diff --git a/INSTALL.md b/INSTALL.md
index 0636923..f338a70 100644
--- a/INSTALL.md
+++ b/INSTALL.md
@@ -32,6 +32,16 @@ The recommended approach for using **al-folio** is to first create your own site
 
 **For the quickest setup**, follow the [Quick Start Guide](QUICKSTART.md), which will have you up and running in 5 minutes.
 
+### Template vs. Fork: Which Should I Use?
+
+**Use the "Use this template" button** (recommended) when creating your own al-folio site. This creates a clean, independent copy that is not linked to the main al-folio repository.
+
+**If you already forked the repository**, your fork will work fine, but you should be aware of a common pitfall:
+
+- Forks maintain a connection to the original repository, which can make it easy to accidentally submit pull requests to al-folio with your personal site changes
+- **Solution:** When making changes to your fork, always create a new branch (e.g., `git checkout -b my-site-updates`) and verify that you're pushing to **your own fork** before submitting pull requests
+- Only submit pull requests to `alshedivat/al-folio` if you're intentionally contributing improvements that benefit the entire al-folio community
+
 ### Important Notes for GitHub Pages Sites
 
 If you plan to upload your site to `<your-github-username>.github.io`, the repository name :warning: **MUST BE** :warning: `<your-github-username>.github.io` or `<your-github-orgname>.github.io`, as stated in the [GitHub pages docs](https://docs.github.com/en/pages/getting-started-with-github-pages/about-github-pages#types-of-github-pages-sites).
diff --git a/QUICKSTART.md b/QUICKSTART.md
index 08ce70e..8a9704f 100644
--- a/QUICKSTART.md
+++ b/QUICKSTART.md
@@ -21,11 +21,16 @@
 
 ## Step 1: Create Your Repository (1 min)
 
-1. Click **[Use this template](https://github.com/new?template_name=al-folio&template_owner=alshedivat)** on the al-folio repository page
-2. Name your repository:
-   - **Personal/Organization site:** `username.github.io` (replace `username` with your GitHub username)
-   - **Project site:** Any name (e.g., `my-research-website`)
-3. Click **Create repository from template**
+**⚠️ Important:** Use the **"Use this template"** button, NOT the fork button. This ensures your site is independent and you won't accidentally submit your personal changes back to the al-folio project.
+
+1. Go to the [al-folio repository](https://github.com/alshedivat/al-folio)
+2. Click the green **"Use this template"** button (top right), then select **"Create a new repository"**
+3. Name your repository:
+   - **Personal/Organization site (if you want your site to be at `username.github.io`):** `username.github.io` (replace `username` with your GitHub username)
+   - **Project site (if you want your site to be at `username.github.io/project-name`):** Any name (e.g., `my-research-website`)
+4. Click **"Create repository from template"**
+
+**Already forked by mistake?** No problem. Your fork will work fine—just be careful when making changes. Create a new branch for your updates (e.g., `git checkout -b my-site-updates`) and make sure you push to **your own repository**, not the main al-folio project.
 
 ## Step 2: Configure Deployment (1 min)
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1abdbaf..c9e1780 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -287,6 +287,21 @@ Run the test yourself: [Google Lighthouse PageSpeed Insights](https://pagespeed.
 
 ## Getting started
 
+**⚠️ Important: Use "Use this template" (not fork)**
+
+When creating your own website with al-folio, you have two options:
+
+- ✅ **Recommended:** Click "[Use this template](https://github.com/new?template_name=al-folio&template_owner=alshedivat)" – This creates a clean copy that is independent from the main al-folio repository. Changes you make to your site won't be accidentally submitted to al-folio as pull requests.
+- ❌ **Not recommended:** Forking the repository – This keeps a link to the main al-folio repo, making it easy to accidentally submit your personal site changes as contributions to our project.
+
+**If you already forked:** Don't worry! You can still work with your fork normally. Just make sure to:
+
+1. Make changes on a dedicated branch (e.g., `my-site-updates`)
+2. When pushing changes, always verify you're pushing to **your own repository**, not the main al-folio repository
+3. Never create pull requests to `alshedivat/al-folio` unless you're intentionally contributing improvements that benefit all users
+
+For quick setup, see [QUICKSTART.md](QUICKSTART.md).
+
 Want to learn more about Jekyll? Check out [this tutorial](https://www.taniarascia.com/make-a-static-website-with-jekyll/). Why Jekyll? Read [Andrej Karpathy's blog post](https://karpathy.github.io/2014/07/01/switching-to-jekyll/)! Why write a blog? Read [Rachel Thomas blog post](https://medium.com/@racheltho/why-you-yes-you-should-blog-7d2544ac1045).
 
 ## Installing and Deploying