Wikipedia Customer Service: Email, Phone and Editing Help

Eric Strand

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Before using Wikipedia, requesting an article correction, managing an account, or making a donation, it is helpful to understand how support works. Wikipedia does not operate like a conventional company with a centralized customer-service department or editorial board. Most article content and editing questions are handled through public community processes and volunteers, while the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation operates the website’s technical and legal infrastructure.

How to Contact Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation

Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation provide the following support options:

The Wikimedia Foundation states that email or fax is generally preferable to calling because it receives a large volume of telephone calls. Callers who leave a voicemail should include an email address when possible.

The San Francisco office is not an article-editing or customer-service center. Do not mail article corrections, account passwords, donation disputes, or legal documents to that address without reviewing the appropriate instructions.

Does Wikipedia Have 24-Hour Customer Service?

Wikipedia’s articles and online help pages are available at all times, but Wikipedia does not provide conventional 24-hour live customer service.

Article questions are generally handled by volunteers who respond according to their availability. The Wikimedia Foundation does not guarantee an immediate response to general emails or telephone messages.

The Foundation does publish dedicated safety inboxes monitored around the clock for:

  • Threats of imminent physical harm
  • General trust and safety concerns
  • Child protection reports

These addresses should not be used for ordinary editing disagreements, account questions, donation receipts, or factual corrections.

Choose the Correct Wikipedia Support Route

Incorrect or Outdated Article Information

Wikipedia has no central editorial staff that routinely changes articles in response to customer-service emails. Articles are created and maintained by volunteer editors.

For a straightforward factual correction:

  1. Open the affected Wikipedia article.
  2. Select the article’s Talk tab.
  3. Start a new discussion explaining the correction.
  4. Provide reliable, independent published sources.
  5. Describe the exact wording that should be changed.

Many articles can also be edited directly. However, a person closely connected to the article’s subject should generally disclose that connection and request the change on the article’s talk page rather than editing promotional or disputed material directly.

Wikipedia’s Edit Request Wizard can help article subjects, company representatives, and other people with a conflict of interest submit properly formatted requests.

Article About You or Your Organization

If a Wikipedia article concerns you, your company, your employer, or someone you represent, avoid repeatedly removing sourced material or engaging in an edit dispute.

A useful request should include:

  • The exact article title
  • The section containing the issue
  • The sentence that should be changed
  • The proposed replacement wording
  • Reliable sources supporting the request
  • A clear disclosure of your relationship to the subject

Wikipedia volunteers evaluate requests according to editorial policies, including verifiability, reliable sourcing, neutrality, and conflict-of-interest rules. A subject’s disagreement with published information does not automatically require its removal.

For general email assistance, use info@wikimedia.org. Messages sent to this address may be reviewed by volunteer members of the Wikimedia community rather than Wikimedia Foundation employees.

Do not include confidential business records, government identification, medical information, passwords, or other sensitive material in a general volunteer-support email.

Editing Dispute

Use Wikipedia’s dispute-resolution procedures when editors disagree about article wording, sources, neutrality, or policy.

The normal process may include:

  • Discussing the issue on the article’s talk page
  • Seeking a third opinion
  • Requesting comments from additional editors
  • Using a subject-specific noticeboard
  • Requesting formal dispute resolution when appropriate

Emailing the Wikimedia Foundation usually does not resolve ordinary editorial disagreements because Foundation staff do not act as Wikipedia’s central editorial board.

Vandalism or Obvious Errors

Most vandalism can be corrected by editing the article or reverting the damaging change. The article’s history page records prior versions and identifies recent edits.

Repeated vandalism can be reported through Wikipedia’s administrator and vandalism-reporting processes. Protected articles may require an edit request on the talk page.

Do not email the legal department about routine vandalism or a minor factual mistake.

Wikipedia Account and Login Help

Wikipedia accounts are used across many Wikimedia projects through a unified login system.

Common account issues include:

  • Forgotten passwords
  • Lost access to the registered email address
  • Missing verification codes
  • Two-factor authentication problems
  • Compromised accounts
  • Username concerns
  • Editing blocks

Begin with the password-reset option on the Wikipedia login page. A reset email can only be delivered when a usable email address was previously associated with the account.

Wikimedia also provides an Account Recovery form for certain users who have lost access. Account-recovery information may be processed through Zendesk, a third-party support platform.

Wikimedia support staff and volunteers should never ask for an account password. Do not send a password, authentication recovery code, session cookie, or complete identification document through ordinary email.

Wikipedia Editing Blocks

A block prevents an account, temporary account, or network address from editing. Blocks are normally managed by volunteer administrators rather than Wikimedia Foundation customer service.

Read the notice displayed when attempting to edit. It may identify:

  • The reason for the block
  • The administrator who placed it
  • The duration
  • The affected account or network
  • Instructions for requesting review

Use the appeal process described in the block notice. Creating additional accounts to evade a block may result in further restrictions.

Wikipedia Donation Support

Donations made through Wikipedia fundraising pages support the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit organization that hosts Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects.

Use donate@wikimedia.org for questions involving:

  • Donation receipts
  • Recurring donations
  • Changing or canceling a monthly gift
  • Duplicate contributions
  • Incorrect donor information
  • Refund requests
  • Payment problems
  • Fundraising emails or postal mail

Include the donor’s name, email address, transaction date, amount, payment method, and the last four digits of the payment card when requested. Do not send a complete card number or banking password.

Donation Mailing Address

Checks and money orders intended as donations use a separate lockbox address:

Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 98204
Washington, DC 20090-8204

Make checks payable to Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. The donation address should not be used for article complaints, account questions, legal notices, or general correspondence.

Canceling a Recurring Wikipedia Donation

Review the original donation receipt for a recurring-gift management link. Donors can also email donate@wikimedia.org and request that the recurring contribution be canceled or changed.

Include enough information to identify the donation, but do not send a complete payment-card or bank-account number.

Canceling a recurring gift stops future scheduled donations. A separate request may be needed for a transaction that has already been processed.

Stopping Fundraising Emails or Text Messages

Fundraising emails generally contain an unsubscribe link. Communication preferences can also be changed by emailing donate@wikimedia.org.

For Wikimedia Foundation fundraising text messages sent from 21527, reply STOP to discontinue future messages.

Wikipedia Copyright and Licensing Questions

Most Wikipedia article text is available under open licenses, including the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license. Reuse may require attribution, a link to the license, and notice of modifications.

Images and other media can have different licenses. Check the individual file-description page before copying or publishing an image.

For questions about Wikipedia or Wikimedia licensing, begin with the project’s copyright and reuse guidance.

Copyrighted Material Used Without Permission

A copyright holder who believes protected work has been posted without authorization should first review the Wikimedia Foundation’s Digital Millennium Copyright Act policy.

Formal DMCA notices and counter-notices can be sent to:

  • Legal Email: legal@wikimedia.org
  • Legal Mailing Address: Wikimedia Foundation, c/o CT Corporation System, 330 North Brand Boulevard, Glendale, CA 91203-2336

A formal takedown notice must contain the information required by law. The Wikimedia Foundation cannot provide personal legal advice.

For ordinary licensing permission involving media uploaded to Wikimedia Commons, the Volunteer Response Team may use specialized permission addresses and procedures.

Wikipedia Legal Requests

General legal questions, subpoenas, court orders, requests for user information, and other formal matters should follow the Wikimedia Foundation’s published legal procedures.

Use:

  • Email: legal@wikimedia.org
  • Legal Correspondence Address: Wikimedia Foundation, c/o CT Corporation System, 330 North Brand Boulevard, Glendale, CA 91203-2336

Do not send formal legal documents to the general San Francisco mailing address.

The Foundation publishes separate procedures for law-enforcement and other requests seeking nonpublic user information. Sending a request does not waive the Foundation’s or its users’ legal rights.

Wikipedia Safety and Abuse Reports

Wikimedia provides separate addresses for serious safety matters:

For an immediate real-world emergency, contact the appropriate local emergency service first.

A useful safety report should include:

  • A brief summary of the concern
  • Links to the relevant Wikipedia or Wikimedia pages
  • Usernames involved
  • Revision links or screenshots
  • Dates and times
  • Any relevant off-wiki activity connected to Wikimedia participation
  • The action or support being requested

Routine disagreements, criticism, article corrections, or complaints about editorial decisions should use normal community processes rather than the emergency address.

Wikipedia Privacy and Personal Information

Questions about Wikimedia Foundation privacy practices can be directed to privacy@wikimedia.org.

Public Wikipedia pages—including article talk pages, user talk pages, edit summaries, and noticeboards—can be read and archived by others. Do not publish:

  • Home addresses
  • Personal telephone numbers
  • Private email addresses
  • Payment information
  • Government identification numbers
  • Private medical information
  • Account passwords

Users who accidentally publish sensitive information should seek assistance promptly because removing visible text does not necessarily erase it from the page history.

Wikimedia Foundation Accessibility Support

Accessibility feedback involving the Wikimedia Foundation’s website can be sent to accessibility@wikimedia.org.

Describe:

  • The affected page
  • The browser and device
  • Any assistive technology being used
  • The accessibility barrier
  • The task that could not be completed

The Wikimedia Foundation’s accessibility statement applies specifically to its organizational website. Individual Wikimedia projects and community-created content may have separate technical or editorial issues.

About Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation

Wikipedia launched in 2001 as a free, collaboratively edited online encyclopedia. Articles are written, reviewed, discussed, and maintained by volunteers.

The Wikimedia Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization that operates the technical infrastructure for Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects. Its projects also include Wikimedia Commons, Wiktionary, Wikibooks, Wikidata, Wikisource, Wikiquote, Wikivoyage, and others.

The Foundation hosts and supports the websites, but it generally does not write or centrally approve individual Wikipedia articles.

Local Wikimedia chapters, user groups, and thematic organizations are separate movement affiliates. They do not operate Wikipedia on behalf of the Wikimedia Foundation and should not receive formal complaints about Wikipedia content unless the issue concerns their own activities.

Wikipedia Reviews and Complaints

Wikipedia experiences vary depending on the article, language edition, subject, sources, editor participation, and type of support requested.

A useful review may include:

  • The specific Wikipedia language edition
  • The article or feature involved
  • Whether the issue concerned reading, editing, an account, or a donation
  • The support process used
  • Whether reliable sources were provided
  • How volunteers or Foundation staff responded
  • Whether the concern was resolved

Do not use a public review to publish private information about editors, donors, article subjects, or Wikimedia employees.

People comparing Wikipedia with search engines and other online information sources may also review Google customer service. Search engines and Wikipedia provide different services: a search engine locates material across the web, while Wikipedia hosts volunteer-written encyclopedia articles.

Wikipedia Frequently Asked Questions

Does Wikipedia have a customer-service phone number?

Wikipedia does not publish a dedicated customer-service line. The Wikimedia Foundation’s general office number is 1-415-839-6885, but email and online community processes are usually more appropriate.

What is Wikipedia’s customer-service email?

General questions about Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects can be sent to info@wikimedia.org. The address is handled through a volunteer response system.

How do I ask the Wikimedia Foundation a question?

Use answers@wikimedia.org for general questions for or about the Wikimedia Foundation.

Is Wikipedia support available 24 hours a day?

Online help pages are continuously available, but ordinary live support does not have guaranteed 24-hour response times. Dedicated safety inboxes are available around the clock for serious safety concerns.

How do I correct a Wikipedia article?

Edit the article when appropriate or post a sourced correction request on its talk page. People connected to the article’s subject should disclose that relationship and use the edit-request process.

Can the Wikimedia Foundation remove incorrect article content?

Ordinary article disputes are generally handled by volunteer editors through Wikipedia’s community processes. Foundation staff do not serve as a central editorial board.

How do I recover a Wikipedia account?

Begin with the password-reset function. Users with certain account-recovery or two-factor-authentication problems can use Wikimedia’s Account Recovery form.

How do I cancel a recurring Wikipedia donation?

Use the management link in the donation receipt or email donate@wikimedia.org with enough transaction information to identify the gift.

How do I obtain a Wikipedia donation receipt?

Email donate@wikimedia.org with the donor’s name, email address, approximate transaction date, amount, and payment method.

How do I report a threat made on Wikipedia?

An imminent physical threat can be reported to emergency@wikimedia.org. Contact local emergency services first when immediate intervention is needed.

How do I report harassment?

Use normal community reporting routes when appropriate. Serious or ongoing abuse can be reported to the Wikimedia Foundation Trust and Safety team at ca@wikimedia.org.

Where do I send legal documents?

Follow the Wikimedia Foundation’s legal instructions and use the registered-agent address at 330 North Brand Boulevard, Glendale, California 91203-2336. Do not send legal documents to the general San Francisco office.

Where is Wikimedia Foundation headquarters?

The Wikimedia Foundation lists its mailing and visitor address as 1 Sansome Street, Suite 1895, San Francisco, California 94104.

Is the former 1 Montgomery Street address still current?

No. The Wikimedia Foundation’s current official contact page lists 1 Sansome Street, Suite 1895.

Why Trust CustomerServiceNumbers.com?

CustomerServiceNumbers.com has helped visitors locate organizational support information and share their experiences since 2004.

This page independently organizes Wikipedia and Wikimedia Foundation phone, email, account, donation, editing, safety, accessibility, privacy, and legal resources. CustomerServiceNumbers.com is not owned or operated by Wikipedia, the Wikimedia Foundation, or the volunteer Wikimedia community.

Share Your Wikipedia Support Experience

Have you requested an article correction, recovered an account, reported vandalism, managed a donation, submitted a safety concern, or communicated with Wikimedia volunteers or Foundation staff? Share your experience in the comment section below.

Include the general issue, support route used, and whether the matter was resolved. Do not publish passwords, private editor information, payment details, home addresses, legal documents, or other sensitive material.

Page Update Note

This Wikipedia support page was reviewed and updated in July 2026 with the current Wikimedia Foundation address, general office phone number, volunteer email support, article-correction procedures, account recovery, donation assistance, privacy, accessibility, legal contacts, and safety-reporting routes.

Customer Service Numbers Disclaimer

CustomerServiceNumbers.com is not associated with Wikipedia, the Wikimedia Foundation, Wikimedia movement affiliates, volunteer editors, Zendesk, or any individual Wikimedia project.

This page is provided for general informational and public-feedback purposes. Email addresses, office locations, project procedures, legal policies, donation methods, and support options may change. Verify important editing, account, donation, safety, privacy, and legal information through the applicable official Wikimedia resource.

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