Find answers to common questions about Mastodon, how it works, and how to get the most out of your social experience.
Mastodon is a free, open-source social network that emphasizes community, privacy, and user control. Unlike traditional social media platforms, it operates as a distributed network of servers (called instances) where users can join different communities while still interacting with the broader network.
Choose an instance (like mastodon.social) and click "Sign up". Enter your email, create a password, and fill out basic information. Complete the email verification process to activate your account.
You control who can see your posts with options like public, followers-only, or specific users. You can also block users and control content visibility through your profile settings.
Yes! Mastodon is part of the Fediverse, a network of interoperable open protocols. You can interact with users on other platforms that support Fediverse standards, like PixelFed or Friendica.
Explore profile themes, create custom filters, adjust notification settings, and use third-party Mastodon clients available for desktop and mobile. Your instance admin may offer additional moderation tools.