> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.4thewords.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Side Panel, Themes & Settings
> Popup vs. side panel, color themes, the toolbar icon and badge, and managing your extension settings.
Two views, one set of information, plus every setting the extension offers and what the toolbar icon is trying to tell you.
> **Where to find it:** 4thewords icon → **Settings** in the footer
## Popup vs. side panel
The extension has two views with the same information, choose whichever fits how you browse. New installs open in the **side panel** by default.
* **Side panel.** Stays open alongside whatever site you're on, across tab switches. Adds a full-height Questbook view.
* **Popup.** Click the toolbar icon for a quick glance: word count, active battle, streak status. It closes when you click away.
Open **Settings** and use the **Use Side Panel** toggle. Turn it off and the toolbar icon opens the popup instead. The extension tells you when you need to close the panel and click the icon again for the change to take effect.
Right-click the 4thewords toolbar icon and choose **Open side panel**, or click Chrome's side panel icon in the toolbar and select 4thewords from the list.
## Color themes
Seven color themes are available: Obsidian, Pearl, Cave, Charcoal, Mining Site, Elder Library, and Stone City. Switch themes from **Settings** in the popup or side panel.
Once you've connected an account, **Match 4thewords** is on by default and keeps your extension theme in sync with whatever theme you're using on 4thewords.com. Turn it off to reveal the theme swatches and pick your own. Before you connect there's no account theme to follow, so the swatches are shown from the start.
## The toolbar icon and badge
Two things change on the toolbar: the **icon** itself, and the small **badge** sitting on top of it.
The icon is a "4" tile whose color reflects what you're doing, or a monster portrait when a battle needs your attention:
| Icon | Meaning |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Gray "4" | Word counting is paused |
| Purple "4" | Counting active, no battle |
| Deep purple "4" | Solo battle in progress |
| Green "4" | Endurance battle, or a co-op battle in progress |
| Monster portrait | Battle won, battle lost, or a queued monster waiting to start |
The badge shows the number or marker that matters most right now, in roughly this order:
| Badge | Meaning |
| ----------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `!` | Sync problem, or a co-op team waiting on you |
| `WIN!` | Battle won |
| `✗` | Battle lost |
| `✓` | You're ready in a co-op hold |
| `42%` | Co-op battle progress |
| A number, battle active | Words left to beat the monster, or defense left in an endurance battle |
| `▶` | Nothing active, monsters waiting in your queue |
| A number, no battle | Words written today |
| A streak count | Your current writing streak |
Prefer a quiet toolbar? Turn on **Fixed badge** in Settings and the icon stays a static purple "4" with no live updates.
## Settings reference
Open **Settings** from the footer of the popup or side panel.
**Preferences**
* **Sync to 4thewords.** On by default. Turn it off to keep counting locally without sending anything to your account.
* **Use Side Panel.** Switches the toolbar icon between the side panel and the popup.
* **Reduce animations.** Turns off motion effects across the popup and side panel.
* **Fixed badge.** Keeps the toolbar icon and badge static instead of live.
* **Notifications.** On by default. Alerts you when a battle needs you while the panel is closed. See [Battles, Streaks & Quests Sync](/tools/chrome-extension/battles-streaks-and-quests).
**Color Theme**
* **Match 4thewords**, plus the seven theme swatches.
**Tracking**
* **Count pasted text.** On by default. See [Word Counting & My Sites](/tools/chrome-extension/word-counting-and-my-sites).
The bottom of Settings links to the Privacy Policy and this Help Center. Your installed extension version sits in the main panel footer, next to the **Settings** and **My sites** buttons, which is worth having on hand if you ever contact support.
## Accessibility
**Reduce animations** turns off animated effects across the popup and side panel, useful if animations are distracting or trigger motion sensitivity. It also suppresses the pulsing toolbar badge.
## Managing your connection
Your account card at the top of Settings shows who you're connected as, your plan, and your 4thewords timezone, with a **Disconnect** link. See [Installing & Connecting](/tools/chrome-extension/installing-and-connecting) for the full connect and disconnect flow.
## Frequently Asked Questions
Same core information, but the side panel stays open while you browse and adds a full Questbook view. The popup is quicker to check and close.
Yes, and it's the default once you're connected. **Match 4thewords** in Settings follows whichever theme you're using on the site. Turn it off to choose your own from the swatches.
Gray means word counting is paused. Open the popup or side panel and check the toggle at the top.
Something needs your attention: your words couldn't sync, your session needs reconnecting, or a co-op team is waiting on you. Open the popup or side panel to see which, and use **Reconnect** on the banner if it's a session issue. Your progress isn't lost either way.
Connection tokens expire periodically for security. Click **Reconnect** on the banner to sign back in. Your progress isn't affected.
Yes. Turn on **Fixed badge** in Settings for a static icon, or **Reduce animations** to keep the numbers but stop the pulsing.
**Set up your side of things**
Connect, disconnect, and reconnect your account.
What the extension can access, why, and what it never reads.