You can edit a Wikipedia sandbox by accessing the page (either the main public one or your personal user subpage sandbox) and clicking the "Edit" button to add or modify content.
Editing a Wikipedia sandbox is a great way to practice formatting, drafting content, or testing out ideas before putting them into a live article. There are primarily two types of sandboxes you might use: the main public sandbox or your own personal sandbox. The process is similar once you've accessed the edit window.
Editing the Main Wikipedia Sandbox
The main Wikipedia sandbox is a shared space used by many editors. It's good for quick tests.
- Access the Sandbox: Go to the main Wikipedia sandbox page, typically found at Wikipedia:Sandbox.
- Click "Edit": Find and click the "Edit" or "Edit source" tab at the top of the page. This opens the wiki text editor.
- Make Your Changes: Add or modify the text and wiki markup in the editing window. Remember, this page is reset periodically, so your changes won't be permanent.
- Add Edit Summary: In the small box below the editing window, briefly describe what you did (e.g., "testing formatting," "added text").
- Publish Changes: Click the blue "Publish changes" button.
Creating and Editing Your Personal Sandbox (User Subpage)
A personal sandbox is a subpage of your user page that only you primarily use. It's more stable than the main sandbox and ideal for longer-term drafting or complex testing. Here's how to create and edit one, incorporating the method described in the reference:
- Go to Your User Page: Navigate to your user page (e.g.,
User:YourUsername). If you don't have one, you can create it by clicking the link with your username at the top right of any Wikipedia page (it might be red if it doesn't exist yet). - Edit Your User Page: Click the "Edit" or "Edit source" tab on your user page.
- Add Sandbox Link: In the edit window for your user page, add
[[/sandbox]]. This creates a link to a subpage called "sandbox" under your user page (User:YourUsername/sandbox). You can add this anywhere on your user page, perhaps under a heading like "My tools." - Save User Page: Add an edit summary (e.g., "added sandbox link") and click "Publish changes" to save your user page.
- Click the Sandbox Link: You will now see a link on your user page that says "[[/sandbox]]" (or similar, depending on how you formatted it). It should be red, because the page does not exist yet. Click this red link.
- Write Content: Clicking the red link opens the edit window for your new, empty
User:YourUsername/sandboxpage. Write something in this edit window – this is your sandbox space! - Add Edit Summary: Add a brief description of your changes in the edit summary box.
- Publish Changes: Press "Publish changes" to save the content to your personal sandbox page.
Your personal sandbox (User:YourUsername/sandbox) now exists and you can edit it anytime by going directly to its URL or clicking the link on your user page.
Why Use a Personal Sandbox?
- Persistent: Unlike the main sandbox, your content stays unless you remove it.
- Private: It's your space, less likely to be altered by others.
- Organized: You can even create multiple subpage sandboxes (e.g.,
User:YourUsername/sandbox2,User:YourUsername/Draft article name).
Tips for Sandbox Editing
- Experiment Freely: Don't be afraid to try things out. That's what it's for!
- Preview: Use the "Show preview" button (usually next to "Publish changes") to see how your changes will look before saving.
- It's Not Live: Content in a sandbox is not part of the main encyclopedia. It's just for drafting and testing.
Whether you use the main sandbox for quick tests or a personal sandbox for longer projects, the core process involves clicking "Edit," making your changes, adding an edit summary, and clicking "Publish changes."
