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Settings & Privacy

Customize RTC Collector to work the way you want and control your privacy and data.

Accessing Settings​

Click your profile picture or username in the top right corner, then select Settings.

On mobile, settings uses a vertical list menu grouped into three sections — Account, Preferences, and App — tap a section to open it as a sub-page with a back button.

On desktop, settings uses a clean left sidebar with the content area on the right.

Section headers include descriptions, and complex settings have contextual help tooltips explaining what each option does.

Settings sections include:

  • Profile
  • Username
  • Account Security
  • Theme
  • Notifications
  • Privacy
  • Currency
  • Blocked Users
  • Data Management

Profile Settings​

Profile SettingsProfile Settings

Basic Information​

First Name & Last Name: Your display name throughout RTC Collector

Email: Your account email (used for login and notifications)

  • To change email, enter new email and confirm your password
  • Verification email sent to new address
  • Email change completes when you click the verification link

Bio: Brief description about yourself or your collecting interests (250 characters max)

Location: City and country (helps connect with local collectors)

Profile Images​

Avatar: Profile picture shown throughout the app

  • Square format works best
  • Max 2MB
  • Supported: JPG, PNG, WebP
  • Automatically cropped to circle

Banner: Header image for your profile (shown to friends and on public profiles)

  • 1200x400px recommended
  • Max 2MB
  • Supported: JPG, PNG, WebP

To upload images:

  1. Click Change Avatar or Change Banner
  2. Select image from your device
  3. Crop and adjust as needed
  4. Save changes

Contact Information​

Phone Number (optional): For account recovery and two-factor authentication

  • Not shown publicly unless you enable it in Privacy settings
  • Used for SMS 2FA if enabled

Website (optional): Link to your personal site or blog

  • Shown on public profiles
  • Must be a valid URL

Username Settings​

Setting Your Username​

When you first create an account, you can optionally set a username. If you skip it, you'll be prompted to set one later.

Username Requirements:

  • 3-30 characters
  • Letters, numbers, underscores, hyphens only
  • Must be unique across RTC Collector
  • Case-insensitive (JohnDoe and johndoe are treated as the same)
  • Cannot be all numbers
  • Maximum 2 consecutive hyphens or underscores

Changing Your Username​

You can change your username, but there are restrictions to prevent abuse:

Cooldown Period: 30 days between changes Previous Username: Becomes available for others after 90 days Marketplace Impact: Your new username appears on all listings and transactions

To change:

  1. Go to Settings → Username
  2. Enter new username
  3. Check availability
  4. Confirm change (only if cooldown period has passed)

Your username history is tracked for security purposes.

Account Security​

Password​

Change Password:

  1. Enter current password
  2. Enter new password
  3. Confirm new password
  4. Save

Password Requirements:

  • At least 8 characters
  • Mix of uppercase and lowercase
  • At least one number
  • At least one special character recommended

Forgot Password? Use the "Forgot Password" link on the login page to reset via email.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)​

Add an extra layer of security with 2FA.

Setting Up 2FA:

  1. Go to Settings → Account Security → Two-Factor Authentication
  2. Click Enable 2FA
  3. Scan the QR code with your authenticator app (Google Authenticator, Authy, 1Password, etc.)
  4. Enter the 6-digit code from your app to verify
  5. Save your backup codes in a safe place

Backup Codes: One-time codes you can use if you lose access to your authenticator app

  • 10 codes generated when you enable 2FA
  • Each code works only once
  • Regenerate new codes anytime

Using 2FA:

  • After entering email and password, you'll be prompted for your 6-digit code
  • Enter the current code from your authenticator app
  • Or use a backup code if you don't have your app

Disabling 2FA:

  1. Go to Settings → Account Security
  2. Click Disable 2FA
  3. Confirm with password and current 2FA code

Biometric Authentication​

On supported devices, you can use biometric login:

Supported Methods:

  • Touch ID (Mac/iOS)
  • Face ID (Mac/iOS)
  • Windows Hello (Windows)
  • Fingerprint (Android)

Enabling Biometric Login:

  1. Go to Settings → Account Security → Biometric Authentication
  2. Click Enable Biometric Login
  3. Your device will prompt you to verify your biometric
  4. Register your biometric for RTC Collector

Using Biometric Login:

  • On the login page, click Use Biometric
  • Verify with your biometric (fingerprint, face, etc.)
  • You're logged in instantly

Security: Biometric data never leaves your device. We use the WebAuthn standard for secure authentication.

Login Alerts​

Get notified when someone logs into your account:

Email Alerts: Sent when login occurs from:

  • New device
  • New location
  • New browser

In-App Notifications: See recent logins in Settings → Account Security → Recent Activity

If you see a login you don't recognize, immediately change your password and enable 2FA.

Active Sessions​

See all devices where you're currently logged in:

  1. Go to Settings → Account Security → Sessions
  2. View list of active sessions with:
    • Device type (Desktop, Mobile, Tablet)
    • Browser
    • Location (approximate)
    • IP address
    • Last active timestamp

Terminate Sessions:

  • Click Sign Out next to any session to log out that device
  • Click Sign Out All Other Devices to log out everywhere except your current device

Useful if you lose a device or suspect unauthorized access.

Theme Settings​

Dark/Light Mode​

Choose your preferred appearance:

Light Mode: White background, dark text Dark Mode: Dark background, light text Auto: Follow system settings (switch automatically based on your device's theme)

To change:

  1. Go to Settings → Theme
  2. Select Light, Dark, or Auto
  3. Theme changes immediately

Your preference is saved and syncs across devices.

Color Scheme (Coming Soon)​

In the future, you'll be able to customize accent colors and create custom themes.

Notification Settings​

Control how and when you receive notifications.

Notification SettingsNotification Settings

Push Notifications​

Browser notifications that appear even when you're not on the site.

Enable Push Notifications:

  1. Go to Settings → Notifications
  2. Click Enable Push Notifications
  3. Grant permission in your browser
  4. Choose which events trigger push notifications

Push Notification Events:

  • New messages
  • Offers on your listings
  • Listing sold
  • Item shipped
  • Payment received
  • Friend request
  • Security alerts

Toggle each event type on or off individually.

Email Notifications​

Frequency Options:

  • Instant: Email sent immediately when event occurs
  • Daily Digest: One email per day summarizing all events
  • Weekly Digest: One email per week
  • Off: No emails for this event type

Email Notification Events:

  • Marketplace offers
  • Marketplace messages
  • Transaction updates
  • Shipping updates
  • Payment notifications
  • Friend requests
  • Security alerts
  • Newsletter and updates (opt-in)

Unsubscribe: You can unsubscribe from marketing emails but will continue to receive transactional emails (order confirmations, shipping updates, security alerts).

In-App Notifications​

Desktop Notifications: Browser notifications while using RTC Collector Sound Alerts: Play sound when messages arrive Badge Counts: Show unread count on browser tab

All configurable in Settings → Notifications.

Privacy Settings​

Control who sees your information.

Privacy & Data SettingsPrivacy & Data Settings

Profile Visibility​

Public: Anyone can view your profile, including non-users Friends Only: Only your friends can see your profile Private: Only you can see your profile

Collection Visibility​

Public: Anyone can browse your collection Friends Only: Only friends can view your collection Private: Nobody can view your collection except you

Note: If you have public marketplace listings, the listed items are always visible regardless of collection visibility settings.

Contact Information Visibility​

Email Address:

  • Show to everyone
  • Show to friends only
  • Don't show

Phone Number:

  • Show to everyone
  • Show to friends only
  • Don't show

Location:

  • Show exact city
  • Show country only
  • Don't show

Marketplace Privacy​

Allow Messages: Who can message you about marketplace listings

  • Anyone
  • Friends only
  • Nobody (disables marketplace messaging)

Show Purchase History: Display your past marketplace transactions on your profile

  • Yes
  • Friends only
  • No

Activity Sharing​

Control what appears in your friends' activity feeds:

  • New items added to collection
  • Milestone achievements
  • Marketplace listings created
  • Transactions completed
  • Collection value milestones

Toggle each type on or off.

Currency Settings​

Preferred Currency: Choose your display currency

  • GBP (£)
  • USD ($)
  • EUR (€)
  • JPY (¥)
  • AUD (A$)
  • CAD (C$)

How It Works:

  • Prices in your currency are stored as entered
  • Prices in other currencies are converted for display
  • Conversion uses current exchange rates
  • Your currency preference is used for all purchases

Marketplace Note: When buying or selling, the listing currency is set by the seller. If it's different from your preferred currency, you'll see converted amounts, but the transaction occurs in the listing's currency.

Blocked Users​

View and manage users you've blocked from messaging you:

  1. Go to Settings → Blocked Users
  2. See a list of all blocked users with the reason and date for each block
  3. Tap Unblock next to any user to allow messages from them again

Blocking a user prevents them from sending you messages. You can block users from conversations or from their profile page.

Data Management​

Exporting Your Data​

Download a copy of all your data:

  1. Go to Settings → Data Management
  2. Click Export My Data
  3. Choose format:
    • JSON: Machine-readable, includes all fields
    • CSV: Spreadsheet format, easy to open in Excel
  4. Choose what to include:
    • Collection items
    • Marketplace transactions
    • Messages (exported separately for privacy)
    • Friends list
    • Account information
  5. Click Request Export

You'll receive an email when your export is ready (usually within a few minutes). The download link is valid for 7 days.

What's Included:

  • All item details, images, notes
  • Purchase history and current values
  • Transaction history
  • Account settings
  • Custom locations, tags, manufacturers

Uses:

  • Backup your collection
  • Import into other tools
  • Analysis in spreadsheet software
  • Compliance with data portability laws (UK GDPR Article 20)

Importing Data​

Upload a collection from a CSV file:

  1. Go to Settings → Data Management
  2. Click Import Collection
  3. Choose CSV file
  4. Map columns to RTC Collector fields
  5. Preview import
  6. Choose import mode:
    • Merge: Add to existing collection
    • Replace: Delete existing and import new
  7. Confirm import

CSV Format: Download a template from the import page to see required columns and format.

Limitations:

  • CSV imports don't include images (add those manually after import)
  • Maximum 1,000 rows per import for Collector tier, 10,000 for Enthusiast

Hidden Items​

Hide items from your collection view without deleting them:

  1. Go to Settings → Data Management → Hidden Items
  2. See list of items currently hidden
  3. Click Unhide to restore any item to your collection
  4. Or hide more items from the item detail page

Use Cases:

  • Sold items you want to keep records of
  • Seasonal items (like holiday decorations you store)
  • Items temporarily on loan

Delete Account​

Permanently remove your account and all data:

  1. Go to Settings → Data Management
  2. Click Delete Account
  3. Read the warnings carefully
  4. Enter your password
  5. Type "DELETE" to confirm
  6. Click Permanently Delete My Account

What Happens:

  • Your account is immediately deactivated
  • All data is permanently deleted within 30 days
  • Marketplace listings are cancelled
  • Transactions in progress are cancelled with refunds
  • Your username becomes available after 90 days
  • This action cannot be undone

Before Deleting:

  • Export your data if you want a backup
  • Cancel any active subscriptions
  • Complete or cancel marketplace transactions
  • Withdraw any marketplace earnings

Data Retention​

See what data we keep and for how long:

Collection Data: Forever (until you delete it) Marketplace Transactions: 7 years (tax compliance) Messages: 2 years after conversation ends Login History: 90 days Audit Logs: 1 year

See our Privacy Policy for complete data retention information.

Questions?​

For settings and privacy questions: