How to Enable the Ask Feature in Tumblr + Responding & Fixes

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Turn on Tumblr Asks on the app or website
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When you enable the Ask feature on Tumblr, your readers can click a link on your blog to ask you a question directly or anonymously. Once answered, Asks are posted on your profile unless you choose to answer them privately. This wikiHow will show you how to enable the Ask feature in Tumblr and reply using your iPhone, iPad, Android, or computer.

Quick Steps

  1. Tap your profile icon.
  2. Tap the cog icon.
  3. Toggle on Let people ask questions .
  4. Optional: Toggle on Allow anonymous questions .
Section 1 of 6:

Enabling Asks (Mobile)

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  1. This looks like a white t with a dark blue background.
  2. This is the person icon at the bottom-right corner of the screen.
    • If you aren't already on the blog you want to edit, tap the name at the top and select a new one. [1]
    • If you have more than one blog , you’ll need to enable the Ask feature on each blog separately.
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  3. You can find this in the top-right corner of the screen.
  4. This is towards the bottom of the menu.
  5. Once you enable the Ask feature, you'll see a few new options appear.
    • Allow anonymous questions : Toggle on this option if you want to allow readers to ask questions anonymously. Otherwise, only people logged into a Tumblr account can send you Asks.
    • Allow asks with media : Toggle on this option if you want to allow users to send you Asks with images, GIFs, and other media.
    • Ask page title : Tap this option to change the title of the Ask title that appears on your profile. When you're finished, tap Save .
  6. To find your Ask box, navigate to your profile page. Tap the Ask page link in your bio. This will be Ask me anything by default or the custom text you added in the previous step.
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Section 2 of 6:

Enabling Asks (Desktop)

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  1. Log into https://www.tumblr.com in a web browser. If you aren't already logged into your Tumblr account, do so now. You should see your dashboard.
  2. You can find this in the left panel, underneath Account .
  3. If you have more than one blog on your account, you see them on the right side of the screen, underneath Blogs .
    • If you have more than one blog, you’ll need to enable the Ask feature on each blog separately.
  4. This is in the center of the page. You may need to scroll down to find this option.
  5. Once you enable the Ask feature, you'll see a few new options appear.
    • If you want to allow readers to ask questions anonymously, toggle on Allow anonymous questions . Otherwise, only people logged into a Tumblr account can send you Asks.
    • To change the Ask page title , click the field and delete the current text. Enter a new title.
    • Allow asks with media : Toggle on this option if you want to allow users to send you Asks with images, GIFs, and other media.
  6. To find your Ask box, navigate to your profile page. Click the Ask page link in your bio. This will be Ask me anything by default or the custom text you added in the previous step.
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Section 3 of 6:

Responding to Asks (Mobile)

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  1. This is in the bottom-right corner.
    • If you get Tumblr notifications, you can tap it to be redirected to the Ask box. You can also tap the Activity tab (speech bubble with smiley face) to quickly see any new Asks.
  2. This is in the top-right corner.
  3. You can find this underneath Queue . Your inbox will open with all current Asks and submissions.
  4. This is at the bottom of the Ask you want to respond to.
    • If you want to delete an Ask, tap the trashcan icon instead.
  5. You can include all the formatting of a regular post, such as font type, size, lists, links, images, and more.
    • To edit your Asks settings, tap ••• in the top-right corner and choose to schedule the post, save as a draft, prevent others from reblogging, and more.
  6. If you want to answer the post privately, tap ••• in the top-right corner and select Answer privately . This option is only visible if the user is signed into a Tumblr account.
    • The Ask will be published on your profile. If sent privately, the Ask will appear in the user's inbox.
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Section 4 of 6:

Responding to Asks (Desktop)

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  1. This is in the left panel. If you have new Asks or submissions, you'll see a number to the right of it.
  2. This is at the bottom of the Ask you want to respond to.
    • If you want to delete an Ask, click the trashcan icon instead.
  3. You can include all the formatting of a regular post, such as font type, size, lists, links, images, and more.
    • To edit your Asks settings, click the cog icon in the top-right corner and choose to schedule the post, save as a draft, prevent others from reblogging, and more.
  4. If you want to answer the post privately, click the down arrow next to Post now and select Answer privately . This option is only visible if the user is signed into a Tumblr account.
    • The Ask will be published on your profile. If sent privately, the Ask will appear in the user's inbox.
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Section 5 of 6:

Troubleshooting

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  1. If you've enabled the Ask feature but you don't see the button or link on your profile, you can manually add the link to your blog. Do the following:
    • Select Settings and select your blog.
    • Select Edit theme .
    • In the description, enter the code: 
      <a href="/ask">Ask me a question!</a>
    • Select Save , and then Exit .
  2. If you can't send any Asks to users, you may have passed the Ask limit. Currently, you can only submit 10 Asks per hour, and only 5 can be sent anonymously.
  3. Asks may be blocked due to a variety of reasons:
    • You have sent over 10 Asks in the past hour.
    • The Asks included links, paragraph breaks, special characters, emoticons, ellipses, or no spaces.
    • The Ask is longer than 500 characters.
    • The user has blocked your network location.
  4. This can happen if you received an Ask or message from a bot or an account that's been recently terminated. This is currently a known issue, and Tumblr is attempting to resolve it as quickly as possible. [2]
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Section 6 of 6:

What is an Ask on Tumblr?

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  1. This Ask can be answered publicly or privately by the user. Most users use Asks as a Q&A conversation with another user. For example, someone can leave an Ask in a user's inbox with a question or comment. The user can then answer the question or respond to the feedback. If the user responds privately, the Ask will be sent back along with the response. If the user responds publicly, the Ask will be published on their profile as a public post.
    • Public Asks can be reblogged and liked, similar to other posts.
    • If the Ask is sent by an Anonymous user, it can only be responded to publicly.

Community Q&A

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  • Question
    What if the setting "let people ask questions" doesn't appear anywhere in my settings?
    Community Answer
    It will appear once you've followed the instructions, but only in your web browser. Then, if you've reached the point where you're supposed to see the ask part but still don't, try scrolling down.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 4 Helpful 9
  • Question
    Can I use the Ask feature on the mobile app?
    Community Answer
    On mobile, you can ask questions to other Tumblr users. However, you can't answer questions other people send in to you.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 3 Helpful 12
  • Question
    How do I answer asks with an image?
    Community Answer
    It isn't possible to answer asks with an image on mobile. However, when you open an ask in browser, there should be a plus sign on the left side of the space where you type. Click that and you should be able to add an image to your reply!
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 8
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      Warnings

      • Be cautious about enabling anonymous questions. Anonymity can bring out the worst in people, and some questions you receive may be unsavory. Use discretion before enabling this feature.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://help.tumblr.com/knowledge-base/ask/
      2. ↑ https://help.tumblr.com/knowledge-base/known-issues-on-tumblr/

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