Wikipedia talk:Vector 2022/FAQ

Q1: Why isn't there a way for logged-out users to switch to the old look?

A1: Logged-in users have the ability to switch their skin by visiting their Preferences page. This setting isn't available to logged-out users because to reduce server load, Wikipedia handles logged-out traffic using "snapshots" of our articles, hosted on several caching servers. Allowing logged-out users to use Preferences would require generating two versions of snapshots for each page, which would overload Wikipedia servers and potentially cause cache fragmentation. Forcing Preferences to load after the page would also lengthen the loading time and bring about glitches. However, a persistent (un)fixed-width toggle was added for logged out users as it only required a short cookie and did not require caching.

Q2: How do I restore the previous line width?

A2: Click the "fullscreen" button that appears on the bottom right corner of the page.

Q3: Was there prior discussion on changing the appearance?

A3: There was, see this Requests for comment (RfC) discussion. The RfC was closed by two editors who concluded that there was consensus to roll out the new skin without the need for a follow-up discussion, so long as the most pressing concerns expressed by editors in the RfC were addressed.

Q4: Can the old skin be restored as the default?

A4: An RfC discussion recently took place at Wikipedia:Requests for comment/Rollback of Vector 2022, in which editors did not reach a consensus. However, there was rough consensus to make unlimited width the default and to start another RfC around October 2023.

Q5: Where can I report a bug or an issue that needs fixing?

A5: Please report bugs and feature requests at phabricator.wikimedia.org.

Q6: What if I have more questions?

A6: A more comprehensive list of FAQs can be found at mw:Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Frequently asked questions.