NickServ allows you to "register" a nickname and prevent others from using it. The following commands allow for registration and maintenance of nicknames; to use them, type /msg NickServ command. For more information on a specific command, type /msg NickServ HELP command.

REGISTER Register a nickname
GROUP Join a group
IDENTIFY Identify yourself with your password
ACCESS Modify the list of authorized addresses
SET Set options, including kill protection
DROP Cancel the registration of a nickname
RECOVER Kill another user who has taken your nick
RELEASE Regain custody of your nick after RECOVER
SENDPASS Forgot your password? Try this

Other commands: AUTH, GHOST, GLIST, HOST, INFO, LIST, LOGOUT, STATUS

NOTICE: This service is intended to provide a way for IRC users to ensure their identity is not compromised. It is NOT intended to facilitate "stealing" of nicknames or other malicious actions. Abuse of NickServ will result in, at minimum, loss of the abused nickname(s).

Nicknames that are not used anymore are subject to the automatic expiration, i.e. they will be deleted after 21 days if not used.



REGISTER
Syntax: /msg NickServ REGISTER

Registers your nickname in the NickServ database. Once your nick is registered, you can use the SET and ACCESS commands to configure your nick's settings as you like them. Make sure you remember the password you use when registering - you'll need it to make changes to your nick later. (Note that case matters! EPONA, Epona, and epona are all different passwords!) 

Guidelines on choosing passwords:
Passwords should not be easily guessable. For example, using your real name or your birth date as a password is a bad idea. Using your nickname as a password is a much worse idea ;) and, in fact, NickServ will not allow it. Also, short passwords are vulnerable to trial-and-error searches, so you should choose a password at least 5 characters long. Finally, the space character cannot be used in passwords.

The parameter email is optional and will set the email for your nick immediately. However, it may be required on certain networks. Your privacy is respected; this e-mail won't be given to any third-party person.

This command also creates a new group for your nickname, that will allow you to register other nicks later sharing the same configuration, the same set of memos and the same channel privileges. For more information on this feature, type /msg NickServ HELP GROUP.

GROUP
Syntax: /msg NickServ GROUP target password

This command makes your nickname join the target nickname's group. password is the password of the target nickname.

Joining a group will allow you to share your configuration, memos, and channel privileges with all nicknames in the group, and much more!

A group exists as long as it is useful. This means that even if a nick of the group is dropped, you won't lose the shared things described above, as long as there is at least one nick remaining in the group.

You can use this command even if you have not registered your nick yet. If your nick is already registered, you'll need to identify yourself before using this command. Type /msg NickServ HELP IDENTIFY for more information. This last may be not possible on your IRC network.

It is recommended to use this command with a non-registered nick because it will be registered automatically when using this command. You may use it with a registered nick (to change your group) only if your network administrators allowed it.

You can only be in one group at a time. Group merging is not possible.

Note: all the nicknames of a group have the same password.

IDENTIFY
Syntax: /msg NickServ IDENTIFY password

Tells NickServ that you are really the owner of this nick. Many commands require you to authenticate yourself with this command before you use them. The password should be the same one you sent with the REGISTER command.

ACCESS
Syntax: /msg NickServ ADD mask,  /msg NickServ ACCESS DEL {mask | entry-num | list},  /msg NickServ ACCESS LIST [mask | list],  /msg NickServ ACCESS CLEAR

Modifies or displays the access list for your nickname group. This is the list of addresses which will be automatically recognized by NickServ as allowed to use the nicks. If you want to use the nick from a different address, you need to send an IDENTIFY command to make NickServ recognize you.

ACCESS ADD adds the given user@host mask to the access list; for example:

ACCESS ADD epona@*.epona.org
Allows access to user epona from any machine in the epona.org domain.

The ACCESS DEL command removes the given mask from the ACCESS list if it is present. If a list of entry numbers is given, those entries are deleted. (See the example for LIST below.)

The ACCESS LIST command displays the access list.

If a wildcard mask is given, only those entries matching the mask are displayed. If a list of entry numbers is given, only those entries are shown; for example:
ACCESS LIST 2,7-9
Lists access list entries numbered 2 and 7 through 9.

ACCESS CLEAR clears all entries of the access list.

SET
Syntax: /msg NickServ SET option parameters

Type  /msg NickServ HELP SET option for more information on a specific option. SET applies to the following commands:

GNAME Set the name of your group
Syntax: /msg NickServ SET GNAME new-name

Changes the name used by NickServ to refer to your group. The new-name MUST be one of the nicks in your group.

PASSWORD Set your nickname password
Syntax: /msg NickServ SET PASSWORD new-password

Changes the password used to identify you as the nick's owner.

LANGUAGE Set the language services will use when sending messages to you
Syntax: /msg NickServ SET LANGUAGE

Changes the language Services uses when sending messages to you (for example, when responding to a command you send). number should be chosen from the following list of supported languages:
1) English
2) Français (French)
3) Deutsch (German)
4) Português (Portuguese)
5) Español (Spanish)
6) Türkçe (Turkish)
7) Catala (Catalan)
8) (Greek)
9) Italiano (Italian)

URL Associate a URL with your nickname
Syntax: /msg NickServ SET URL url

Associates the given URL with your nickname. This URL will be displayed whenever someone requests information on your nick with the INFO command.

EMAIL Associate an e-mail address with your nickname
Syntax: /msg NickServ SET EMAIL e-mail

Associates the given E-mail address with your nickname. This address will be displayed whenever someone requests information on the channel with the INFO command.

IM Associate instant messaging contact info
Syntax: /msg NickServ SET IM program identifier

Associates the given instant messaging contact info with your nickname. program is the instant messaging program and identifier is your instant messaging identifier. This will be displayed whenever someone requests information on your nick with the INFO command.

GREET Associate a greet message with your nickname
Syntax: /msg NickServ SET GREET message

Associates the given greet message with your nickname. It will be displayed when joining a channel having the GREET option enabled, provided you have the required access level on it.

KILL Turn protection on or off
Syntax: /msg NickServ SET KILL {ON | QUICK | IMMED | OFF}

Turns the automatic protection option for your nick on or off. With protection on, if another user tries to take your nick, they will be given one minute to change to another nick, after which NickServ will forcibly change their nick. The protection is disabled for users taking the nickname whose user mask matches an entry of the nickname access list; type /msg NickServ HELP ACCESS for more information.

If you select QUICK, the user will be given only 20 seconds to change nicks instead of the usual 60. If you select IMMED, user's nick will be changed immediately without being warned first or given a chance to change their nick; please do not use this option unless necessary, and make sure your nickname access list is up-to-date, or you won't be able to use your nickname again! However, your network's administrators may have disabled this option.

SECURE Turn nickname security on or off
Syntax: /msg NickServ SET SECURE {ON | OFF}

Turns NickServ's security features on or off for your nick. With SECURE set, you must enter your password before you will be recognized as the owner of the nick and thus getting access to your privileges, memos and options, regardless of whether your address is on the access list.

PRIVATE Prevent your nickname from appearing in a /msg NickServ LIST
Syntax: /msg NickServ SET PRIVATE {ON | OFF}

Turns NickServ's privacy option on or off for your nick. With PRIVATE set, your nickname will not appear in nickname lists generated with NickServ's LIST command. (However, anyone who knows your nickname can still get information on it using the INFO command.)

HIDE Hide certain pieces of nickname information
Syntax: /msg NickServ SET HIDE {EMAIL | USERMASK | QUIT} {ON | OFF}

Allows you to prevent certain pieces of information from being displayed when someone does a NickServ INFO on your nick. You can hide your E-mail address (EMAIL), last seen user@host mask (USERMASK), and last quit message (QUIT). The second parameter specifies whether the information should be displayed (OFF) or hidden (ON).

HOST Customize your IRC hostname
Syntax: /msg NickServ SET HOST {ON | OFF}

Allows you to enable (ON) or disable (OFF) the custom hostname (visible in /WHOIS) that may be assigned to your nickname.
Note: this option may be unavailable.

In order to use this command, you must first identify with your password (/msg NickServ HELP IDENTIFY for more information).

DROP
Syntax: /msg NickServ DROP [nickname]

Without a parameter, drops your nickname from the NickServ database.
With a parameter, drops the named nick from the database.
You may drop any nick within your group without any special privileges.

RECOVER
Syntax: /msg NickServ RECOVER nickname [password]

Allows you to recover your nickname if someone else has taken it; this does the same thing that NickServ does automatically if someone tries to use a kill-protected nick.

When you give this command, NickServ will bring a fake user online with the same nickname as the user you're trying to recover your nick from. This causes the IRC servers to disconnect the other user. This fake user will will remain online for one minute to ensure that the other user does not immediately reconnect; after that minute, you can reclaim your nick. Alternatively, use the RELEASE command (/msg NickServ HELP RELEASE) to get the nick back sooner.

In order to use the RECOVER command for a nick, your current address as shown in /WHOIS must be on that nick's access list, you must be identified and in the group of that nick, or you must supply the correct password for the nickname.

RELEASE
Syntax: /msg NickServ RELEASE nickname [password]

Instructs NickServ to remove any hold on your nickname caused by automatic kill protection or use of the RECOVER command. By default, such holds last for one minute; this command gets rid of them sooner.

In order to use the RELEASE command for a nick, your current address as shown in /WHOIS must be on that nick's access list, you must be identified and in the group of that nick, or you must supply the correct password for the nickname.

SENDPASS
Syntax: /msg NickServ SENDPASS nickname

Send the password of the given nickname to the e-mail address set in the nickname record. This command is really useful to deal with lost passwords.

May be limited to IRC operators on certain networks.
This command is unavailable when encryption is enabled and it is impossible to generate a password through OpenSSL.

AUTH
Syntax: /msg NickServ AUTH, /msg NickServ AUTH code, /msg NickServ PASS code new-password, /msg NickServ AUTH Cancel

With no parameter, starts an authentication process, which consists of an e-mail sent to the e-mail address associated with your group and containing a code used to verify the validity of your e-mail address.

With a code parameter, finishes the authentication process currently in progress. The code is the one that was sent to you by e-mail at the beginning of the authentication process. Once your e-mail is fully authenticated, you are given access to all commands and features that your administrators chose to reserve to groups with authenticated e-mail addresses.

The AUTH PASS command finishes the authentication process as well, but allows you to additionally change your nickname password as well. This command may be unavailable.

The AUTH CANCEL command cancels the authentication process in progress.

This command may be disabled on some networks.

GHOST
Syntax: /msg NickServ GHOST nick password

Terminates a "ghost" IRC session using your nick. A "ghost" session is one which is not actually connected, but which the IRC server believes is still online for one reason or another. Typically, this happens if your computer crashes or your Internet or modem connection goes down while you're on IRC.

In order to use the GHOST command for a nick, your current address as shown in /WHOIS must be on that nick's access list, you must be identified and in the group of that nick, or you must supply the correct password for the nickname.

GLIST
Syntax: /msg NickServ GLIST

Without a parameter, lists all nicknames that are in your group, with their expiration dates.

HOST
Syntax: /msg NickServ HOST SET [nickname] [custom-hostname], /msg NickServ HOST LIST [mask] [range]

HOST SET sets the custom hostname of either your nickname or the specified one. The custom hostname is unset if not given.

Note: this feature may be disabled or unavailable on your network.

INFO
Syntax: /msg NickServ INFO nickname [ALL]

Displays information about the given nickname, such as the nick's owner, last seen address and time, and nick options. If you are identified for the nick you're getting information for and ALL is specified, you will be shown all the information; regardless of whether it's hidden or not.

LIST
Syntax: LIST [[pattern] [range] [NOLIMIT] [NOEXPIRE]]

Lists all registered nicknames. Nicks with the PRIVATE option set will not be displayed.

If pattern is given, only users with a matching usermask (in nick!user@host format) are displayed. The number of results shown at once is limited; you may specify a range to see results past this limit. For example:

LIST 51-100
Shows results 51 to 100.
LIST *Bot*!* 15-20
Shows results 15 to 20 whose nick contains "Bot".
LIST *! This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Lists all registered nicks owned by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

(Note: unlike numbered lists, it is not possible to use extended syntax such as 51-60,75-80).
If a pattern or range is given, specifying the NOLIMIT option shows an unlimited number of results.

LOGOUT
Syntax: /msg NickServ LOGOUT

Without a parameter, reverses the effect of the IDENTIFY command, i.e. make you not recognized as the real owner of the nick anymore. Note, however, that you won't be asked to reidentify yourself.

STATUS
Syntax: /msg NickServ STATUS nickname…

Returns whether the user using the given nickname is recognized as the owner of the nickname. The response has this format:

nickname status-code

where nickname is the nickname sent with the command, and status-code is one of the following:
0 - no such user online or nickname not registered
1 - user not recognized as nickname's owner
2 - user recognized as owner via access list only
3 - user recognized as owner via password identification

Up to sixteen nicknames may be sent with each command; the rest will be ignored. No error message is generated if no nickname is given.