How do I get an avatar on my account?

Question

Click here to access other questions in the PokeBase starter's guide.

Answer 1

PokeBase uses Gravatar to supply avatars. Gravatar is used by many websites and forums, so you may already be familiar with it (most notably, it's owned by WordPress). In any case, you can follow the steps below to add an avatar to your PokeBase account.

The system works by checking your email address on PokeBase, and matching it to one of the email addresses connected to your Gravatar account. Make sure you've got an email you can use for both websites.

Steps

1. Choose to show your avatar on PokeBase. To do this, login to your PokeBase account, and go to your account settings. Next to the column that says 'Avatar', select 'Show my Gravatar'. If you haven't used Gravatar before, you'll receive a basic blue avatar at first. Otherwise, your pre-existing avatar will appear here (and you may choose to stop now).

2. Create a Gravatar/WordPress account (or login to your existing one). Go to the Gravatar website, press the blue "Sign up" button, and follow the prompts. If you already have an account, click "Sign in" at the top of the page and follow the prompts.

3. Confirm your email for both Gravatar/WordPress and PokeBase. Check your inbox for the confirmation links, including in your spam folder. If needed, re-send a PokeBase link here.

4. Go to Gravatar's main menu. If you're signed in, you will see a page that allows you to add email addresses and avatars. Ensure the email address you used to sign up to PokeBase is selected. If the email you used to sign up to PokeBase isn't listed, you need to add it and confirm it.

5. Upload an avatar. To do this, click 'Add a new image', or go directly to the upload page. Once you've uploaded the image, crop it to your liking and then select the 'G' maturity rating. Don't set an inappropriate avatar.

6. Wait. If you've followed the steps properly, the avatar will link to your PokeBase account automatically. It may take a few minutes for the avatar to appear. If you replaced an existing avatar and it's not showing, try reloading PokeBase with Ctrl + Shift + R (which overrides cached images in your browser).

To change your avatar, simply upload a new image to Gravatar and then select it underneath the 'Pick new image' heading. Make sure the correct email address is highlighted when you do this. You can turn off your Gravatar at any time via your Gravatar settings or your PokeBase settings.

Note that moderators can block your avatar from appearing on PokeBase if it is inappropriate, and obviously you can't undo that yourself.

Comments

I tapped "create a gravatar" and it took me to... A blank screen. Please help thanks :P there was just a W in a circle.

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I did everything you said and it still doesn't show up... I'm confused

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Basic troubleshooting:
1. Double-check your Gravatar/Wordpress email address matches the email you use on PokeBase. Be especially careful if you already had a Wordpress account before coming across Gravatar.
2. Make sure that you've actually set the avatar to display for your email address. It is possible to upload an avatar, but not set it to be active. Follow the two steps in the headings on: https://en.gravatar.com/emails/
3. If you selected a high maturity rating for the avatar you uploaded, then it won't be displayed on PokeBase. Choose the lowest rating.
4. Make sure that you've confirmed your main email address for both Gravatar/Wordpress and PokeBase. If you've added multiple email addresses to your Gravatar account, make sure the one you used on PokeBase is confirmed.
5. It's possible that Gravatar is experiencing server issues, and an unusually long delay is occurring. In the past, people's avatars have eventually displayed after many hours. Some more patience might be enough.
6. If the avatar isn't appearing, try clearing your browser cache, or hard-reload the page using Ctrl+Shift+R.

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I've now also updated the answer with an in-depth, step-by-step process for adding avatars. Reading it might help you determine what the issue was.

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For like 1% of you who are wondering:
No it does not work in China. You may be able to see others' Gravs, but you can't access the site itself unless you have VPN.