Password reset

This page describes user experience improvements to the password reset function on Wikimedia wikis. For MediaWiki-specific instructions, see Manual:Resetting passwords

User experience

While there are many methods available to site administrators, the following document describes what's available to end users on Wikimedia wikis.

Past

Current

The current form of Special:PasswordReset (see the version on this wiki) was created with improved usability in mind. Our first step was a slight redesign of the form using the same styles applies to login and account creation. This creates better consistency across the interface, and thus improved usability, even if there are still things that could be improved on.

Potential future versions

The following styles are in line with updates to the new form look, currently being tested on the Flow project. This applies placeholders instead of labels, an updated color palette and more.

Iteration 2

Text is placeholder for now, so don't get too hung up on it, but it tries to start establishing a tone, even if the wording isn't perfect.

Audit of other password reset functions

The following is a list of other well-designed password reset functions, for reference.

Technical implementation

The form for password reset is implemented using HTMLForm. The new version now current still constructs the form with HTMLForm, but also applies the "vform" (vertical form) styles created for login and account creation. The "vform" option to HTMLForm will facilitate reusing this design for other site forms.

Some of the changes above (e.g. greying out when not valid, green instead of blue when it is, and blue focus marker in the left of the text box) should be made for mediawiki.ui overall. Having multiple buttons to a line will require changes to HTMLForm, and possibly also mediawiki.ui.