DeviWiki:Template messages/Cleanup

"WP:TC" redirects here. For WikiProject Tropical cyclones, see WP:WPTC. For the WikiDevi Triple Crown, see WP:CROWN.

For general help on tagging pages, see WikiDevi:Tagging pages for problems.

Template messages may be added to articles needing a cleanup. Their purposes are to foster improvement of the encyclopedia by alerting editors to changes that need to be made. Cleanup tags are meant to be temporary notices that lead to an effort to fix the problem, not a permanent badge of shame to show that you disagree with the article or a method of warning the readers against the article.

Unless otherwise noted, the cleanup messages, or tags, should be placed at the top—before other templates, images, or infoboxes, but after hatnotes (see WikiDevi:Hatnote § Placement). Certain tags can be placed at the top of an individual section, and others can be placed within the text itself (inline).

Avoid tagging articles if you can easily and confidently fix the problem.

The goal is an improved article, not a tagged article.

Avoid "drive-by" tagging

Tags should be accompanied by a comment on the article's talk page explaining the problem and beginning a discussion on how to fix it, or, for simpler problems, a remark using the reason parameter as shown below; tagging editors must be willing to follow-through with substantive discussion

Don’t insert tags that are similar or redundant.

For example, most articles that read like essays have an inappropriate tone, and in fact they end up being automatically grouped in the same category, so it is unnecessary to tag with both {{tone}} and {{essay-like}}.

If an article has many problems, tag only the highest priority issues.

A lengthy list is often less helpful than a shorter one. (See also: tag bombing and over-tagging)

Don't add tags for trivial or minor problems, especially if an article needs a lot of work.

For example, there is little point in polishing the grammar of a section that needs to be dramatically re-written to comply with content policies. Focus on the biggest one, two, or three problems.

A date parameter is added by a bot, or you can add it yourself with |date=July 2025.

Does the article meet inclusion requirements?

Before placing templates on a page it is worthwhile to cast a critical eye over the page to determine whether it should, in fact, be included in WikiDevi. Some articles can be tagged for speedy deletion or nominated for a deletion discussion at article for deletion.

Best practices in obscure or unpopular articles

On pages that have received little attention from editors or readers, cleanup templates can be used as a way to call attention to problems that need to be addressed by editors. Editors who want to help address these problems should look through the various cleanup categories such as maintenance and articles with content issues and try to address the problems so that the templates can be removed. Editors who do a lot of tagging of articles should also address the backlogs.

Best practices in heavily monitored articles

On pages that are being edited by a number of users, cleanup templates are used to inform readers and editors of ongoing discussions and attempts to fix the problems on the page. Such templates can be used to attract uninvolved users to discussions and cleanup efforts, and they can also serve as a warning to casual readers that the article may have problems and be subject to dramatic changes. In general, an editor who places a template message to indicate a problem like this should explain their rationale fully on the talkpage of the article. If the consensus of the other editors is that there is a problem or an editorial dispute that deserves such a clean-up template, then the editors should work to fix the problem as quickly and cleanly as possible so the template message can be removed. If the consensus is that there is no problem, then the message can be removed immediately. For heavily monitored articles, please do not add or remove template messages of this sort without using the talk page.

Use in sections

Many of these cleanup tags require you to place |article as the first parameter when you use the tag at the top of an article. When you want the template to refer to just one section, however, you replace |article with |section (where the | is a pipe key found on most keyboards as a shift-backslash (\). See the specific template below to determine if such "section use" is supported and appropriate.

Tag consolidation

If too many tags are put at the top of an article, the article can become eclipsed by the tags, especially with short or stub articles. Consider consolidating the tags into the {{multiple issues}} template.

Cleanup

Overarching copyright issues

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{copypaste}} category links talk edit	Template:Copypaste

Combined message boxes

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes) — multiple issues (top of article)
{{multiple issues}} links talk edit

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes) — multiple issues (section)
{{multiple issues|section=yes}} links talk edit

General cleanup

Use one of these general tags when none of the more specific tags fits.

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{cleanup}} category links talk edit	This applies to general problems not addressed by other tags. Please consider using specific cleanup tags first, as specific tags help other editors to easily identify problems in an article. Use the reason parameter: cleanup|reason= to specify issues identified (it may be a link to comments on the talk page).
{{cleanup AfD}} category links talk edit	Template:Cleanup AfD Use this tag where an AFD discussion closes with a consensus of "keep and cleanup."
{{cleanup remainder}} category links talk edit	Template:Cleanup remainder Use this tag where the remaining sections of an article need cleanup.
{{cleanup rewrite}} category links talk edit	Template:Cleanup rewrite Use this tag where the whole article needs extensive revision.
{{Requires attention}} category links talk edit	Template:Requires attention Use this tag when one editor needs help from other editors about a certain issue, links to talk page or shows reason in template.

Copy editing

Some articles just need someone with a good grasp of editing technique to give them a once-over.

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{copy edit}} category links talk edit	Template:Copy edit
{{copy edit-section}} category links talk edit	Template:Copy edit-section
{{verify spelling}} links talk edit	Template:Verify spelling

Cleanup of specific subjects

These templates are all "general cleanup" templates, but tie into a specific subject matter or WikiProjects.

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{CIA}} category links talk edit	Template:CIA
{{cleanup book}} category links talk edit	Template:Cleanup book
{{cleanup Congress Bio}} category links talk edit	Template:Cleanup Congress Bio
{{cleanup film}} category links talk edit	Template:Cleanup film
{{cleanup school}} category links talk edit	Template:Cleanup school
{{cleanup university}} category links talk edit	Template:Cleanup university
{{game guide}} category links talk edit	Template:Game guide
{{game trivia}} category links talk edit	Template:Game trivia
{{local}} category links talk edit	Template:Local
{{metricate}} category links talk edit	Template:Metricate
{{USRD-wrongdir}} category links talk edit	Template:USRD-wrongdir

Fiction

See also: WP:Manual of Style/Writing about fiction

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{all plot}} category links talk edit	Template:All plot
{{fiction}} category links talk edit	Template:Fiction This is not for factual or accuracy disputes.
{{in-universe}} category links talk edit	Template:In-universe See template documentation for list of topic-specific sub-templates.
{{More plot}} category links talk edit	Template:More plot
{{No plot}} category links talk edit	Template:No plot
{{plot}} category links talk edit	Template:Plot

Inline with article text

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{need-IPA}} category links talk edit	Template:Need-IPA

Style of writing

See also: WP:Five pillars and WP:What WikiDevi is not

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{abbreviations}} category links talk edit	Template:Abbreviations
{{advert}} category links talk edit	Template:Advert
{{buzzword}} category links talk edit	Template:Buzzword
{{cleanup tense}} category links talk edit	Template:Cleanup tense
{{crystal}} category links talk edit	Template:Crystal
{{debate}} category links talk edit	Template:Debate
{{editorial}} category links talk edit	Template:Editorial
{{essay-like}} category links talk edit	Template:Essay-like
{{example farm}} category links talk edit	Template:Example farm
{{howto}} category links talk edit	Template:Howto
{{inappropriate person}} category links talk edit	Template:Inappropriate person
{{like resume}} category links talk edit	Template:Like resume
{{manual}} category links talk edit	Template:Manual
{{news release}} category links talk edit	Template:News release
{{obituary}} category links talk edit	Template:Obituary
{{over-quotation}} category links talk edit	Template:Over-quotation
{{peacock}} category links talk edit	Template:Peacock
{{pro and con list}} category links talk edit	Template:Pro and con list
{{repetition}} category links talk edit	Template:Repetition
{{research paper}} category links talk edit	Template:Research paper
{{review}} category links talk edit	Template:Review
{{story}} category links talk edit	Template:Story
{{technical}} category links talk edit	Template:Technical
{{tone}} category links talk edit	Template:Tone Also accepts |section parameter.
{{travel guide}} category links talk edit	Template:Travel guide
{{verbosity}} category links talk edit	Template:Verbosity

Structure, formatting and sections

See also: Help:Section, WP:Manual of Style (headings) and WP:Manual of Style/Layout

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{cleanup reorganize}} category links talk edit	Template:Cleanup reorganize
{{sections}} category links talk edit	Template:Sections
{{condense}} category links talk edit	Template:Condense
{{duplication}} category links talk edit	Template:Duplication
{{importance-section}} category links talk edit	Template:Importance-section
{{organize section}} category links talk edit	Template:Organize section
{{overcoloured}} category links talk edit	Template:Overcoloured {{Overcolored}} for American-style English
{{spacing}} links talk edit	Template:Spacing
{{too many see alsos}} category links talk edit	Template:Too many see alsos
{{trivia}} links talk edit	Template:Trivia
{{very long}} links talk edit	Template:Very long

Introduction

See also: WP:Manual of Style/Lead section

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{lead missing}} category links talk edit	Template:Lead missing
{{lead too short}} category links talk edit	Template:Lead too short
{{lead too long}} category links talk edit	Template:Lead too long
{{inadequate lead}} category links talk edit	Template:Inadequate lead
{{lead rewrite}} category links talk edit	Template:Lead rewrite
{{POV-lead}} category links talk edit	Template:POV-lead

Potentially unwanted content

See also: WikiDevi:What WikiDevi is not

Message boxes

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{cleanup list}} category links talk edit	Template:Cleanup list For use in articles or sections where potentially unwanted lists need to be salvaged before being deleted
{{cleanup red links}} category links talk edit	Template:Cleanup red links
{{close paraphrasing}} category links talk edit	Template:Close paraphrasing
{{copypaste}} category links talk edit	Template:Copypaste
{{criticism section}} category links talk edit	Template:Criticism section
{{external links}} category links talk edit	Template:External links
{{further reading cleanup}} category links talk edit	Template:Further reading cleanup
{{in popular culture}} category links talk edit	Template:In popular culture
{{MOS}} category links talk edit	Template:MOS
{{non-free}} category links talk edit	Template:Non-free
{{overlinked}} category links talk edit	Template:Overlinked
{{schedule}} category links talk edit	Template:Schedule
{{trivia}} category links talk edit	Template:Trivia

Inline with article text

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{peacock term}} links talk edit	Template:Peacock term
{{spam link}} category links talk edit	Template:Spam link
{{weasel inline}} links talk edit	Template:Weasel inline

Context and detail

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{context}} category links talk edit	Template:Context
{{generalize}} category links talk edit	Template:Generalize
{{overly detailed}} category links talk edit	Template:Overly detailed
{{specific}} category links talk edit	Template:Specific
{{time-context}} category links talk edit	Template:Time-context
{{Human-centric}} category links talk edit	Template:Human-centric Also takes the "talk" and "sect" parameters

Off-topic

Articles occasionally contain content which is otherwise valid, but appears unrelated to the nominal topic of the article. However, such stray may be subject of interpretation and must not lead to common understanding.

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{off-topic}} category links talk edit	Template:Off-topic Also takes "other article" parameter

Expand and add

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{biblio}} category links talk edit	Template:Biblio
{{cleanup biography}} category links talk edit	Template:Cleanup biography
{{expand section}} category links talk edit	When calling this template, you may pass it a parameter. A template call like {{expand section | examples and additional citations}} generates: "This section requires expansion with: examples and additional citations."
{{formula missing descriptions}} category links talk edit	Template:Formula missing descriptions
{{Lacking ISBN}} category links talk edit	Template:Lacking ISBN Place {{Lacking ISBN|date=July 2025}} at the head of the relevant section(s). Remember that books published before 1974 may not have ISBNs (though more recent editions should).
{{kmposts}} category links talk edit	Template:Kmposts Place above road junction lists that do not contain kilometreposts.
{{lacking overview}} category links talk edit	Template:Lacking overview
{{mileposts}} category links talk edit	Template:Mileposts Place above road junction lists that do not contain mileposts.
{{missing information}} category links talk edit	Template:Missing information When calling this template, you must pass it a parameter. A template call like {{Missing information | why bananas are yellow}} generates "This article is missing information about why bananas are yellow."

Expert needed

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{expert needed}} category links talk edit	Template:Expert needed Before adding this template, start a section on the article discussion page describing what you wish the expert to address, and put the section name in the |talk= parameter. {{Expert needed talk}} may be used on the talk page for this purpose.

Time-sensitive

See also: WP:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers and Category:Temporal templates

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{time-context}} category links talk edit	Template:Time-context
{{update}} category links talk edit
{{update|inaccurate=y}} category

Inline with article text

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{clarify timeframe}} links talk edit	For tagging WP:DATED problems Template:Clarify timeframe
{{update after}} category links talk edit	For facts that need updating now or at a specific future date Template:Update after
{{update inline}} links talk edit	For facts that need updating Template:Update inline

Contradiction and confusion

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{confusing}} category links talk edit	Template:Confusing Use this tag in articles that need broad cleanup to eliminate confusion and discrepancies.
{{contradict}} links talk edit	Template:Contradict
{{contradict-other}} links talk edit	Template:Contradict-other
{{contradict-other-multiple}} links talk edit	Template:Contradict-other-multiple Use these tags in articles that appear to contradict themselves or each other.
{{incomprehensible}} category links talk edit	Template:Incomprehensible
{{misleading}} category links talk edit	Template:Misleading Use this tag when the article is not factually wrong, but leads the reader to draw incorrect conclusions.
{{unclear date}} category links talk edit	Template:Unclear date
{{unfocused}} category links talk edit	Template:Unfocused Use this tag when the writing is clear, but the article as a whole doesn't concentrate on a single theme.

Note: Articles that are confusing or hard to understand due specifically to translation issues can be found at WikiDevi:Template messages/Translation.

Inline with article text

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{contradiction-inline}} category links talk edit	Template:Contradiction-inline Use this for specific sentences which contradict themselves or a nearby sentence.
{{expand acronym}} links talk edit	Template:Expand acronym Use this to mark acronyms and abbreviations that are not written in full at first occurrence.
{{inconsistent}} category links talk edit	Template:Inconsistent Use this to mark statements that are inconsistent with other parts of the article.
{{vague}} category links talk edit	Template:Vague Use this for specific sentences needing clarification.

Content forks

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{bad summary}} category links talk edit	Template:Bad summary

Importance and notability

See also: WP:What WikiDevi is not (importance conveyed by sources) and WP:Notability (coverage by sources).

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{notability}} category links talk edit	Template:Notability An optional parameter can be added to specify the applicable guideline; e.g.: {{notability|biographies}}, {{notability|fiction}}. See the template documentation for a list of supported values.
{{importance-section}} links talk edit	Template:Importance-section
{{importance inline}} links talk edit	Template:Importance inline inline version of {{importance-section}}

Neutrality and factual accuracy

See also: WP:Neutral point of view, WP:Dispute resolution and WP:Verifiability

Message boxes

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{autobiography}} category links talk edit	Template:Autobiography
{{cherry picked}} category links talk edit	Template:Cherry picked
{{coat rack}} category links talk edit	Template:Coat rack
{{COI}} category links talk edit	Template:COI
{{disputed}} category links talk edit	Template:Disputed
{{disputed-section}} category links talk edit	Template:Disputed-section
{{geographical imbalance}} links talk edit	Template:Geographical imbalance
{{globalize}} category links talk edit	Template:Globalize
{{partisan}} category links talk edit	Template:Partisan
{{peacock}} category links talk edit	Template:Peacock
{{POV}} category links talk edit	Template:POV
{{POV-check}} category links talk edit	Template:POV-check
{{POV-lead}} category links talk edit	Template:POV-lead
{{POV-section}} category links talk edit	Template:POV-section
{{POV-title}} category links talk edit	Template:POV-title
{{recentism}} category links talk edit	Template:Recentism
{{unbalanced}} category links talk edit	Template:Unbalanced
{{undue weight}} category links talk edit	Template:Undue weight
{{weasel}} category links talk edit	Template:Weasel

Inline with article text

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{according to whom}} links talk edit	For weasel words ("It was said..." It was thought...") Template:According to whom
{{clarify}} links talk edit	Template:Clarify
{{dubious}} links talk edit	Template:Dubious
{{editorializing}} links talk edit	Template:Editorializing
{{contentious label inline}} links talk edit	Template:Contentious label inline
{{lopsided}} links talk edit	Template:Lopsided
{{OR}} links talk edit	Template:OR
{{POV-statement}} links talk edit	Template:POV-statement
{{Undue weight inline}} links talk edit	Template:Undue weight inline
{{when}} links talk edit	For ambiguous or vague time references of various kinds. Template:When
{{who}} links talk edit	For weasel words ("Many say..." Some people think...") Template:Who
{{Overcite}} links talk edit	For abuse of citations, per WikiDevi:Citation overkill. Template:Overcite

Verifiability and sources

See also: WP:Verifiability, WP:No original research, WP:Identifying reliable sources and WP:Citing sources

Categories

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{category unsourced}} category links talk edit	Template:Category unsourced
{{check category}} category links talk edit	Template:Check category
{{disputed category}} category links talk edit	Template:Disputed category
{{improve categories}} category links talk edit	Template:Improve categories
{{recategorize}} category links talk edit	Template:Recategorize
{{uncategorized}} category links talk edit	Template:Uncategorized Place this at the bottom of an uncategorized article/category if you are unsure of which categories apply.
{{uncategorized stub}} category links talk edit	Template:Uncategorized stub Place this at the bottom of an article if it is only categorized into a stub category and you are unsure of which categories apply.

Images and other media

For tips on requesting images see: WP:Requested pictures.

See also: Help:Files, WP:Images, WP:Picture tutorial, WP:Uploading images, WP:File copyright tags and WP:Image use policy

• For template messages related to the clean up of images, see: WP:Template messages/File namespace#Format and quality.

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{cleanup gallery}} links talk edit	Template:Cleanup gallery
{{cleanup images}} category links talk edit	Template:Cleanup images
{{diagram requested}} links talk edit	Template:Diagram requested This template should be used on talk pages.
{{image requested}} links talk edit	Template:Image requested This template should be used on talk pages. Please add one or more subject categories into the template. Use of= to add detailed information on the request. Use in= to define locations.
{{map requested}} links talk edit	Template:Map requested This template should be used on talk pages.
{{too many photos}} category links talk edit	Template:Too many photos
{{audio requested}} links talk edit	Template:Audio requested

Lists

See also: WikiDevi:Manual of Style/Lists

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{cleanup list}} category links talk edit	Template:Cleanup list For use in non-list articles or sections where potentially unwanted lists need to be salvaged before being deleted
{{create list}} category links talk edit	Template:Create list Use this tag where an article needs to be changed into list format.
{{disputed list}} category links talk edit	Template:Disputed list To identify a list on WikiDevi that has content whose truth, factual nature, and/or relevance to the topic is in dispute.
{{example farm}} category links talk edit	Template:Example farm For use in non-list articles where too much of the content is composed of "examples", "references in popular culture", and the like.
{{famous}} category links talk edit	Template:Famous For use in articles with unclear criteria for a list of "famous" or "notable" persons.
{{famous players}} category links talk edit	Template:Famous players For use in articles with unclear criteria for a list of "famous" or "notable" sports persons.
{{fiction trivia}} category links talk edit	Template:Fiction trivia For use in fiction-specific articles that have way too many trivial examples. (Ex.: For an article specifically about famous fictional horses that mentions the fact that Sesame Street once told kids how to spell "horse", or that one of the animals you can kill in an online game is a horse.)
{{in popular culture}} category links talk edit	Template:In popular culture For use when a nonfiction article has become overcrowded with too many references to fiction or other pop culture. (Ex.: Article on horses having a long section of TV shows, movies, video games, etc. that have "horse" in the name or feature horses in some way.)
{{list to table}} category links talk edit	For use where lists could be better presented as tables.
{{MOSLOW}} category links talk edit	Template:MOSLOW Use this tag where a list of works is in reverse-chronological order or otherwise contravenes the WP:Manual of Style (lists of works).
{{prose}} category links talk edit	Template:Prose Use this tag where a list needs cleanup.

Wiki tech

Most of these issues are covered in the main Manual of Style.

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{cleanup HTML}} category links talk edit	Template:Cleanup HTML If the article needs HTML changed into wiki-markup
{{cleanup lang}} category links talk edit	Template:Cleanup lang If the article has non-English text but lacks {{Lang}} template(s)
{{dead end}} category links talk edit	Use this to mark articles or sections that completely lack internal links.
{{disambiguation cleanup}} category links talk edit	Template:Disambiguation cleanup Use this for disambiguation pages not written according to the style in WP:Manual of Style (disambiguation pages). Replace {{disambiguation}} with this.
{{incoming links}} category links talk edit	Template:Incoming links Use this to mark disambiguation pages with a large number of incoming links.
{{more-specific links}} links talk edit	Template:More-specific links Use this on a page with general links that should be more specific.
{{orphan}} category links talk edit	Use this for articles that aren't linked to from any other pages.
{{uncategorized}} category links talk edit	Template:Uncategorized Place this at the bottom of an uncategorized article/category if you are unsure of which categories apply.
{{underlinked}} category links talk edit	Use this to mark articles or sections with too few internal links.

Infobox needed

See also: Help:Infobox and Category:Infobox templates

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{infobox requested}} category links talk edit	Template:Infobox requested This template should be used on talk pages. Also has functionality to indicate that only a section in a page needs one. See the template page for more info.
{{new infobox}} category links talk edit	Template:New infobox This template should be used on talk pages.
{{single infobox request}} category links talk edit	Template:Single infobox request This template should be used on talk pages.

Infobox cleanup needed

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{cleanup infobox}} category links talk edit	Template:Cleanup infobox

Other article tags

There are also tags available for:

• merging articles;
• moving articles;
• splitting articles; and
• translation of articles.

Open tasks

WikiDevi backlog by category

WikiDevi:Backlog lists tasks that should be done to improve WikiDevi (assuming the cleanup templates were placed correctly). Helping reduce backlogs is an important issue, so please feel free to help out. Template:Backlog status

See also

• WikiDevi:Responsible tagging
• WikiDevi:Tagging pages for problems
• WikiDevi:Twinkle
• WikiDevi:WikiProject Stub sorting/Stub types

Template:Inline cleanup tags