Frequently asked questions

Using BeWelcome (your profile)

What is a ‘profile’?

Your profile is your identity on BeWelcome. It is where other members will look to find out about you, if you want to be hosted by them, or if they want to be hosted. So it is worth spending some time to fill it out properly. All changes to your profile are made on the "Edit my profile" page.

What should I write on my profile?

Information about you: How much you say about yourself is up to you, but a completed profile will greatly increase your chances of hosting and being hosted. You do not need to tell everything about yourself, but try to give other members an impression of who you are and what you are interested in. Don’t worry about making it perfect. You can always come back and change or add to it.

Please note that profiles with an empty “about me” section may not be shown in default search results. They may only be found using advanced search options.

Information about where you live: Information about where you live is particularly important if you want to offer hospitality. This could include local attractions, availability of public transport, details of sleeping arrangements, whether guests need to bring bedding or towels, any ‘house rules’, or any other information that could help a potential guest work out what to expect when staying at your place.

Should I have a profile picture?

Your profile picture will be displayed whenever you make a post or send a message on the site. By default, a standard icon – a silhouette – is displayed. This is not very attractive, and may put off other members. A more individual picture that represents you is much more positive. This could be an actual photo of you, but does not have to be. It could be a drawing, or a photo of something you are interested in. It just needs to represent ‘you’. If you wish, you can also add other pictures to your profile gallery.

How do I upload, change or delete my profile picture?

To upload or change your profile picture, please go to the "Edit my profile" page. You can only upload one picture there and if you upload another one, it will replace the former profile picture. Currently, the only way to delete your profile picture is to replace it with another one.

Can I display my e-mail address on my profile?

For security, your email address will never be displayed on your profile. But you will receive a notification to this address for any message you receive on the site: for this reason, please make sure to use an address that you're checking regularly.

Can I change my username?

In general, it is better to have a username which remains stable over time, so you cannot change your username yourself. However, if you have a good reason for a username change, we can change it manually for you. In this case, please contact us, stating your reasons for the change and the new username you would like to have.

Please note that usernames have to be 4 to 20 characters long, they have to start with a letter, and they have to end with either a letter or a number. The only special characters allowed are -._ (no spaces).

How do I change my location?

Your profile location displays automatically, based on the information you provided when you joined. If you want to change it, click on Update my location in the ‘General information’ section of ‘Edit my profile’. Then, just follow the instructions.

Can I change the language of my profile?

You can make several versions of your profile in different languages. This is done by adding languages from the drop-down list next to ‘Profile Translations’ at the top of your profile. This will take you to an edit page, where you can choose sections of your profile to translate and save. Once this is done, whenever you are on your profile or your ‘Edit my profile’ page you can switch between your profile languages by clicking one of the available languages at the top of your profile information.

What are profile ‘comments’?

‘Comments’ are feedback given about you and by you about other members. They may be given after a hosting experience, but they do not have to be linked to a specific event, and they can be given at any time. Comments written by others cannot be changed by you. (If you object to a particular comment, please use the flag icon in the comment to report it to the Safety Team, who will consider whether it should be changed.)

Before writing a comment about another member, please read our Profile Comment Guidelines.

Can I hide my profile temporarily?

To temporarily hide your profile, go to the "Edit my profile" page and choose “Set inactive” from the menu. Setting your profile to “inactive” means that your membership remains intact but your profile content will be hidden (instead, a highlighted text box will be displayed on your profile telling other members that you are inactive), you will no longer be found through the member search, and other members can no longer contact you.

Please note that you can un-hide your profile anytime, but once you reactivate the profile, another deactivation is not possible for two weeks.

How do I delete my profile?

If you want to leave BeWelcome, you can delete your profile by going to the "Edit my profile" page and choosing “Delete profile” from the menu (it would be helpful to BeWelcome if you could fill in the comment box to let us know the reasons why you are leaving.)