Mastodon is a social network made up of independently run servers that can communicate with one another. To switch from Twitter/X, choose a server, create and prepare an account there, move your profile if you want followers redirected, and import supported lists. Your posts and media will not move to the new account.
What is Mastodon?
Mastodon is microblogging software and a network of independent websites, commonly called servers or instances. You create your account on one server, but you can follow and communicate with people on other connected servers.
This arrangement is called federation: separate services connect and exchange activity rather than one company operating a single central platform. Mastodon’s official documentation compares it to email: people can use different providers and still communicate. A server can also operate on its own, without connecting to others.
As Mastodon creator Eugen Rochko put it in “Cage the Mastodon” on July 6, 2018, “A decentralized network deliberately relinquishes control of the platform owner, by essentially not having one.” The quote appears in Mastodon’s documentation.
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How to choose a Mastodon server
Each server is operated by an independent organization or individual. Its operator sets or applies moderation policies, and servers may differ in their rules and federation choices. Check the server’s rules and operator information before signing up; Australia’s eSafety Commissioner’s Mastodon guide also recommends checking the moderation policy for the specific server.
The servers listed in Mastodon’s server picker agree to the Mastodon Server Covenant. Its commitments include actively moderating hate speech, taking daily backups, having at least one emergency administrator, and providing at least three months’ notice before shutdown. These are commitments for servers in that picker, not a guarantee that every server on the wider network follows the same covenant.
Compare prospective servers on the points that will affect your experience:
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- Rules and enforcement: Read what is prohibited and how reports are handled.
- Operator and continuity: Find out who runs the server and what it says about maintenance, backups, and possible closure.
- Federation: Consider whether the server connects with the communities and people you want to follow.
No single server is established as best for everyone. The right choice depends on its policies, operation, and connections matching your needs.
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How posting and privacy work
Mastodon’s official posting guide documents a default post limit of 500 characters. Posts can include media and polls, and users can choose post visibility and add descriptions to media. Treat 500 characters as the documented default, not a guarantee that every server or client will behave identically.
Direct messages are not end-to-end encrypted. Mastodon’s guide says database administrators of the sender’s and recipient’s servers may be able to access message text. Do not use Mastodon direct messages for communications you need to keep confidential from server operators.
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How do I switch from Twitter/X to Mastodon?
Mastodon’s account-move process helps redirect people to your new profile and can move supported account lists. It does not copy your posts or media. Prepare the destination account and any lists you want to transfer before initiating a profile move.
1. Create and prepare the destination account
Choose a server, create an account on it, and set up the profile you want to use. Review the destination server’s rules and operator information first, since servers are independently run.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2. Export the accounts you follow
From your old Mastodon account, export your followed-accounts list. Mastodon also supports importing other exported lists; its account-migration guide explains the supported export and import process. If an account you follow requires approval, its owner may need to approve your new follow request. When you have many followers, the transfer may happen gradually.
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3. Set the old account as an alias and move the profile
For a profile move, first set the old account as an alias of the new account, then use Mastodon’s move process. The move can redirect visitors from the old profile and, where the recipient’s software supports it, prompt followers of the old account to follow the new one. Mastodon imposes a 30-day cooldown before another migration, so confirm your destination before proceeding.
4. Import supported lists and account for what stays behind
Import the lists you exported into the new account. A profile move does not automatically transfer follows, blocks, mutes, or blocked domains; use supported list exports and imports where available.
Your posts and media do not move. Mastodon lets you request a JSON archive of posts and media once every seven days, but does not support importing those posts or media into the new account. Keep the archive if you want a copy, but do not expect it to recreate your timeline on the destination server.
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How large is Mastodon?
Published figures should be read with their dates and definitions, not as a current network-wide count:
- Mastodon’s 2023 annual report gave figures as of January 1, 2023: 9,780 servers running Mastodon software, 6.36 million registered accounts, and 1.5 million monthly active users.
- Mastodon’s 2024 annual report, published as a 2025 outlook, set a goal of growing from 1 million to 2 million monthly active users. That was a target, not a verified result.
These figures do not establish Mastodon’s current size. The sources cited here do not provide a current, comparable network-wide account or activity count.
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