets a website or app recognise you when you return. It can keep things such as your saved work and preferences together.
- Create account or sign up
- Register with a service for the first time.
- Sign in or log in
- Return to an account you already have.
- Password or passkey
- A way to prove the account is yours. The service explains which options it supports.
Start with a reason
You do not need to join a service just to find out whether it might be useful. First choose something you want to do. Then check what that particular service requires and whether it costs anything.
If you already have an account
Use its sign-in option. If you cannot get in, use the service’s own recovery instructions rather than creating another account immediately.
If someone is helping you
They can explain a screen while you enter your password or sign-in code yourself. Keep those details private. You can pause before agreeing to anything you do not understand.
There is no account to create on this site. You can read the guides and explore the written examples as you are.