⚠️ Community resource — not an official Linden Lab website. Created by an SL Mentor to help newcomers. Second Life® is a registered trademark of Linden Research, Inc.
Newcomer Guide
Your mentor shared this with you

Welcome to Second Life 👋

Useful links and places to help you find your feet — click any link to jump straight there.

✨ What is this place?

Second Life is a 3D virtual world — not a game. There are no levels, no quests, no goals. You won't win anything. You decide what to do.

Explore, make friends, go to live music or club nights, dance, build, shop, create clothes or art, roleplay, learn a language, fall in love — thousands of different communities run their own corner of SL. If you're not sure where to start, pick a place below and just go. You can always teleport home with Ctrl+Shift+H.

📍
Places to Go In-World
Click any link to teleport directly — make sure Second Life is running first
🎁
Free Items & Your Avatar
Look great without spending a penny
Avatar Welcome Pack: You already have a free set of high-quality avatars! In Firestorm go to Avatar → Avatar Welcome Pack. In the SL Viewer look for "Avatar Welcome Pack" on the left taskbar. In Project Zero tap the Avatar tab at the bottom. No cost, no HUDs needed.
Bought something and it's a box? Some older items come packed in a box you need to open. Right-click the box in your inventory and choose Open — then Copy To Inventory. The contents appear in your inventory as a new folder. For very old items that won't open that way, rez the box on the ground (drag it from inventory to a sandbox floor), right-click → Open, then Copy To Inventory.
Add vs Wear: When putting on clothing, hair or attachments, right-click the item and choose Add rather than Wear. Add places the item on top of what you already have on; Wear replaces anything attached to the same spot — which is how people accidentally remove their own hair or shoes. Firestorm has a setting to make a double-click count as Add instead of Wear (in Preferences) — handy to switch on.
👤
Your Avatar & Appearance
Looking good in Second Life
Avatar Welcome Pack
You already have a free set of high-quality avatars — mesh heads and bodies from top creators, no cost and no HUDs needed. 3 skin tones × male & female, 3 clothing sets each.
Project Zero — "Avatar" tab at the bottom
SL Viewer — "Avatar Welcome Pack" on left taskbar
Firestorm — Avatar menu → Avatar Welcome Pack
Avatar Welcome Pack & Project Zero
Official Second Life University video — walks through building a quality avatar from the free Avatar Welcome Pack, then introduces Project Zero (browser-based login).
🧍
What is a Mesh Body?
Think of the default avatar as a basic mannequin. A mesh body is a custom suit you wear over it — much better detail and compatible with modern clothing. They cost L$ but free demos let you try before you buy.
Female: Maitreya LaraX · eBODY Reborn · Legacy
Male: Legacy Athletic · Belleza Jake · Signature Gianni X
Heads: LeLutka (most popular — free demos in-store)
🎁
Free Avatar Resources
Under 90 days old? Visit Firestorm Social Island for free Milena (female) or Mike (male) mesh heads. Palomma Plaza has free clothing and accessories from top designers — no time limit.
Welcome Pack Lite items & sliders: The Lite heads and bodies have built-in slider limitations — some sliders (especially around the chin) won't respond. This persists even when mixing: pairing a Lite body with a full LeLutka head will still constrain the shape. Use shapes designed for Lite items, or upgrade to the full versions for complete slider control.
Makeup not showing on a Welcome Pack head? The Lite heads can't use HD appliers — the scripted layers many creators use for lipstick, eyeshadow and detailed makeup. The makeup is applied but never appears. If a resident wants a full makeup look, point them to a free mesh head at Firestorm Social Island, or a full head such as LeLutka — both support HD appliers.
What is EvoX? You'll see skins and head textures described as EVO or EVOX compatible. These are simply texture standards for modern mesh heads — EvoX is the current one, used by LeLutka and many other heads. When buying a skin or head texture, match it to your head's standard: an EvoX head needs EvoX textures. Most stores label this clearly and offer free demos.
🔀 My avatar looks wrong — what do I do?
My avatar is naked, grey, or missing a body part / clothing item
Is your whole avatar naked or grey?
Yes — naked or grey
Go to Avatar → Avatar Welcome Pack in the top menu bar and choose a complete starter look — it's free and instant
Still grey / cloudy?
Go to Avatar → Avatar Health → Rebake Textures
Shortcut: Ctrl+Alt+R (PC) · Cmd+Option+R (Mac)
Still not fixed? Change to a different region or relog
✓ Fixed!
No — just a missing piece
Open Inventory (Ctrl+I) and click the WORN tab
Note the folder name shown next to your body or outfit — e.g. "Female body - B" or "Female look - Casual"
In main inventory go to Clothing → [that folder name]. Items in bold are worn — the item that's not bold is the missing piece
Right-click the missing item → Add
✓ Fixed!
Everyone has disappeared — including me!
You've accidentally toggled avatar rendering off. Press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+4 (PC) or Cmd+Option+Shift+4 (Mac) to bring everyone back
Something is stuck to my head (or body) and won't come off!
Right-click the attachment → Detach. Or right-click your avatar → Take Off → Detach All to remove everything at once.
Still stuck?
It's a ghost attachment — the viewer thinks it's gone but your screen hasn't caught up. Log out and log back in. That always clears it.
✓ Gone!
🗺️
Explore & Discover
Second Life is enormous — here's where to start
💎
Building a Quality Avatar
Ready to invest in your look? These are some of the brands you'll commonly hear mentioned in the community — there are many more out there and no single list is definitive. Your mentor can advise you further in-world. Always try the free demo before buying.
🧠 Mesh Heads
🧍 Mesh Bodies
🎨 Skins
💇 Hair
Always demo first! Every reputable store offers free demos — wear them before spending a single L$. Mesh heads, bodies, skins and hair can all look very different on your shape. Demos are your best friend.
💬
Getting Help
You're never alone in Second Life
Look for Mentors in-world! SL Mentors wear a Mentor tag and are there specifically to help newcomers. Don't hesitate to say hello — they're there because they genuinely want to help.
🛡️
Someone is bothering me — what do I do?
Simple steps to stay safe and take back control
🚫
1. Block them
Right-click the avatar → Block. You won't see or hear them again on your viewer. Blocking is private — they aren't told.
🏠
2. Teleport home
Press Ctrl+Shift+H (PC) or Cmd+Shift+H (Mac) to teleport home instantly. If you haven't set a home yet, teleport to any safe place from the World Map.
📝
3. File an Abuse Report
If someone breaks the rules, report them to Linden Lab. Go to Help → Report Abuse, pick a category, describe what happened and submit. Take a screenshot first with Ctrl+Shift+S.
🛑
4. Find a Mentor
Look for anyone wearing a Mentor tag — they're volunteers trained to help. You can also return to the Desktop Learning Center or Welcome Hub where mentors are often nearby.
🔒 Stop people pushing or shoving you

Agalmic Movelock — free (L$0)

A small HUD you wear. It softly locks your avatar in place when you're standing still, so nobody can push you around. The moment you move, it releases — no jitter, no snap-back. Auto-off when you sit, auto-on when you stand. Includes Find Space, which automatically moves you to an empty spot when you teleport into a crowd. Works in every viewer.

🎁 Get it free on Marketplace ↗
Remember: behind every avatar is a real person. If someone makes you uncomfortable, you have every right to block, leave and report. You don't owe anyone an explanation.
🔞
Adult Content in Second Life
What you need to know before exploring this side of SL
🔞
You Must Be 18 or Over
Adult content in Second Life is strictly for residents aged 18 and over. This is enforced by Linden Lab's Terms of Service — misrepresenting your age is a violation.
⚙️
It's Opt-In
Adult content is not available by default. Enable it in Preferences → General and set your content access to General, Moderate, Adult.
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Adult Regions Only
Adult content must take place on Adult-rated regions only — it is not permitted on General or Moderate land. Adult regions are clearly labelled in the viewer.
🤝
Consent & Respect
Always ask before initiating any intimate interaction — and anyone can withdraw consent at any time. Start with conversation, not action. Remember: behind every avatar is a real person with real feelings.
🏠 The Adult Hub

The Adult Hub is a welcoming, tasteful space created by Linden Lab for residents who are 18 or over and curious about the adult side of Second Life. It's not a venue full of strangers — think of it as a well-designed adult social area with beautiful landscaping where you can find your bearings at your own pace. The Hub includes private hotel rooms (available for 30 minutes with a partner or partners), saunas, a pool, a naturist beach, a main beach, and a club. You'll also find information boards, teleport portals to adult locations and entertainment across the grid, and the ThundrGO dating HUD. The Hub itself is calm and social — well moderated, with everyone clothed on the day of writing. When you arrive you'll be asked to agree to the region rules and confirm your maturity rating is set to Adult. Adult-themed furniture throughout the Hub includes built-in consent systems — you'll be asked to accept any interaction before it begins.

📍 By clicking this link I confirm I am 18 or over — Teleport to the Adult Hub
Important: Sexual ageplay is strictly prohibited with no exceptions, regardless of region or consent. This includes avatars that appear to be minors in a sexual context. Violations are taken very seriously by Linden Lab.