Frequently Asked Questions

Joining Gransnet

Who is Gransnet for? 

Gransnet is an online network of support, advice and sociability - primarily for grandparents, although you don’t need to have grandchildren to get lots out of it.

How do I join Gransnet and what's in it for me?

Joining Gransnet is free - you can join here. We hope you will, because it means you can take advantage of our competitions, sign up for our newsletter and post on the discussion boards.

Why haven't I received Gransnet's latest email?

Please check your spam/junk folder as your service provider might have accidentally put it there. If this is the case please see our troubleshooting tips, where you will find instructions on how to allow the newsletter into your inbox.

I'm a grandad - can still I join?

Gransnet isn't meant to be exclusive and we very much hope that all sorts of people who are interested in the second half of life will also join and contribute. Especially grandads.

I've changed email address / I want to change my password

You can amend your registration details at any time by logging in to your My Gransnet page. If you can't remember your password, we can send you a link to reset your password. Just fill in your email address on the password reset form and then check your email inbox.

I want to subscribe/unsubscribe to the email newsletters

If you unsubscribed from our email newsletters and now regret it, you can change your decision by going to your Gransnet preferences. You may need to enter your email address and password. If you can't remember them, you can enter your email address below and get a reminder. If you specified when you joined up that we shouldn't send you any emails, then you won't get any.

I've forgotten my password

Don't worry. As long as you know the email address you registered with, we can send you a link to reset your Gransnet password. All you need to do is go here and then check your email inbox.

Why haven't I received my confirmation email from you?

Confirmation emails sometimes go into your junk/spam folders in your email but some email providers have very strong filters and it's possible that it's been deleted. Drop us an email on [email protected] and we'll authorise your registration.

Using Gransnet forums

How do I post a message on one of the forums?

At the bottom of each conversation (or "thread") on the forums there is an "add your comment here" box.

• Type your message and fill in your username and password.
• When you have finished your message click the "preview message" button.
• Your screen redraws, showing how your message will look. This gives you a chance to check your message is typed correctly.
• If you want to make changes, make them and click the "preview message" again to refresh your preview.
• Once you are happy with your message, click "post message".
• It then goes up on the site and other members can see it.

If you can't remember your username and password, we can send you a reminder. Fill in your email address in the box above, click the button and your reminder will be on its way.

How do I start a new conversation (discussion) on the forums?

Select the relevant topic on the forums (eg. House and home) and towards the top of the there will be a link that says, "Start a new discussion". Click on this link and then type away.

Is there a quick way to find information on a specific topic?

You can search for pages by keyword using the search forums box on the right-hand side of the page (underneath the Gransnet forums box). Just enter the word(s) you want to find and click the search button.

How do I report a post on the forums?

Reporting a post is easy. Click on "report" above and to the right of each post and it will bring up a new box for you to let GNHQ know why you want to report it.

How do I delete a post?

You can't. Gransnet HQ are the only people who can authorise deletions from the forums. To request that a post be deleted, please use the "report" button on the right hand side of each post and someone from HQ will take a look.

Personalising Gransnet

How do I set up a personal profile page?

Go to your My Gransnet page and log in. Select "Edit your public profile" and then fill in your details. You can then choose using the drop down menu whether to make your profile visible to all Gransnetters or not.

How do I upload photos to my personal profile page?

Go to your My Gransnet page and log in. Select "Photos". You can then create a photo gallery by selecting digital photos on your computer and uploading them. There are more detailed instructions on the upload page.

How do I customise the way my forum pages look?

You can use the options at the top of each thread to choose:

• Whether you read the messages up the board (with the last post at the top) or down the board (with the most recent post at the bottom), change your choice by clicking "Flip".
• Whether you read the whole of a thread on one page or read one page of comments at a time.

Why do I have to scroll sideways to see whole lines of text?

The width of Gransnet's design is fixed and designed to allow more than 99.5% of users to read without scrolling from left to right. But what if you're one of the 0.5%? First, try maximising your browser window via your computer's settings/preferences, or make it bigger by dragging the corners of the window and see if that helps.

Check your screen resolution (in Settings if you're on a PC and System Preferences if you're on a Mac) and choose a resolution higher than 800x600. If you've got lists open (e.g favourites), try closing these, likewise any widgets you're displaying (e.g for weather or search engines).

Other stuff

What is PM?

PM (or Private Messaging) is a service that allows one user to send a message to another. It is free to all registered Gransnet users. 

How do I leave Gransnet?

We're sorry to hear you want to leave. If it's just that you'd like to unsubscribe from our emails, you can do that here by going to your preferences. You can also remove your Gransnet registration from the site. Go to My Gransnet and use the registration removal page. Please be aware that if you leave Gransnet, we won't be able to re-issue your username to you.

How do I know if I've been entered into a competition?

Competitions on Gransnet may be entered by signing up or recommending a friend, though sometimes there will be a survey to complete, where we'll ask for the email address you signed up with (rest assured, we never pass these on to anyone). If you'd like to set up a competition on Gransnet, please email [email protected].

How do I post a media request?

If you are a representative of a media or other organisation you can ask for our members' help with a particular article, programme or project for a £30 fee here.

My question isn't here, what should I do now?

Drop us an email on [email protected] and someone will get back to you very soon (we read every single email). Finally, we want to make using Gransnet as easy as possible. If you have any suggestions for improvement, please let us know at [email protected].