User Info
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You may update your user info anytime. It is very important to keep this information up to date so oDesk can contact you about any issues with your account.
- Go to Profile & Settings > User Info. You may be asked to enter your password or answer your security question for security reasons.
- Press Edit next to Your Account Info or Your Location Info.
- Edit the necessary fields, then press Update.
All email sent to your @odesk.com email address is automatically forwarded to the personal email on file, so it's important to provide an address you check frequently.
You cannot change your User ID and oDesk Email. If you need to change your Country, please contact Customer Support.
We take privacy and security very seriously. Here's how we use your info:
Account Info
- User ID: Chosen at registration and cannot be edited. We share your User ID with your teams. It is also visible on community forum posts.
- First Name: Must be your real, verifiable name. We share your first name on your provider profile and with your teams.
- Last Name: Must be your real, verifiable name. We only share your last initial by default. You may opt to show your full name throughout oDesk.
- oDesk Email: Based on your User ID and therefore cannot be edited. We share your oDesk Email (UserID@odesk.com) with your teams.
- Personal Email: Where we forward all mail sent to your oDesk Email. Be sure to use an address you check frequently! If you change your Personal Email, you will need to accept a confirmation message. We do not share your personal email address.
- Security (SMS) Email: [Optional] Where we send vital security notifications, giving you a chance to act if your account is hacked. We recommend using an email address that is delivered to your mobile phone. If you change your security email, you will need to accept a confirmation message.
- Portrait: [Optional] A picture of you and only you. Do not use a logo, clipart or group shot. Guidelines available in our Identity Policy.
Your User ID and oDesk Email are only shared after you join a team. They are not shared with a buyer until after you've been hired.
Location Info
- Timezone: Local time where you are right now. Keep this updated when you travel so your work diary and team room display the correct time.
- Address: Must be your real, verifiable address. For providers who reside in the US, this is where we will send your 1099 form. Your address is not shared with your team nor visible on your provider profile.
- City: Must be your real, verifiable city. Your city is visible on your provider profile.
- Country: Must be your real, verifiable country of residence. Your country is visible on your provider profile. All providers who reside in the US are required to file a W-9 form. If you need to change your country, please contact Customer Support. Supporting documentation will be required.
- State/Province: If applicable, must be your real, verifiable state. Your state is not shared with your team nor visible on your provider profile.
- Postal Code / Zip: If applicable, must be your real, verifiable postal code. Your postal code is not shared with your team nor visible on your provider profile.
Your personal email address is used to forward all email sent to your userID@odesk.com email address. Your security email address is used only for vital security alerts, such as a change in password. It was implemented as an extra level of security beyond your password and security question. In the event of unauthorized account access, the sooner you know there's a problem, the better.
Because time is critical in cases of suspicious account activity, we strongly recommend you set your security email to an address forwarded to your mobile phone. The notifications are short and to the point so they'll be easy to read even on small cell phone screens. (See an example and learn more about account security.)
What if you don't normally receive email on your cell phone? Your phone probably has the ability to receive SMS (text) messages sent to a special email address (for example, 8881231234@yourprovider.net). Contact your carrier or check out this Wikipedia article to learn more.
To edit your provider profile (title, resume, portfolio, etc.) go to Go to Profile & Settings > My Provider Profile. Only providers (users seeking to get hired to do work) have access to and need to fill out provider profiles.
To edit your company profile (logo, tagline, description, etc.) go to Go to Profile & Settings > My Company Profile. That is also where you can edit company-specific (as opposed to user-specific) contact information. Only team admins have access to and need to fill out company profiles.
We're sorry to see you go, but you may contact Customer Support to close your account.
A person is only permitted to have one oDesk account (learn more about our Identity Policy). Once you have an assignment history, you may not close your account and then register for a new one.
