View source for Wiki143:Rollback

{{Short description|Guideline on the rollback user right}}
{{distinguish|text=[[Wikipedia:Twinkle|Twinkle]]'s "rollback" feature or [[WP:RW|RedWarn]]'s "rollback-like" feature, which can be used by any [[WP:autoconfirmed|autoconfirmed]] user with [[WP:TW|Twinkle]] or [[WP:RW|RedWarn]] enabled}}
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{{subcat guideline|behavioral guideline|Rollback feature|WP:RBK|WP:ROLLBACK|WP:ROLL}}
{{tool warning|access=yes}}
{{Wikipedia:Rollback/right place notice}}
[[File:Wikipedia Rollbacker.svg|right|150px]]

The MediaWiki '''rollback''' [[Wikipedia:User access levels|user right]] provides users with a button that will [[Help:Reverting|revert]], with a single click, the last edit to a given page, along with any ''consecutive'' previous edits made by the same editor to that page. It is used to undo problematic edits such as [[WP:Vandalism|vandalism]]. Some counter-vandalism tools also require the user to possess the rollback user right to use the tool.

An editor with rollback user rights will see a button {{kbd|rollback ''n'' edits}} next to relevant revisions on pages such as their [[Help:Watchlist|watchlist]], on [[WP:UCP|user contributions pages]] (including their own), and on the [[H:PH|edit history]] of pages.

MediaWiki rollback is enabled and available to all [[WP:Administrators|administrators]] automatically and can be given to other users upon request, subject to the approval of an administrator. A user who has been assigned this right explicitly is called a '''rollbacker'''. There are currently [[Special:ListUsers/sysop|{{NUMBEROFADMINS}}]] administrators and [[Special:ListUsers/rollbacker|{{NUMBERINGROUP:rollbacker}}]] rollbackers ({{formatnum:{{#expr:{{NUMBEROFADMINS:R}}+{{NUMBERINGROUP:Rollbacker|R}}}}}} total; however, most of these accounts haven't edited for years), not including [[WP:Global rights policy#Global rollbacker|global rollbackers]] and [[m:Stewards|stewards]] who have been assigned the right across all [[Wikimedia]] projects.

Where the following text refers to MediaWiki rollback, it means the form of rollback built in to the [[MediaWiki]] editing software. [[#When to use rollback|MediaWiki rollback may only be used in certain situations]].  As with any other tool, editors who misuse MediaWiki rollback (for example, by using it to make ''unexplained'' reversions of [[WP:Assume good faith|good-faith]] edits in situations where an explanatory [[Help:Edit summary|edit summary]] or talk page note would normally be expected) may have their rollback rights removed. Since rollback is part of the core administrator tools, theoretically an admin could be [[WP:Requests for de-adminship (disambiguation)|stripped of their administrative privileges]] entirely to remove those tools.

==How it works==

Users with the MediaWiki rollback permission have extra "rollback" links next to revisions on the [[Help:Recent changes|recent changes page]], [[Help:Page history|page histories]], [[Help:Diff|diff]]s, [[Help:User contributions|user contribution pages]], and their [[Help:Watchlist|watchlist]]:

*[[Main Page|21:49, 2 September 2010]] ([[Help:Diff|diff]] | [[Help:Page history|hist]]) [[User:Example|Example]] ([[Wikipedia:Talk page|talk]] | [[Help:Contributions|contribs]]) .. ({{NUMBEROFEDITS}} bytes) (+1) .. [[Main Page|Wikipedia:Rollback]] ''(this is an example)'' '''(current)''' ([[Help:Reverting#Undo|undo]] | [[Help:Notifications/Thanks|thank]]) [[[WP:RBK|rollback: 1 edit]]]

Clicking one of these links restores the page to the most recent revision that is ''not'' made by the revision's author. This appears in the page history with a generic summary that looks like this:

{{Block indent|1='''<abbr class="minor" title="{{MediaWiki:recentchanges-label-minor}}">{{MediaWiki:Minoreditletter}}</abbr>''' {{int:revertpage|Helpful contributor|Vandal}} }}

A link to the reverted user's contribution history is provided, so that it may be easily checked for further problematic edits. The link on the user's name does not appear if you are reverting contributions done by a user whose username is not visible, previously having been [[WP:Revision deletion|removed]] or [[WP:OVERSIGHT|suppressed]] ''prior'' to the reversion, the result being "a hidden user":

{{Block indent|1='''<abbr class="minor" title="{{MediaWiki:recentchanges-label-minor}}">{{MediaWiki:Minoreditletter}}</abbr>''' {{int:revertpage-nouser|Helpful contributor}} }}

If the username is removed ''after'' reversion, the default edit summary remains and will need to be deleted separately in its entirety:
{{Block indent|1='''<abbr class="minor" title="{{MediaWiki:recentchanges-label-minor}}">{{MediaWiki:Minoreditletter}}</abbr>''' {{int:revertpage|Helpful contributor|Grossly offensive or libellous username}} }}

All edits using the MediaWiki rollback feature are [[Help:Tags|tagged]] with the "{{int:tag-mw-rollback}}" tag in [[Special:RecentChanges|recent changes]] and [[Help:History|page histories]].

Technical limitations:

*The rollback button only appears next to the most recent revision of a page.
*You cannot choose which revision will be restored. It is always the last revision ''not'' made by the author of the most recent revision. This revision may be problematic too, so be careful.
*If there are multiple consecutive edits to the page by the same author, they will {{em|all}} be reverted. To remove only some of them (or part of each edit), you must revert the changes manually or [[wP:Undo|undo]] them separately.
*You cannot use rollback on a page which has only been edited by one person, as there would be nothing to revert to.
*You cannot use rollback to restore a [[WP:Revision deletion|revision that has been deleted]] or [[WP:OVERSIGHT|suppressed]]. Attempting to do so will display an error message.
*Rollback happens immediately; there is no confirmation or preview on the desktop site (although a page is displayed, allowing you to see the changes you have made).
*Rollbacks are automatically marked as a "[[Help:Minor edit|minor edit]]".

Other tools can perform similar edits with non-generic edit summaries; see the [[#Additional tools|''Additional tools'']] section below.

===Mobile===

For the standard mobile interface, MediaWiki rollback links are only available on the [[Special:Contributions]] page. Users may want to enable the advanced mode in settings to be able to access rollback links on the recent changes page, page histories, and their watchlist. There are no rollback links on diffs in other mobile devices. Another way is to click [[Help:Mobile access#Desktop version access|desktop view]] below any Wikipedia page. It will redirect you to the desktop interface, which allows you to access rollback links in all of the usual places on Wikipedia pages.

By default, each click on the MediaWiki rollback link requires confirmation, to prevent misclicks on mobile.

==When to use rollback==
{{hatnote|"Wikipedia:Rollback policy" redirects here (although this is a [[WP:guideline|guideline]], not a policy). For the content previously at that title, see [[Wikipedia:Rollback policy (failed proposal)]].}}
{{shortcut|WP:ROLLBACKUSE}}
MediaWiki rollback is a fast way of undoing problematic edits, but it has the disadvantage that special tools are required to provide a custom [[Wikipedia:Edit summary|edit summary]]. MediaWiki rollback {{em|may}} be used:
#{{anchors|RB1|vandalism}}To revert obvious [[WP:Vandalism|vandalism]] and other edits where the reason for reverting is absolutely clear
#{{anchors|RB2|user}}To revert edits in your own [[WP:Userspace|userspace]]
#{{anchors|RB3|self}}To revert edits that you have made (for example, edits that you accidentally made)
#{{anchors|RB4|banned}}To revert edits by [[WP:Banning policy|banned]] or [[WP:Blocking policy|blocked]] users in defiance of their block or ban (but be prepared to explain this use of rollback when asked to)
#{{anchors|RB5|misguided}}To revert widespread edits (by a misguided editor or malfunctioning bot) unhelpful to the encyclopedia, provided that you supply an explanation in an appropriate location, such as at the relevant talk page<ref>See also [[WP:Requests for arbitration/Ryulong#Rollback]].</ref>
#{{anchors|RB6|withsummary}}With a custom edit summary explaining the ''reason'' for reverting the changes.

As with any other methods of reverting, when using rollback to ''restore'' text to a page, ensure that the content being restored does not violate any [[WP:PG|Wikipedia policies]].

=== MediaWiki rollback and edit summaries ===
The built-in MediaWiki rollback link does not provide an option to provide a custom edit summary, though some [[#Additional tools|user scripts and tools]] allow this. Use of MediaWiki rollback with the default summary for any other purposes (such as reverting good-faith changes which you happen to disagree with) is likely to be considered misuse of the tool because those edits should be explained. When in doubt, use another method of reversion, supply a custom edit summary to explain your reasoning, or start a discussion on the talk page. 

Also, do not use the default rollback edit summary when it will contain disruptive text which may need to be [[WP:REVDEL|revision-deleted]]. For example, avoid use of the default edit summary to revert edits made by an account with an unambiguously offensive, insulting, or egregious username that maliciously violates Wikipedia's [[WP:UPOL|username policy]].  MediaWiki rollback automatically includes the username of the editor who made the edits you are removing.

{{shortcut|WP:RBREVOKE|WP:ROLLBACKREVOKE}}
{{anchor|Revocation}}Editors must take full responsibility for any action they perform, regardless of the tools they are using.  Regardless of the methods or means that are used to perform the actual reversions, Administrators may revoke the MediaWiki rollback user right, remove other tools, or impose a block in response to any editor who is ''persistently'' failing to provide needed explanations for their reverts. However, admins should normally notify or warn the editor sufficiently first, and allow the editor the time and opportunity to respond and explain their reversions before taking any action, as there may be justification of which the administrator is not aware (such as reversion of edits made by a banned user), and because the edits may have been explained in another location. 

Similarly, editors who persistently engage in [[WP:Edit warring|edit warring]]{{snd}} {{em|especially}} those who have a repeated history of doing so{{snd}} may have their MediaWiki rollback permissions revoked as a precaution, regardless of the methods or means that were used to engage in the behavior. Additionally, administrators who persistently misuse MediaWiki rollback may theoretically have their administrator permissions revoked by the [[WP:Arbitration Committee|Arbitration Committee]], solely in order to remove the rollback user rights from them.<ref>Although theoretically possible, as of 2024, it is unclear whether anyone has ever been de-sysopped primarily for misuse of MediaWiki Rollback.</ref>

==Requesting rollback rights==

To request MediaWiki rollback rights, ask at '''[[Wikipedia:Requests for permissions/Rollback]]''' or ask one of the administrators listed [[:Category:Wikipedia administrators willing to grant rollback requests|here]]. Any [[WP:Administrators|administrator]] may grant or revoke rollback rights, using the [[Special:UserRights|user rights page]].

While there is no fixed requirement, a request is unlikely to be successful without a contribution history that demonstrates an ability to distinguish well-intentioned edits with minor issues from unconstructive vandalism. '''Rollback is not for very new users:''' it is unlikely that editors with under {{/Mainspace count}} [[WP:MAINSPACE|'''mainspace''']] edits will have their request granted. In addition, editors with a recent history of edit warring will often not be granted rollback given concerns of abuse.

If you have been granted rollback rights, you may wish to test it out [[WP:Administrators' guide/Rollback|here]].

==Accidental use of rollback==

=== What to do with accidental rollbacks ===
Because MediaWiki rollback only takes a single click, without asking for confirmation, even experienced users may sometimes accidentally click rollback when attempting to click somewhere else. If this occurs, simply revert your edit manually, with an edit summary like "Self-revert accidental use of rollback". You could rollback the rollback, but this can cause confusion for others who look at the page history.

If MediaWiki rollback is used accidentally instead of undo to revert a good-faith edit, you could take a quick look to see if there is anything in the article you could improve (like a typo), and while making that edit also add the reason for the earlier reversion. You could also explain the reason for reversion on the talk page of the user who made the edit or on the article talk page, if appropriate. Alternatively, you can follow the rollback with a [[Help:Dummy edit|dummy edit]] (not a [[Help:Purge#Null edit|null edit]]), with an edit summary like "Accidental use of rollback – ''your reason for the original reversion''".  This won't change the edit summary for the original rollback edit, but it will help people understand why you reverted the original edit.

=== Ways to reduce the risk of accidental misclicks ===
Editors have the option of installing any of the multiple [[Wikipedia:Rollback#User scripts|user scripts]] that enable mandatory confirmation from the user before rolling back an edit. This is enabled by default on mobile devices via the "Require confirmation before performing rollback on mobile devices" [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-gadgets|gadget]].

It is possible to hide the <code>[rollback]</code> links at [[Special:Watchlist]] (where most accidental clicks happen) while leaving <code>[rollback]</code> links available in other locations (e.g., [[Help:Diff|diffs]]). See [[WP:Customizing watchlists#Remove or modify the .5Brollback.5D link|WP:Customizing watchlists]] for instructions.

==Additional tools==
It is also possible to make rollback and rollback-like edits with an explanatory edit summary (instead of the default edit summary). Various editing tools let you do this; for example, see this [[WP:Cleaning up vandalism/Tools#Rollback tools|list of tools]]. 

=== Custom edit summaries for MediaWiki rollback ===
To manually add a custom edit summary with MediaWiki rollback, you can hand-edit the URL.  First, copy the URL of the rollback link.  Depending on your browser, this might be done by control-clicking on the [rollback] link on a history page so you can copy the URL.  Then paste the URL into your browser's address bar, and append <code>&summary=</code> followed by your desired summary to the end of the URL.

===Twinkle and RedWarn/Ultraviolet ===
[[File:Rollback and Twinkle.png|right|thumb|315px|Example diff showing both [[WP:Twinkle|Twinkle]] (top line: [[WP:Assume good faith|AGF]], [[WP:Rollback|rollback]], and [[WP:Reverting vandalism|vandal]]) and MediaWiki rollback (third line)]]

The patrolling tools [[WP:Twinkle|Twinkle]] and [[WP:RedWarn|RedWarn]]/[[WP:Ultraviolet|Ultraviolet]] have rollback-like features in similar places to the MediaWiki rollback links, and (as of 2024) they also call them "rollback". Unlike MediaWiki rollback, these scripts may be used by any [[WP:AUTOCONFIRM|autoconfirmed]] user. The scripts do basically the same thing as MediaWiki rollback, but they differ in their choice of edit summaries, and, in some small but significant ways, in their behavior.<ref>Namely:
* Rollback customization scripts, including [[User:Writ Keeper/Scripts/massRollback|massRollback]], only work on MediaWiki rollback.
* [[Wikipedia:Twinkle|Twinkle]]/[[Wikipedia:RedWarn|RedWarn]]/[[Wikipedia:Ultraviolet|Ultraviolet]] rollback is slightly slower than MediaWiki rollback and uses two [[WP:API|API]] calls instead of one. (RedWarn/Ultraviolet will conduct its rollbacks using MediaWiki rollback if the user is a rollbacker. Twinkle will still use the slower form even if the user is a rollbacker.)
* MediaWiki rollback is subject to a slightly more forgiving rate limit (as of April 2022, 100 per minute, versus 90 per minute for all other kinds of edits, including Twinkle/RedWarn/Ultraviolet rollback).
* MediaWiki rollback edits are [[mw:Extension:AbuseFilter/Rules_format#Exclusions|exempt from the edit filter]], while Twinkle/RedWarn/Ultraviolet rollback is not (although some edit filters manually exempt it).</ref>  Twinkle and RedWarn/Ultraviolet also offer additional options. 

Users with the MediaWiki rollback user right and these scripts installed will see multiple "rollback" links, which can be confusing (see the picture). Twinkle's rollback feature can be disabled by unticking every box in the option <code>Show rollback links on these pages:</code> at [[Wikipedia:Twinkle/Preferences#fluff|Twinkle preferences]].

Twinkle and RedWarn/Ultraviolet don't have an official version for the [[MW:Skin:Minerva Neue|standard mobile interface]]. A mobile user can use those tools in full access by switching to [[Help:Mobile access#Desktop version access|desktop view]].

===User scripts===
For further customization, you can use the following user scripts:

*[[User:Mr. Stradivarius/gadgets/ConfirmRollback]] – highly configurable rollback confirmation/hiding script; adjust rollback link behaviour by page and device type
*[[User:MusikAnimal/confirmationRollback]] – scripts to add rollback confirmation dialogs, available in mobile and desktop versions
*[[User:Writ Keeper/Scripts/massRollback.js]] — for reverting all or some of a user's contributions in one click, with support for custom summaries

==See also==
*[[Help:Reverting#Rollback]]
*[[Wikipedia:Requests for permissions/Rollback]]
*[[Wikipedia:Vandalism]]
* [[Wikipedia:Revert, block, ignore]] – blatant vandalism
*[[Wikipedia:Non-administrator rollback|The discussion]] that led to separate rollback permission for non-administrators
*[[Special:ListUsers/rollbacker|List of users with rollback rights]]
*{{tl|Rollback topicon}} a [[Template:Top icon|top icon]] template to indicate you have rollback permission – adds category to page automatically
*{{tl|User wikipedia/rollback}} a [[WP:Userboxes|userbox]] template to indicate you have rollback permission
*{{tl|User rollbacker since}} a userbox to indicate having rollback permission and period of time

==Notes==
{{reflist}}
{{Wikipedia accounts|collapsed}}
[[Category:Wikipedia rollback feature| ]]
[[Category:Wikipedia user groups]]