What are user modes?
User modes are settings that control how you appear and behave on the IRC network.
Common User Modes
+i (Invisible)
- Purpose: Hides you from /who and /names listings
- Usage:
/mode yournick +i (to set) or /mode yournick -i (to unset)
- Recommended: Yes, for privacy
+w (Wallops)
- Purpose: Receive network-wide announcements from operators
- Usage:
/mode yournick +w
- Note: Can be noisy, use with caution
+x (Hidden hostname)
- Purpose: Masks your real hostname/IP address
- Usage: Available automatically for registered users
- Benefit: Improves privacy and security
+r (Registered)
- Purpose: Indicates you're logged in to X service
- Usage: Automatic when authenticated
- Cannot: Be manually set/unset
Checking Your Modes
- View your modes:
/mode yournick
- View someone else's modes:
/whois nickname
Channel-Related Modes
Some modes affect how you interact with channels:
- +o: Channel operator status (set by other ops)
- +v: Voice status (can speak in moderated channels)
For a complete list of modes, type /quote help umode in your client.