> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/nicotine-plus/nicotine-plus/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# User Management

> Manage your buddy list, user interactions, and user-related features

Nicotine+ provides comprehensive user management features including buddy lists, user status tracking, and privilege management.

## Buddy List

The buddy list helps you track and organize your friends on the Soulseek network:

### Adding Buddies

<Steps>
  <Step title="Find User">
    Locate the user you want to add:

    * From chat room user list
    * From search results
    * From browse list
    * Manual username entry
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add to List">
    Right-click username and select "Add Buddy" or use the buddy list interface
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Settings">
    Set buddy properties:

    * **Note**: Personal reminder about this user
    * **Notify Status**: Get alerts when they come online/offline
    * **Prioritize**: Give upload queue priority
    * **Trust**: Grant access to trusted shares
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Buddy Properties

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Basic Info">
    Information tracked for each buddy:

    **Username**: Their Soulseek username

    **Status**: Online, Away, or Offline

    **Last Seen**: Date/time of last online presence

    **Country**: Geographic location (if available)

    **Note**: Your personal notes about the user
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Status Notifications">
    Get notified of status changes:

    **Online**: Desktop notification when buddy comes online

    **Offline**: Notification when buddy goes offline

    **Away**: Status change from online to away

    **Format**: "username is online/away/offline"

    **Requirements**: Enable per-buddy in buddy properties
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Privileges">
    Special buddy privileges:

    **Prioritized**: Higher queue priority for uploads

    **Trusted**: Access to your trusted shares

    **Buddy Shares**: Access to buddy-level shares

    **Auto-granted**: Privileges activate automatically
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

### Buddy Management

<Accordion title="Managing Your Buddy List">
  **Add Buddy**: Right-click any username > Add Buddy

  **Remove Buddy**: Right-click in buddy list > Remove

  **Edit Note**: Double-click note field or right-click > Edit

  **Toggle Notifications**: Click notification icon

  **Set Prioritized**: Right-click > Prioritize

  **Set Trusted**: Right-click > Trust

  **View Details**: Click username to see full info
</Accordion>

## User Status Tracking

Nicotine+ tracks status for all watched users:

### Status Types

<Info>
  **Offline**: User is not connected to the network

  **Online**: User is active and available

  **Away**: User is connected but marked as away
</Info>

### Last Seen Tracking

For offline buddies, Nicotine+ tracks:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Online Status">
    When buddy is online:

    * Last Seen field is empty
    * Status shows "Online" or "Away"
    * Real-time updates
  </Step>

  <Step title="Goes Offline">
    When buddy disconnects:

    * Timestamp recorded (MM/DD/YYYY HH:MM:SS)
    * Last Seen updated in buddy list
    * Status changes to "Offline"
  </Step>

  <Step title="Returns Online">
    When buddy reconnects:

    * Last Seen cleared
    * Previous timestamp preserved until next offline
    * Status notification sent (if enabled)
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Last Seen shows "Never seen" for buddies who have never been online since being added.
</Note>

## User Information

View detailed information about any user:

### User Profile

Access user information by clicking their username:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Statistics">
    View user's sharing statistics:

    **Upload Speed**: Average upload rate

    **Files Shared**: Total number of files

    **Folders Shared**: Number of shared directories

    **Updated**: Stats refresh when user's info changes
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Network Info">
    Connection details:

    **IP Address**: User's network address

    **Port**: Connection port

    **Country**: Determined from IP geolocation

    **Privacy**: IP addresses requested on-demand
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Interaction History">
    Your interactions with this user:

    **Downloads**: Files downloaded from them

    **Uploads**: Files uploaded to them

    **Messages**: Private conversation history

    **Notes**: Your personal notes
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Privileged Users

The Soulseek network includes privileged users:

### What Are Privileges?

<Info>
  Privileged status is granted to users who support the network through donations. Privileged users receive:

  * Higher priority in upload queues
  * Faster search result delivery
  * Enhanced network features
  * Support badge in user listings
</Info>

### Privilege Benefits for Others

When uploading to privileged users:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Detection">
    Nicotine+ receives privilege list from server
  </Step>

  <Step title="Queue Priority">
    Privileged users move ahead in your queue:

    * Processed before non-privileged users
    * Marked as "privileged" in queue
    * Fair rotation among privileged users
  </Step>

  <Step title="Slot Access">
    May bypass some upload restrictions:

    * Queue size limits (configurable)
    * File count limits (configurable)
    * Upload slot limits (configurable)
  </Step>
</Steps>

## User Prioritization

Give upload priority to specific users:

### Setting Up Prioritization

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add User as Buddy">
    User must be on your buddy list
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enable Prioritization">
    Right-click buddy > "Prioritize Uploads"
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Behavior">
    In Preferences > Uploads:

    * **Prefer Buddies**: Prioritize ALL buddies
    * **Selective**: Only prioritize marked buddies
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Info>
  Prioritized buddies are treated similarly to server-privileged users in your upload queue.
</Info>

## Trusted Users

Grant access to exclusive shares:

### Trusted Share Access

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Setting Trust">
    Mark buddies as trusted:

    1. Add user to buddy list
    2. Right-click buddy > "Trust User"
    3. User gains access to trusted shares
    4. Access activated immediately
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="What They See">
    Trusted users can:

    * Browse your trusted-level shares
    * Search your trusted-level files
    * Download from trusted shares
    * See trusted shares in share counts (if revealed)
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Revoking Trust">
    Remove trusted status:

    1. Right-click buddy > "Untrust User"
    2. Access to trusted shares revoked
    3. Existing downloads may continue
    4. New downloads blocked
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

<Warning>
  Only grant trusted status to users you truly trust. They will have access to files not available to the general public.
</Warning>

## User Watching

Nicotine+ watches users to track their status:

### How User Watching Works

<Accordion title="Watch System">
  **Automatic Watching**: Users are automatically watched when:

  * Added to buddy list
  * In a joined chat room
  * Have active transfers with you
  * In private message conversation

  **Watch Contexts**: Separate tracking for:

  * `buddies`: From buddy list
  * `chatrooms_roomname`: From specific chat room
  * `privatechat`: From private messages

  **Unwatching**: Users are unwatched when:

  * Removed from all contexts
  * Chat room left
  * Buddy removed
  * Message window closed
</Accordion>

## User Actions

Common actions you can perform on users:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Browse Files">
    View user's shared files:

    * Right-click username
    * Select "Browse Files"
    * File browser opens
    * Download files/folders
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send Message">
    Start private conversation:

    * Right-click username
    * Select "Send Message"
    * Message tab opens
    * Chat one-on-one
  </Step>

  <Step title="Get User Info">
    View detailed information:

    * Right-click username
    * Select "User Info"
    * Info panel displays
    * See stats and details
  </Step>

  <Step title="Ban/Ignore">
    Block problematic users:

    * Right-click username
    * Select "Ban User" or "Ignore User"
    * User blocked from interactions
    * Configure in preferences
  </Step>
</Steps>

## User Notes

Add personal notes about buddies:

### Adding Notes

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Note Field">
    Double-click the note column in buddy list
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Note">
    Type your note:

    * Remind yourself how you know them
    * Track shared interests
    * Note music tastes
    * Record any useful information
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Press Enter or click away to save
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  **Note Ideas**:

  * "Friend from rock chat room"
  * "Great jazz collection, friendly"
  * "Shares rare classical recordings"
  * "Met 2024, loves techno"
</Tip>

## Country Detection

Nicotine+ shows user locations:

<Accordion title="How Country Detection Works">
  1. **IP Request**: IP address requested from server
  2. **Geolocation**: IP mapped to country code
  3. **Flag Display**: Country flag shown in UI
  4. **Caching**: Country stored for future reference
  5. **Updates**: Refreshed if user's IP changes
</Accordion>

### Privacy Considerations

<Note>
  IP addresses are only requested when needed:

  * When viewing user info
  * When user joins a room
  * When receiving private messages
  * For ignore/ban by IP checks
</Note>

## Buddy List Persistence

Your buddy list is automatically saved:

<Info>
  Buddy information stored in configuration:

  * Username
  * Personal note
  * Notification settings
  * Prioritization status
  * Trust status
  * Last seen timestamp
  * Country code

  Data synced to disk whenever changes occur.
</Info>

## Auto-Completion

Buddy names appear in auto-completion:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Enable in Preferences">
    Settings > Words > Auto-Complete Buddies
  </Step>

  <Step title="Use in Chat">
    Start typing buddy name and press Tab
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete Name">
    Name auto-completes in chat input
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Best Practices

<Tip>
  **Managing Buddies Effectively**:

  **Organization**:

  * Add descriptive notes to remember users
  * Use trust selectively for close contacts
  * Enable notifications for important buddies
  * Review and clean up buddy list periodically

  **Sharing**:

  * Use buddy shares for friends-only content
  * Reserve trusted shares for very close contacts
  * Don't trust users you don't know well
  * Monitor who accesses your shares

  **Prioritization**:

  * Prioritize buddies who reciprocate
  * Use "prefer buddies" for fair treatment
  * Don't over-prioritize (slows non-buddy uploads)
  * Consider queue system implications

  **Privacy**:

  * Be selective about sharing IP addresses
  * Review buddy list for inactive users
  * Use ignore feature for problem users
  * Check privileges before trusting
</Tip>

## Troubleshooting

### Buddy Always Shows Offline

1. Verify username spelling
2. Check user exists on network
3. Ensure you're connected to server
4. Try removing and re-adding buddy
5. Check if user changed username

### Status Notifications Not Working

* Enable notifications in buddy properties
* Check OS notification settings
* Verify buddy status is actually changing
* Ensure Nicotine+ has notification permission
* Check notification preferences globally

### Trusted Shares Not Accessible

1. Confirm user is marked as trusted
2. Verify trusted shares are configured
3. Check shares have been scanned
4. Ensure user is actively browsing
5. Review share reveal settings

### Last Seen Not Updating

* Timestamp only updates on status change
* Must be online for timestamp to clear
* Check buddy list is being saved
* Verify server connection
* Restart Nicotine+ if stuck


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