You want a specific Mastodon post to stay at the very top of your profile so visitors see it first. Mastodon offers a pinning feature that lets you select one public post and lock it to the top of your profile page. This guide explains how to pin and unpin posts using the Mastodon web interface and official mobile apps. You will learn the exact steps and understand the limitations of this feature.
Key Takeaways: Pinning a Mastodon Post to Your Profile
- Post menu > Pin on profile: Adds the selected public post to the top of your profile page.
- Profile page > Pinned posts section: Displays all currently pinned posts for you and other users.
- Post menu > Unpin from profile: Removes a pinned post and restores normal chronological order.
Understanding Mastodon Post Pinning
The pin feature lets you highlight one post that represents you, such as an introduction, a link to your website, or an important announcement. When you pin a post, Mastodon moves it to a dedicated Pinned posts section at the top of your profile page. The post remains visible in your main timeline as well. Only public posts can be pinned. Direct messages, followers-only posts, or unlisted posts cannot be pinned. You can pin only one post at a time. Pinning a new post automatically unpins the previous one. The feature works identically on mastodon.social and any other Mastodon instance.
Steps to Pin a Post on Mastodon Web
Use the web interface if you are on a desktop or laptop computer. The steps are the same for all Mastodon instances running version 3.0 or later.
- Open your profile page
Click your avatar in the top navigation bar, then select Profile from the dropdown menu. Alternatively, navigate tohttps://[your-instance]/@[your-username]. - Find the post you want to pin
Scroll through your timeline until you locate the public post you wish to pin. Only posts you authored can be pinned. - Open the post menu
Click the three-dot icon (ellipsis) located at the bottom right of the post. The icon appears next to the reply, boost, and favorite buttons. - Select Pin on profile
From the dropdown menu, click Pin on profile. Mastodon immediately moves the post to the Pinned posts section at the top of your profile page. - Verify the pinned post
Visit your profile page again. The pinned post appears at the top, separated from your main timeline by a Pinned posts label.
Steps to Pin a Post on Mastodon Mobile App
The official Mastodon app for iOS and Android supports pinning. The interface differs slightly from the web version but the logic is identical.
- Tap your profile tab
In the bottom navigation bar, tap the profile icon (your avatar) to open your profile page. - Locate the post to pin
Scroll your timeline to find the public post you want to pin. Tap the post to open its full view if needed. - Open the post options
Tap the three-dot icon in the top right corner of the post. This opens a menu of actions. - Tap Pin on profile
From the menu, select Pin on profile. The app confirms the action and moves the post to the pinned section. - Check the pinned section
Return to your profile tab. The pinned post now appears at the top under the Pinned posts heading.
How to Unpin a Post
Unpinning a post restores the normal chronological order of your timeline. The post remains visible but no longer appears at the top of your profile.
- Open the pinned post
Go to your profile page and locate the pinned post in the Pinned posts section. - Open the post menu
Click or tap the three-dot icon on the pinned post. - Select Unpin from profile
From the menu, choose Unpin from profile. Mastodon removes the post from the pinned section and rearranges your timeline back to chronological order.
Common Issues When Pinning Posts
Pin option is grayed out or missing
The pin option only appears for public posts. If the post is set to followers-only, unlisted, or direct message, the pin option is not available. Change the post visibility to public first. You cannot pin posts from other users. Only your own posts are eligible.
Pinned post does not appear at the top
If you just pinned a post, refresh your profile page. The pinned section may take a few seconds to update. If the post still does not appear, check that you used the correct account. Log out and log back in if the issue persists.
Pinning a second post unpins the first
Mastodon allows only one pinned post at a time. Pinning a new post automatically unpins the previous one. There is no setting to pin multiple posts. Choose the most important post to feature.
Pinning Posts vs Profile Metadata
| Item | Pinned Post | Profile Metadata |
|---|---|---|
| Description | A single public post locked to the top of your profile | Custom fields like name, website, and bio shown below your avatar |
| Number allowed | One post at a time | Up to four fields on most instances |
| Content type | Full post with text, images, or polls | Short text labels with optional links |
| Visibility | Visible to all visitors of your profile | Visible to all visitors of your profile |
Use a pinned post to showcase a longer introduction or an important announcement. Use profile metadata for quick links like your website, GitHub, or Patreon. Both features work together to make your profile more informative.
You can now pin any public post to the top of your Mastodon profile using the web interface or mobile app. To keep your profile fresh, unpin the old post and pin a new one whenever your priorities change. For maximum visibility, combine a pinned introduction post with profile metadata that links to your main website.