Frequently asked questions
Here are the most common questions about pPlace. If yours is not on the list, talk to us via contact.
Painting pixels
Are the pixels I paint permanent?
Pixels stay active until the community paints over them or moderation removes them. Statistics of what you painted remain on your profile even after a pixel is overlapped.
Can I paint any website?
Yes, any public page accessible without login. If you are responsible for a website and want it not to be painted, just reach out via contact.
Is there a daily pixel limit?
Yes. The limit grows with your account level and can be temporarily expanded via rewards, events and optional store packs.
Does it work on mobile?
Yes. The canvas works on phones with two-finger pan and zoom gestures, plus touch brush and eraser.
Account and privacy
Why do I need to sign in with Google?
Google sign-in safely identifies who paints each pixel, prevents abuse and supports statistics and levels. We do not receive your password, only name, email and Google identifier. Details in the privacy policy.
Is the reference image sent to the server?
No. The reference image stays only in your browser. When you close the tab it disappears, and nothing about it is sent to the server.
Can I delete my account and data?
Yes. Just request it via the contact page. We remove personal data tied to the account, keeping only non-identifiable aggregate data when necessary.
Payment and store
Do I need to pay to use pPlace?
No. Base usage is free. There is an optional pixel store and daily limit upgrades for those who want to support the project or paint more per day.
Content and rights
How does pPlace handle website copyrights?
We only capture public pages, without login or cookies, and use the capture as the canvas background with an artistic and transformative purpose. We do not copy or redistribute the original content. Site owners can request removal via contact. More details in the Terms of Use.
Where do I report bugs or suggest improvements?
Use the contact page with a description of the issue, what you expected, and if possible browser, operating system and a screenshot.
Browsers and platforms
Which browsers are supported?
pPlace works well on recent versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari, both desktop and mobile. Some advanced tools like the native eyedropper depend on browser APIs and may not be available in every combination; in those cases the manual palette covers the use case.
Can I use a VPN or proxy?
Yes. Access is not region-restricted. Some VPN providers share IPs with a lot of suspicious traffic and may be caught by anti-abuse protections; if that happens, switch server or turn off the VPN.
What happens if I lose connection mid-paint?
Pixels already confirmed by the server stay. Local drafts may not have arrived — the canvas tries to reconnect automatically. Wait for the reconnection or reload the page and continue.
Why did capturing a site fail?
Some pages block headless browsers, require login or take too long to load. When that happens, the capture does not complete. Try another public URL of the same site or wait and try again.
Scoring, levels and events
How does the level system work?
Each painted pixel contributes to your score. Score milestones raise your level, and higher levels unlock larger daily limits. Your level is visible on the profile.
Are there events or seasonal rewards?
From time to time we run events with collective goals, extra rewards and promotional packs. Announcements live on the updates page.
Can I see who painted a specific pixel?
Yes, when you inspect a pixel you see the author (public nickname) and timestamp. This helps recognize collaboration and also lets the community moderate abuse.
Collaboration
How do I invite friends to paint with me?
Just share the canvas link with the site URL you will be painting. Anyone who opens the same URL on pPlace sees the same canvas and can paint in real time.
Can I export a finished piece as an image?
Yes, the canvas offers an export button that generates a PNG of the current state. Useful to keep a record or share on social networks.
How do I report inappropriate art?
Use the contact page with the site URL, approximate coordinates and a description of the issue. Moderation reviews and removes pixels when necessary.