AREDL Guidelines
Welcome to the AREDL Guidelines! This page provides an in-depth explanation of everything you need to know before you submit records to the AREDL. These guidelines are in place to help the list team confirm your legitimacy in your records, and to ensure a safe and fair experience to the community.
While these are the primary guidelines used by the list team to determine whether a record will be accepted or denied, we reserve the right to deny a record for suspicion of cheating due to other detection methods. However, if you believe your record has been wrongfully rejected, please resubmit it and explain in the additional notes why you think so.
If you have any questions about these guidelines, feel free to contact the list team! You can do so through our Discord server, by creating a ticket in #support or messaging a staff member.
This page’s content is available in markdown format on GitHub, so if you notice any errors or badly worded sections, feel free to open a pull request.
Summary
While we advise you to read the guidelines in full, here are the main things you should keep in mind:
- Your completion video and raw footage must have all clicks fully audible throughout the entire completion.
- You must record and upload a video of your completion to YouTube or another video sharing platform.
- Completion videos may not be deleted after they are accepted.
- If your video was uploaded after July 2nd, 2023, your record must have all cheat indicators visible on the level's end screen.
- Your record must show the stats on the endscreen (attempts, orbs, etc.).
- If your record is in the top 400, you must have raw footage, with isolated clicks, uploaded in a downloadable format (e.g. Google Drive) and submitted along with your public video.
- Your record may not use any disallowed mods.
- If you are using a custom copy of a level, it must either be approved by list staff, or not significantly affect the level's gameplay or difficulty without a doubt.
- During your completion, you may not use any skips that make any section of the level significantly easier.
- Globed 2P Completions are allowed, however, you need to include both POVs in the video or provide a link to watch the other POV, and the completion must be on an approved Globed 2P copy.
Note that some of these guidelines may be waived if your record is older than a certain date, which you can read more about below.
Exceptions
Some rules can be bypassed if a completion is confirmed to be older than a certain date, usually being when the rule in question went into effect. The date of the completion is determined by the upload date of the video, however if you have irrefutable evidence that suggests otherwise, you can mention that in your record’s Additional Notes. If an exception applies to your record, please mention that in your Additional Notes to ensure the list team notices it.
Loopholes
Players may not exploit any loopholes these guidelines may have. If a loophole is used to avoid breaking a rule, the record will be treated the same way as if that rule was broken.
List staff will constitute what counts as a loophole on a case by case basis, based on factors such as whether using the loophole results in the same advantage as breaking a specifically declared rule.
Pointercrate
Some guidelines listed here can be waived if the record you are submitting is already on the Pointercrate Demonlist, which only ranks the top 150 extreme demons. The guidelines this applies to are:
However, if Physics Bypass was used in your completion, your record will still be denied even if it is on Pointercrate. This is because Physics Bypass was allowed for a short period on Pointercrate, but was never allowed on the AREDL. Please note that this exception only applies to Pointercrate, records on any other list are ineligible for this exception.
We highly recommend mentioning in your Additional Notes if your record has already been accepted on Pointercrate, along with your player name or a link to your Stats Viewer profile.
Platformer
On AREDL, platformer submissions follow the Pemonlist guidelines. Be sure to read them in full if you plan on submitting a record for any platformer level.
Changelog
This section will list a changelog for these guidelines, along with the dates of each change:
- November 8th, 2025 - This guidelines page was created
Clicks
Your completion video and raw footage must have all clicks fully audible throughout the entire completion. There are very little exceptions to this rule, as hearing the clicks in a completion is an integral part of the record reviewal process. It is possible for your record to be denied if your clicks are very quiet but still technically audible, as it can be very hard for the list team to distinguish them from the level's song. To reiterate, every click in your completion must be clearly heard in the audio.
Exceptions
- If your completion is dated before August 25th 2020, your record is exempt from this rule. Please read more information about exceptions to our guidelines here.
- Your record does not need to follow this rule if it has been accepted on Pointercrate. You can read more about records already accepted on Pointercrate here.
Removing Clicks
You are allowed to edit out your microphone audio from your public video, as long as you submit a video with the unedited audio under the “Raw Footage” section in the record submitter. In this scenario, both videos need to follow the “Deleting Videos” rule, meaning both videos need to remain accessible to the list team. We recommend mentioning in the Additional Notes if you do this. If your record is top 400 and requires raw footage, you may remove the clicks from the public video and submit your raw footage where they are audible. You are allowed to delete your raw footage following the reviewal of your record, so we recommend you also upload a permanently accessible video with clicks and attach it to the Additional Notes. This is because if the list team is ever suspicious of your record after it is accepted, and it doesn't provide a way to listen to the clicks, it will be removed. Please do not assume your record will never be suspicious, as we could be looking into your records for a number of reasons which may be confidential outside of the list team.
Microphone Issues
If your microphone has any sort of built-in noise cancellation, a noise gate, or other feature that could remove background noise or quiet sounds, or otherwise fails to consistently capture your click sounds, please double-check that your clicks remain audible while that feature is in use. If said feature causes your clicks to become very quiet, or they are mostly audible but some get cut off, your record can be denied. To combat this, you can try disabling this feature entirely, moving your microphone closer to your input device, or recording your clicks with a separate device, like a phone. If you use a phone to record clicks, please mention as such in the Additional Notes, along with a link to download the recording.
Non-alternatives
There are some misconceptions regarding alternatives to having audible clicks. The only click sounds we accept are from a microphone. Clickbots (mods that produce artificial click sounds, e.g. Click Sounds, ZCB Live, any clickbot built into a macro software, etc.), CPS Counters, and the Inputs Viewer mod, etc. are not substitutes for having audible clicks, as they can be influenced by third-party tools. Note that the use of clickbots is banned in records altogether, even if your completion also has real clicks. You can read more about disallowed mods here.
Uploading
Before submitting a record, you must record and upload a video of your completion to YouTube or another video sharing platform. The content and gameplay in this video must follow all of our guidelines. We recommend you use OBS to record your microphone, audio, and the entire game window. Other examples of video sharing platforms include Twitch and Medal, but services like Google Drive (file sharing), and Facebook or X (non-video focused social media platforms) are not allowed for your public completion video.
Note that raw footage, if required, follows a different set of rules than your publicly accessible video. You may not upload your raw footage to YouTube. You can read more about raw footage here.
If you use a webcam, please make sure it does not cover or obscure parts of your game (e.g. cheat indicators, the icon and/or main gameplay, the CBF watermark in the top-right corner, etc).
Video Dimensions
Records that have been digitally recorded and submitted in a vertical orientation are not allowed for submission, unless complementary footage, which is horizontally oriented, is provided in the raw footage section of the record submissions page. This applies to records submitted using video platforms, such as TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels. In addition, you may not submit a horizontally oriented video to a video platform which forces it into vertical aspect ratio, unless you provide an additional video with the aforementioned raw footage restrictions.
Video Deletion
Completion videos may not be deleted after they are accepted. You may unlist the video on YouTube, but the list staff must be able to rewatch the video at any time if needed. Records with deleted videos are subject to removal. Note that you are allowed to delete your raw footage, but not the public video attached to your record.
Liveplays
A “liveplay” is an external recording of your computer’s screen with a camera. Liveplays are allowed for use in records, as long as they comply with the same guidelines as normal screen recordings. Please make sure your game window and colors are clearly visible, and that nothing in front of your camera is blocking the screen. If the list team cannot clearly see the color of your cheat indicator, if you have one, your record will be denied!
Exceptions
- Liveplays (videos recorded using an external camera, like a cell phone) are exempt from the video dimensions rule. You can read more about liveplays here.
Versions
If you are playing on a version of Geometry Dash that is not the latest version, you must follow the guidelines for records of that version. For records which took place on a version before 2.2, this means the FPS counter must be visible, and your framerate must not be set above 360 FPS. This applies for completions using both native refresh rate or using any bypass of FPS or TPS.
GDPSs
If you are playing on a private server (GDPS), your record will be treated as if it was played on the GD version the GDPS is based on. For example, 2.1 GDPSs must follow 2.1 rules (FPS counter must be shown, FPS/TPS should be at or lower than 360)
Cheat Indicators
If your record uses one or multiple hacks or mods with an endscreen cheat indicator, all cheat indicators must be clearly visible and indicate that no cheats were used in your completion. Note that our use of the term “endscreen cheat indicator” is referring specifically to any cheat indicator placed in the dropdown endscreen window that appears upon the completion of a level. This does not include a cheat indicator visible throughout the entire level, even if it indicates no cheats while the endscreen is visible.
Note that you will be required to specify which mod menu(s) you used in your completion, if any, when you submit. If you used multiple, please list all of them in your Additional Notes.
Exceptions
Due to the relatively recent growth of Geometry Dash modding and the optionality of external mods, there are a few exceptions to this rule:
- Your record does not need to follow this rule if it has been accepted on Pointercrate. You can read more about records already accepted on Pointercrate here.
- If your completion took place before July 2nd, 2023, any mod menus used in your completion are not required to have the cheat indicator visible. We classify a “mod menu” as any external mod or hack that provides a collection of toggle-able hacks and changes to the game. Common examples include Mega Hack, QOLMod, Eclipse, and Prism Menu, and more.
- If a hack or mod used in your completion does not have an endscreen cheat indicator but does have an in-level cheat indicator, its in-level cheat indicator is required to be clearly visible throughout your completion.
- If your completion uses a mod or hack that has a cheat indicator, but took place before said cheat indicator was added to the mod, the requirement of that cheat indicator will be waived for your completion.
- If you do not use any mod or hack that has a cheat indicator, your record is exempt from this rule.
You can read more about date exceptions here.
Level Stats
Your record must show the stats on the endscreen (attempts, stars, orbs, jumps, time, etc.). However, if you’ve completed a level more than once, you are required to say so in the Additional Notes when you submit. If you do plan to submit a rebeat of a level, we highly encourage you to “Uncomplete” the level via a mod like Mega Hack or any free alternatives on Geode, like Eclipse. This is encouraged because no stats being awarded on a level’s endscreen is a sign of the use of copies and may cause suspicion.
Exceptions
Your record does not need to follow this rule if it has been accepted on Pointercrate. You can read more about records already accepted on Pointercrate here.
Raw footage
If the level you are submitting for is in the top 400, you must submit your raw footage with your clicks on an isolated audio track for the list team to review, along with a publicly viewable video. This raw footage file is to be uploaded differently than the public video (which should follow the Uploading guidelines). “Raw footage” refers to the unedited recording of your completion, which should come straight from your recording software. You are not allowed to edit this file in any capacity before submitting. Raw footage is considered confidential to the list team and will never be shared with anyone outside of it.
Isolated clicks
Your microphone audio (more specifically, your click sounds) must be on a separated and isolated audio track in your raw footage file. This means that one of the audio tracks must record your microphone audio, and only your microphone audio. Here are some guides explaining how to configure this with some popular recording softwares:
If you use a different software, you can try searching online for a tutorial on how to enable split audio tracks. If you cannot record with isolated audio tracks for any reason, you can record your clicks separately with another device and submit both files through a Google Drive (or Google Drive-equivalent) folder. Lastly, you can also configure your recording software so that only your microphone audio can be heard in your video. This is only recommended as a last resort for isolating clicks.
Uploading
File download (recommended)
To submit your raw footage, you must upload it in a way that lets us access the raw file. We recommend you use Google Drive, but any file-sharing platform will work, as long as it allows the list team to easily download the file, and does not change the file being uploaded in any way. Platforms like YouTube do not meet these requirements, as it will strip the file of all audio tracks except for the first one. Additionally, please ensure the file is accessible to anyone with the link, and will not expire after a certain amount of time.
VOD
If your completion is recorded through a public livestream on YouTube or Twitch (with live chat replay enabled), the unedited livestream VOD counts as a form of raw footage, however note that a downloadable video file is preferred.
Discord call
If you cannot upload your raw footage to any file-sharing platform, and your raw footage is not in the form of a VOD, you can also request a list staff member to watch your raw footage from a stream in a Discord call. This is an absolute last resort that should only be used if you definitely cannot use either of the above methods to submit. If you do this, please ensure you only play the audio track your clicks are recorded on.
Raw footage deletion
Unlike your public video, you are allowed to delete your raw footage after your record is reviewed. This is done because it is impractical for players to keep their raw footage accessible forever, due to limitations like storage limits.
Exceptions
- Your record does not need to follow this rule if it has been accepted on Pointercrate. You can read more about records already accepted on Pointercrate here. While you submit, you can just paste your public video in the “raw footage” field.
- If your completion is dated before October 22nd, 2024, your raw footage does not need to have an isolated audio track with your clicks. Note that you do still need to submit raw footage for your completion. You can read more about date exceptions here.
Raw footage length
We accept raw footage of any length, as long as it contains the entire completion attempt and endscreen. We recommend a range of 5-10 minutes of raw footage, but your record is not necessarily unacceptable if your raw footage is not in this range. You are also allowed to stop and restart your recording to save disk space or to remove something from the recording.
Modding
Your record may not use any disallowed mods. A (non-exhaustive) list of what we allow and don't allow can be found here. This rule also applies to having a red/blue cheat indicator, obvious hacked completions, and bots. Additionally, toggling hacks during an attempt to change the difficulty of a completion is disallowed.
Keep in mind that if you use a mod menu, like Mega Hack, the Cheat Indicator on Endscreen must be enabled! You can read more info about cheat indicators here.
Custom copies
If you are using a custom copy of a level (e.g. LDMs, Bugfixes), it must either be approved by list staff before you submit, or not significantly affect the level's gameplay or difficulty without a doubt. We highly advise you to always approve your custom copies before attempting to use them. However, if you're absolutely certain that your copy is fine, you do not need to get it approved to get your record accepted.
Pre-approved copies
The AREDL website provides pre-approved copies of levels, such as LDMs or Globed 2P copies, for your convenience. All copies found on our website are allowed and do not require approval. You can view a level's pre-approved copies by clicking on the arrow to the right of the "Level ID" text, if any.
Approval process
To get your LDM or bugfix approved, file a ticket on our Discord server (in #support) with the level ID and a video showcase of the level.
Your copy must not change the gameplay of the level. If you are using an LDM, it must not remove so much detail that it makes the level easier. If you are using a bugfix copy, please make sure you aren’t mistaking an inconsistent part or input in a level with a bug. Please note that we also do not accept recolorations of existing levels, like Trans Acu for example.
Skips
During your completion, you may not use any skips that make any section of the level significantly easier. Skips that barely affect the difficulty or make a section of the level harder are allowed. For more information on what is and isn't allowed, please see Pointercrate's ruleset for skips. Everything stated in that section of the Pointercrate guidelines is accurate to what we follow here. Please contact a list moderator if you are unsure about a skip you plan on using!
Two player
Unless stated otherwise, all completions must be performed by a single player. A second player may only participate in sections of a level that use the in-game 2 player mode. If you complete a Two Player level solo, you must include a clearly visible webcam showing both hands throughout your entire completion.
For many Two Player levels, there are 2 distinct entries on the website for either solo or 2 player completions. Upon attempting to submit a record for such a Two Player level, choose the option which aligns with the way it was completed, either "Solo" or "2P."
Two Player levels that do not have a specified "Solo" or "2P" placement on the list are allowed to be beaten with a second player. However, only the player who played for the complete duration of the level will be eligible to submit a record. A webcam is not required for these completions.
Additionally, players may not switch who performs single player sections within a single attempt. All solo parts must be played by the same player during the completion attempt.
Lastly, Two Player completions may be done remotely on Globed or through remote desktop software such as Parsec.
Globed 2P
Globed 2P Completions are allowed, however, your video needs to have both POVs, or you need to submit your friend's video in the notes. Use of a Deathlink 2 player copy and Globed's deathlink setting is allowed for levels that do not work with Globed's built in 2P mode, but these completions need to be on an official AREDL Deathlink copy, which can be found on the "AREDLofficial" Geometry Dash account. If the level does not have an official Deathlink copy, you may create or find your own (as long as the copy does not change the difficulty of the level and retains the dual physics from normal dual sections. Levels with Two Player gimmicks where the players are dependent on eachother, including but not limited to Crystal Crusher and Specthys, cannot be beaten through Globed as it makes these levels significantly easier or breaks them entirely. Instead, you could try playing through a remote desktop connection, using Parsec for example.) We recommend you approve this copy the same way you would an LDM or any other custom copy, which you can read more about here. Note that we also provide pre-approved Globed 2P copies on our website, which you can find by clicking on the arrow to the right of the "Level ID" text, if any.
Alt accounts
Submitting records with alternate accounts on the AREDL website is not allowed in any capacity. This includes but is not limited to ban evasion, impersonation, and submitting records for another player. You may only submit your own records under your main Discord account.
If the list team detects that you are submitting records under an alternate account, the alternate account will be deleted and, depending on the severity of the offense, you will either be verbally warned by a staff member or temporarily/permanently banned from the list, and possibly our Discord server as well. If you attempt to evade a temporary ban, your ban will be extended or in some cases made permanent.