The heat setting is a ceiling
Velvet Stories uses a heat ceiling from 1 to 5, ranging from sweet to explicit. New readers start at level 3; explicit content unlocks only if you deliberately raise the ceiling. The number sets an upper limit for the story's requested intensity. It does not mean every chapter will reach that level, and it is not a promise that every generated passage will match your expectations.
Choose the level that feels right today
There is no preferred setting you have to work toward. Keep the default, lower it for a softer read, or raise it only when you want to. You can change your heat ceiling and boundaries at any time. The settings guide generation from that point forward; changing a preference does not rewrite text that has already been generated.
Know which boundary choices travel
The Content & Boundaries screen also offers a free-text avoid list for words and phrases you do not want in a story. Velvet stores your heat ceiling and boundary choices on your device, not in your account. The avoid list works differently: because stories are generated on Velvet's servers, it travels with each generation request so the system can apply it. If a phrase reveals something personal, remember that it is included in that request.
Settings guide the model; they do not guarantee an exact result
AI output can be inaccurate, repetitive or unexpected. Your settings steer the request, but they cannot guarantee every line will follow your preferences. If a result feels wrong, stop reading and adjust the ceiling or avoid list before continuing. You can also report content that ignores your boundaries through Velvet support.
For the full explanation of the scale and the rules that apply at every level, read the heat-level FAQ and content rules. The privacy policy explains how story prompts and generation requests are handled.