NickServ Commands

Note: /ns may be substituted for /msg NickServ in any command below. For example, /msg ChanServ ACCESS add mask would become /ns ACCESS add mask

ACCESS: Displays or modifies the access list for your nick. This controls which host masks will be automatically recognized by NickServ as allowed to use the nick. If connecting with a host mask not on the access list, you will have to use the IDENTIFY command before being recognized by NickServ.

• ADD: /msg NickServ ACCESS add mask
  Ex: /msg NickServ ACCESS add dan@*.example.com
  Allows access to user ‘dan’ connecting from host ‘example.com’
• DEL: /msg NickServ ACCESS del mask
  Ex: /msg NickServ ACCESS del dan@*.example.com
  Removes access from user ‘dan’ connecting from host ‘example.com’
• LIST: /msg NickServ ACCESS list
  Displays the current access list

ALIST: /msg NickServ ALIST
Lists the channels that you have access on.

DROP: /msg NickServ DROP nickname
Drops your nickname from the NickServ database. This frees up the nick so that anyone can register it. You can use the ‘nick’ parameter to drop any nickname in your group. You must be identified with NickServ before you can drop a nick.

GHOST: /msg NickServ GHOST nick password
Terminates a “ghost” session of your nickname. A “ghost” session means that even though you are not on with your nickname, the IRC network still believes the nick is connected. This usually happens if your computer crashes or if you lose your Internet connection while connected to the IRC network. In order to use the GHOST command, your host mask that you are connected with must be in that nick’s access list OR you must be identified and in the group of that nick OR you must supply the correct password for the nick.

GLIST: /msg NickServ GLIST
Displays all of the nicknames in your group.

GROUP: /msg NickServ GROUP target-nick password
Makes your current nickname join the target nickname’s group. The ‘password’ parameter is the password of the target nickname. Grouping additional nicknames to your target nick allows all nicks in the group to share configurations, receive the same channel permissions, and more. A group exists until the last nickname in the group is dropped. You will not lose your configurations and channel permissions until the last nickname in the group is dropped. You can use this command even if the current nickname you are using is not registered. The nick will automatically become registered when you group it. A nickname can only be in one group at a time and all nicknames in a group have the same password.

IDENTIFY: /msg NickServ IDENTIFY password
Tells NickServ that you are the owner of the nick. You need to identify because you can use many network commands. Your nick will also be changed after 60 seconds if you do not identify. The ‘password’ parameter is the password that you used when registered with the REGISTER command.

INFO: /msg NickServ INFO nick all
Displays information about the given nickname, such as the nick’s owner, last seen address and time, and nick options. If you are identified for the nick you’re getting information for and the the ‘all’ parameter is specified, you will be shown all the information, regardless of whether it’s hidden or not.

LOGOUT: /msg NickServ LOGOUT
This command will log you out of NickServ. It has the reverse effect of the IDENTIFY command, making you no longer recognized as the owner of the nick. Once you LOGOUT, you will not be asked to reidentify during that session.

RECOVER: /msg NickServ RECOVER nick password
Allows you to recover your nick if someone else has taken it. This is the same thing NickServ does automatically if someone tries to use a kill-protected nick. When using this command, NickServ will bring a fake user online with the same nickname as the user you’re trying to recover your nick from. This causes the IRC servers to disconnect the other user. This fake user will remain online for one minute to ensure that the other user does not immediately reconnect. After that minute, you can reclaim your nick. In order to use the RECOVER command, your host mask that you are connected with must be in that nick’s access list OR you must be identified and in the group of that nick OR you must supply the correct password for the nick. Please see the RELEASE command below to learn how to get your nickname back faster.

REGISTER: /msg NickServ REGISTER password email
Registers your nickname in the NickServ database. Once your nick is registered, you can use the ACCESS and SET commands to configure your nick. The ‘password’ parameter is a password of your choosing and the ‘email’ parameter is your email address. Please remember that passwords are case sensitive and that you should not use easily guessed words for your password. You should also not use your real name or nickname as your password (NickServ will not allow you to use your nickname as the password anyway). Also remember that passwords cannot contains spaces. Also note that your email address WILL NOT be sold to any third party. It is mainly used to verify your identity when you forget your password

RELEASE: /msg NickServ RELEASE nick password
Instructs NickServ to remove any hold on your nickname caused by automatic kill protection or use of the RECOVER command. By default, such holds last for one minute. Using this command gets rid of them sooner. In order to use the RELEASE command, your host mask that you are connected with must be in that nick’s access list OR you must be identified and in the group of that nick OR you must supply the correct password for the nick.

SET: Sets various nickname options:

• DISPLAY: /msg NickServ SET display new-display
  Changes the display name used to refer to your nickname group in services. The new display name must be a nick of your group.
• EMAIL: /msg NickServ SET email email-address
  Associates the specified email address with your nickname.
• GREET: /msg NickServ SET greet message
  Associates the specified message as your greet message that will be displayed whenever you enter a channel that has the GREET option enabled, if you have the necessary access on the channel.
• HIDE: /msg NickServ SET hide [email|usermask|quit] [on|off]
  Allows you to prevent certain pieces of information from being displayed when someone does a NickServ INFO command on your nick. The ‘email’ parameter will hide your email address. The ‘usermask’ parameter will hide your last seen usermask, and the ‘quit’ parameter will hide your last quit message.
• ICQ: /msg NickServ SET icq icq-number
  Associates the specified ICQ number with your nickname. This number will be displayed whenever someone requests info on your nick using NickServ’s INFO command.
• KILL: /msg NickServ SET kill [on|quick|immed|off]
  Enables or disables the automatic protection option for your nick. When enabled, users that try to take your nick will have one minute to change it, else NickServ will forcibly change it. When you use the ‘quick’ parameter, NickServ will forcibly change the nick after 20 seconds instead of 60. If you use the ‘immed’ parameter, user’s nick will be changed immediately, without being warned or givien the opporunity to change to a different nick. The ‘immed’ option is not recommended unless necessary.
• LANGUAGE: /msg NickServ SET language number
  Changes the language services uses when sending messages to you (for example, when responding to a command you send). The number for the ‘number’ parameter should be chosen from the following list of supported languages:
  1) English
  2) Français (French)
  3) Deutsch (German)
  4) Português (Portuguese)
  5) Español (Spanish)
  6) Türkçe (Turkish)
  7) Català (Catalan)
• MSG: /msg NickServ SET msg [on|off]
  Allows you to choose the way services are communicating with you. With MSG enabled, services will use messages, else they will use notices.
• PASSWORD: /msg NickServ SET password new-password
  Changes the password used to identify you as the nick’s owner with NickServ.
• PRIVATE: /msg NickServ SET private [on|off]
  Enables or disables the privacy option for your nick. When enabled, your nickname will not appear in nickname lists generated with NickServ’s LIST command. Note that anyone who knows your nick can still get info on it using the INFO command.
• SECURE: /msg NickServ SET secure [on|off]
  Enables or disables the secure option for your nick. When enabled, you must enter your password before you will be recognized as the owner of the nick, regardless of whether your address is on the access list. However, if you are on the access list, NickServ will not auto-kill you regardless of the setting of the KILL option.
• URL: /msg NickServ SET url url
  Associates the specified URLwith your nickname. This URL will be displayed whenever someone requests information on your nick with the INFO command.

STATUS: /msg NickServ STATUS nick…
Returns whether the user using the specified nickname(s) is recognized as the owner of the nickname(s). The response has this format: nickname status-code, where nickname is the nick sent and status-code is one of the following responses:
0 – no such user online, or nickname is not registered
1 – user is not recognized as the nickname’s owner
2 – user is recognized as owner via access list only
3 – user is recognized as owner via password authentication
Up to sixteen nicknames may be sent with each command; the rest will be ignored. No error message is generated if no nickname is given.