Frequently Asked Questions

How does Urbex Planet work?

Urbex Planet is a community-driven hub for discovering, documenting, and discussing urban exploration sites. Members add pins with photos, field reports, demolition status, and safety notes. The live map supports advanced filters, themed overlays, and collection shortcuts so you can plan responsibly. Editors and admins review activity to keep information high-quality and safe.

What new features were added recently?

Our 2025 updates focused on speed, collaboration, and safety:

• Faster map: refreshed clustering, high-contrast basemaps, and heatmap overlays that respect your saved filters.
• Offline-friendly queue: a smarter service worker caches tiles and stores edits or uploads until you reconnect.
• Collection upgrades: drag-and-drop curation, shareable embeds, and new privacy controls.
• Discord sync: verification roles, alerts, and chat mirroring keep the site and community server aligned.
• Resource enhancements: richer Markdown with inline images, download safeguards, and automatic Discord announcements.

Do I need an account to use the map?

Browsing public pins works without signing in, but access to member-only pins, collections, saved map preferences, chat, and notifications requires an approved account linked through Discord OAuth. Profiles include granular visibility controls so you decide what to share.

Is urban exploration safe/legal?

Urban exploration involves risk and legal considerations. Always follow local laws, respect property, and prioritize safety. Information is community-sourced and may be incomplete or outdated — use your judgment, double-check recent reports, and never enter unsafe situations. Review the Terms and Privacy Policy for full details.

What types of locations are allowed?

We welcome abandoned sites, industrial relics, historic structures, infrastructure, rooftops, and other urbex-friendly spots. Avoid posting sensitive personal data, addresses for active residences, or anything that promotes harm. Editors may adjust metadata, redact sensitive details, or remove unsafe content to protect locations and the community.

How are duplicates or bad pins handled?

The platform flags potential duplicates, demolition reports, and mismatched coordinates automatically. You can also report issues from any pin. Moderators review queue entries, compare historical imagery, and either merge, archive, or adjust pins to keep the map accurate.

How do map preferences sync across devices?

Your filters, layer toggles, heatmap settings, and preferred basemap automatically save to your profile. The next time you sign in on desktop, mobile, or the PWA, Urbex Planet hydrates the same preferences instantly. You can reset to defaults from the map sidebar if you want a fresh start.

What data do you collect?

We collect the minimum needed to operate the platform and protect members — account basics, verification metadata, usage telemetry, and security logs. Profile fields such as joined date, last active, timezone, and stats are optional and have per-field visibility controls. We do not use third-party ad trackers. See the Privacy Policy.

Who can see my pin? What do the visibility settings mean?

Pins have four visibility levels. The default is Members. You can change this anytime in the pin editor.

• Public: Visible to everyone (no account required). Shows on public lists and category pages; can be indexed by search engines.
• Members: Only signed‑in, approved members can view. Hidden from public/category pages and search engines.
• Verified: Only verified explorers, plus editors/admins and the owner.
• Private: Only you (owner).

Notes: Only Public pins appear in category pages and our sitemap. Media, comments, and votes inherit the pin’s visibility. Changing visibility updates access immediately.

See also: About • Pin Visibility & Privacy.

What is the “Verified” rank?

Verified is a trust-only rank granted to long-term contributors who consistently share accurate intel and respect sensitive sites. Verified explorers access curated, higher-risk pins and can help validate demolition reports faster.

You may set a pin to Verified even if you don't hold the badge; that pin will behave like a private entry for you plus verified veterans and staff. Share responsibly, demonstrate good judgment, and the team will reach out when you're ready — please don't request it directly.

How does Discord integration work?

Authentication flows through Discord, and the Urbex Planet bot keeps your site roles aligned with the community server. Web chat can bridge into approved Discord channels, verification invites are handled automatically, and important updates (new resources, approvals, moderation alerts) can post directly to Discord for faster response times.

Can I use Urbex Planet offline?

Yes. Install Urbex Planet as a progressive web app on desktop or mobile to cache navigation chrome, map tiles, and recent pins. The offline queue v2 stores drafts, edits, and uploads locally with retry backoffs so nothing is lost when signal drops. Once online, the queue syncs automatically and alerts you if manual follow-up is needed.

How is content moderated?

Editors and admins handle reports, adjust metadata, and remove harmful content using a combination of automated alerts, audit logging, duplicate detection, IP/city bans, and demolition reminders. Staff can also broadcast safety notices, pause imports, or enable maintenance mode as needed to protect the community.

How can I contribute guides or resources?

Visit Resources to publish Markdown guides, PDF downloads, or gear checklists. Upload inline images securely, manage revision drafts, and choose visibility levels so only the right audience can access sensitive material. Approved uploads can optionally notify the community via Discord.

How can I report a bug or suggest a feature?

Open a bug report, suggest a feature, drop feedback in the community Discord, or email [email protected]. Community insight drives everything we build.

How can I support Urbex Planet?

You can back Urbex Planet by contributing accurate intel, moderating reports, volunteering design or engineering help, or donating to offset hosting, backup, and mapping costs. Supporters help us keep sensitive information protected while improving tools for responsible explorers.