1. Make your first circle
   Circles are how you organize things here. Start with one for something you’re into, like news, gaming, or cooking. You can rank each circle from 1 (inner circle) to 5 (outer ring), which decides how prominent its posts are in your feed. New circles start out private.

2. Fill your feed with news and podcasts
   Browse about 250 news sites, blogs and podcasts. Attach a few to your circle and their newest stories will show up in your feed, so it won’t be empty while you wait for friends to arrive.

3. Make it look like you
   Choose your colors, fonts and background. There are also five site themes: dark, light, woods, beach and desert.

4. Set up your profile
   Add a photo and a bio. You choose who can see each part, and nobody sees anything you haven’t approved.

5. Check your preferences
   Take a minute to set things up the way you like.

6. Write your first post
   You can post to everyone in your circles, to one circle, or just to yourself. Posting to yourself is a good way to practice, and you can try photos, drafts and pins with no audience. Public posts are called flares, and they take a deliberate press-and-hold, so nothing goes public by accident.

7. Bring your people
   Invite your family and friends. Once they arrive, circle them. Only people you’ve circled can comment on your posts.

8. Plan an event
   When you write a new post, tick This is an event to turn it into an invitation. Guests answer Going, Maybe or Can’t go, and the address or meeting link is only shown to you and the people who said they’re going.

• See your events

• Set who can invite you and your time zone

Stuck? The Help page has answers. And if something’s confusing, broken, or missing, tell the developer. Feedback is how this gets better.