FAQ & Troubleshooting

What counts as a writing day?

Write at least 444 words in a single calendar day (based on your account timezone). The words can be spread across any number of files or sessions. They all add up. Your Streak Dashboard shows your daily progress.

What happens if I miss a day?

Your current streak resets to zero. Your Total Streak Days (lifetime count) is never lost. If you’re on a paid plan, you can repair missed days using Stempos.

I wrote 444 words but my streak didn't register for that day.

Check your timezone setting in Account → Settings. If your timezone is wrong, your words may have been credited to a different calendar day.

Can I fix a streak I broke last month?

You can repair streaks up to 30 days in the past and only if you’re on a paid plan (Member, Pro, or Lifetime).

How much do Stempos cost to repair a broken streak?

Future days (reserving ahead) cost 1 Stempo per day. Past days (repairing a miss) cost 2 Stempos per day. See the full Streak Maintenance guide for details on where to get Stempos.

The Streak Maintenance Station isn't showing a fix button: I only see an upgrade banner.

Streak repair is a paid plan feature. If you’re on the Free plan, you’ll see an upgrade prompt instead of the repair button. Upgrade to Member, Pro, or Lifetime to access streak maintenance. See Plans & Pricing.

The 'Fix for X Stempos' button shows 'Not enough stempos.'

You don’t have enough Stempos to cover the repair cost. You can earn more through quests, buy them with Crystals at the market, or wait for your next monthly Pro refill.

My streak broke even though I wrote enough words: the timezone was wrong.

Go to Account → Settings and correct your timezone. Unfortunately, words already credited to the wrong day can’t be moved retroactively. If you have Stempos, you can repair the missed day instead.

Do I lose my Wings if my streak breaks?

No. Wings are permanently earned based on your highest streak milestone. Breaking your streak doesn’t remove Wings you’ve already unlocked. See Wings & Rewards.

More questions about streaks? See the full Writing Streaks guide.

My words aren't counting toward my battle.

Make sure the battle is actually active (not frozen or on hold). If you entered a co-op room, your solo battles pause automatically. Check your battle status in the Battle List after returning from co-op.

The battle ended before I finished writing.

The timer ran out before the monster was defeated. This counts as a loss, but you keep all the words you wrote. Consider boosting your Attack stat or trying a smaller monster.

I can't start a battle: 'Quota Exceeded' message.

Your Battle List is full. Each plan tier has a different limit on how many active battles you can queue. Finish, abandon, or remove a battle to free up a slot. See Plans & Pricing for tier limits.

What's the difference between a regular battle and an Endurance Battle?

In a solo battle, you deal damage by writing words. In an Endurance Battle, the monster attacks you, and your goal is to survive until the timer expires by continuously writing.

I keep losing Endurance Battles quickly.

Your Defense stat is too low. Equip items that boost Defense before the battle, or try a weaker Endurance monster until your gear improves.

Can I use potions in a co-op battle?

No. Potions are disabled in co-op battles. They only work in solo battles. Plan your word count accordingly.

Can I be in a solo battle and a co-op battle at the same time?

No, only one battle at a time.

What's the difference between Auto-Start Next and Loop?

Auto-Start Next starts the next monster in your Battle List when you defeat the current one. Loop restarts the same monster immediately after you beat it. Use Loop for grinding a specific drop.

More questions about battles? See Solo Battles, Endurance Battles, and Co-Op Battles.

Are my words mine?

Always, and all of them. 4thewords takes no ownership of anything you write. You can read more in the Privacy Policy and the AI Policy.

Words aren't being saved in my file.

The editor auto-saves continuously, but a poor network connection can interrupt this. Check your connection, refresh the page, and try again. If the issue persists, try a different browser. See Files.

I pasted text but the words didn't count toward my battle or streak.

Check your Account → Settings to see what you have your Copy/Paste detection set to.

A file is missing from my Files list.

Check whether you accidentally archived it. Look in the Archived filter in your Files list. Archived files aren’t deleted. They’re just hidden from the default view.

The editor feels laggy or slow to respond.

Very long files (50,000+ words) can slow down the editor. Try splitting the file into multiple shorter files inside a Project. Also check that you don’t have too many browser tabs open.

I expected a version to be saved but don't see it.

Versions are saved automatically after a writing session ends (when you stop typing for a period). Very short edits may not trigger a new version. See File Versions for how the system decides when to save.

Can I restore an older version of my file?

Yes. Open the file, click the Versions tab, and select the version you want. You can restore it (replace the current content) or pin it (keep it saved permanently). See File Versions.

You can't create new files: quota message.

You’ve hit your plan’s file limit. Free accounts have a limit of files they can create. Upgrade your plan for higher limits, or archive files you no longer need. See Plans & Pricing.

My project's word goal progress isn't updating.

Make sure you’re writing in files that are actually assigned to that Project. Words written in standalone files (not inside the project) don’t count toward the project’s goal.

How do I publish my work to get community feedback?

Open any Project → click the ⋯ menu → Publish Settings. Set your category, cover, and visibility. See the full Reading & Publishing guide.

More questions about writing? See Files, File Versions, and Projects.

My payment went through but my plan still shows as Free.

This can happen if there’s a delay between payment processing and plan activation. Wait a few minutes and refresh the page. If it still shows Free after 15 minutes, contact support with your payment confirmation.

I cancelled my plan but I'm still being charged.

Check Account → Subscription to confirm the cancellation went through. If you see a next billing date, the cancellation may not have saved. Try cancelling again and check for a confirmation message. See Plans & Pricing.

My payment failed.

Check that your payment method is current and has sufficient funds. Try updating your card in Account → Subscription. If using PayPal, check that the billing agreement is still active.

I entered a gift code but nothing happened.

Make sure you entered the code in Account → Subscription → Gift Codes (not the account store). Codes are case-sensitive. If the code still doesn’t work, it may have already been redeemed or expired.

What happens when I cancel?

You keep paid features until the end of your current billing period, then drop to Free. Your files and writing are never deleted; you just lose access to paid features like streak repair and extra battle slots. See Plans & Pricing.

What happens to my files if I downgrade?

Your files are never deleted. If you’re over the Free plan’s file limit, you can still read and edit existing files but can’t create new ones until you’re under the limit. Same applies to projects. See Plans & Pricing.

Can I switch from monthly to yearly billing?

Yes. Go to Account → Subscription and select the yearly option. The switch takes effect at your next billing cycle.

How do I know if my timezone is correct?

Go to Account → Settings and check the timezone field. This affects when your streak day resets and when daily limits refresh. If you’ve recently traveled, update it manually.

How do I delete my account?

Go to Account → Settings → scroll to the bottom → Delete Account. This is permanent and cannot be undone. All files, progress, and subscription data will be removed.

My account settings aren't saving.

Try refreshing the page and making the change again. If using a mobile browser, switch to desktop mode. If the issue persists with timezone or display name specifically, contact support.

Do I need to provide payment information to use 4thewords?

No. You don’t need a credit card or any payment information to use 4thewords. All you need is a valid email address. No payment information is entered until you choose a paid plan. See Plans & Pricing.

More questions about billing? See Plans & Pricing and Gift Codes & Gifting.

What is 4thewords?

An online writing game. Your words defeat monsters, monsters drop rewards, and you use those rewards to equip your hero, visit markets, craft recipes, complete quests, and advance through a world infected by a mysterious purple dust. Beyond the game, you can organize your writing into projects and publish them for the community to read and comment on.

Do I have to write about the prompts or monsters? Is this a typing speed game?

No. You can write anything: a novel, blog post, homework, journal entry, a particularly long email. Your word count is what matters in battle, not the topic. The goal is to keep your daily writing healthy and meet your writing goals.

How do I unlock new areas?

Progress through the Main Questline. New areas unlock as you complete story milestones and quests. Check Adventure → Universe to see which areas are available.

I feel stuck — the game isn't giving me anything new.

All content in 4thewords — monsters, quests, markets, items — is tied to areas. If nothing new is showing up, you likely need to unlock your next area by completing quests and advancing the Main Storyline. Check your Main Storyline tab to see what’s next.

I can't find a quest that was just available.

Check to make sure you don’t have any Filters or Searches in the Quest tab. Also, Special Event quests are no longer available once the event ends.

I need a specific item for a quest but can't find it.

Hover over the item in your quest requirements to see which monsters drop it and which Markets sell it. You can add the monster to your Battle List directly from the item info window.

What happens to my Tokens when an event ends?

Unspent event Tokens are no longer useful once an event ends. Spend them before the deadline or sell them for Coins.

I can't find the event area on the world map.

Special events often have their own area that only appears during the event period. Check the event announcement in Community → News for the exact location and how to access it.

A market item is grayed out or I can't buy it.

You’re missing a required material or don’t have enough currency. Tap the item to see what’s needed. Some Market items also require completing specific quests first.

I see 'Limit reached' when I try to take a quest.

Your Questbook is full. Each plan tier has a different quest capacity. Complete or abandon an active quest to free up a slot. See Plans & Pricing for tier limits.

More questions about the game? See Adventure World, Quests, and Special Events.

Getting Started

Core Mechanics

Adventure & Exploration

Character & Gear

Community

Account & Billing

Additional Resources