Fanfiction platform AO3 officially leaves beta phase after 17 years
03 Apr 2026

The Archive of Our Own (AO3), a popular fanfiction platform, has officially left its beta phase.

The announcement was made by the Organization for Transformative Works, the non-profit organization that runs AO3.

The update comes 17 years after the site's launch in 2009. Since 2009, AO3 has grown and changed a lot, read the announcement.

How the platform has improved over the years
Platform development

The announcement further highlighted how AO3 has evolved over the years with the help of its volunteers and coding contributors.

It also credited the financial support from users that enabled the hiring of contractors for platform improvement.

Some of the features introduced during this time include a tagging system, fanworks downloads, and privacy settings for creators to control access to their work.

Transition doesn't mean end of improvements
Stability assurance

The transition from beta doesn't mean that AO3 will stop evolving.

The organization has assured users that their volunteer coders and community contributors will continue to enhance the platform on a daily basis.

The decision to leave beta is mainly cosmetic as the AO3 software has been stable for a long time, indicating that it's not a sign of everything being finalized or perfectly working.

'Beta' was changed to 'Omega' for April Fools' Day
Logo update

One of the most noticeable changes after AO3's exit from beta is the removal of the small "beta" label from the AO3 logo at the top of the platform.

The change was made for April Fools' Day this year when AO3 changed "beta" to "omega."

You can keep tabs on the updates coming to AO3 by viewing its projects on Jira.