If your Mastodon instance is shutting down, you need to move your account before the server goes dark. Without a running source instance, standard migration tools like follower redirects stop working. This article explains how to export your data first, then set up a new account on a different instance. You will learn the exact steps to preserve followers, posts, and lists even when the old instance has limited time left.
Key Takeaways: Migrate Before Your Mastodon Instance Goes Offline
- Preferences > Import and Export > Export: Download your archive, followers, following, lists, and blocks before the instance shuts down.
- Preferences > Account > Move to a different account: Initiate the follower migration handshake while the source instance is still online.
- New instance registration: Create your new account on a different server before starting the migration process.
Why Migrating Before the Instance Goes Offline Is Critical
Mastodon migration relies on the source instance being online to complete a handshake with the destination instance. When the source instance shuts down, the destination instance cannot verify the move request. Followers, follow requests, and lists are not transferred automatically. The only data you can carry to a new instance after shutdown is the archive you exported beforehand.
Instance shutdowns happen for many reasons. The admin may run out of funds, lose interest, or face legal pressure. Sometimes the server hardware fails and no backup exists. Regardless of the cause, the migration window is open only while the source instance still responds to API calls. Once the server goes offline, the Move to a different account feature becomes unavailable.
The standard migration process uses the ActivityPub protocol. Your old instance sends a Move activity to all followers, telling them to follow your new account instead. This activity requires the old account to sign the request with its private key. If the instance is offline, the key is unreachable and the handshake fails.
Steps to Migrate Before the Source Instance Shuts Down
Perform these steps in order. Do not skip the data export. If the instance goes offline before you finish, the export is your only backup.
- Export your Mastodon archive and settings
Log in to your account on the source instance. Go to Preferences > Import and Export > Export. Click the Export button under Archive to download a ZIP file containing your posts, media, and profile data. On the same page, export your following list, followers list, lists, domain blocks, and mute settings in CSV format. Save all files to a safe location. - Register a new account on a different instance
Choose a new Mastodon instance that accepts registrations. Create an account with the same username if possible. This makes it easier for followers to find you. Complete the email verification and set up your profile. - Initiate the Move to a different account process
On your old instance, go to Preferences > Account > Move to a different account. Enter the handle of your new account in the format @username@newinstance.example. The old instance will send a Move activity to all followers. Followers who accept the activity will automatically unfollow the old account and follow the new one. - Confirm the move on the new account
Log in to your new account. Go to Preferences > Account > Move from a different account. Enter the handle of your old account. The new instance will verify the Move activity and display a confirmation. Click Confirm to finalize the migration. - Import your following list and other settings
On the new account, go to Preferences > Import and Export > Import. Select the CSV file containing your following list and upload it. Mastodon will follow every account that still exists. Repeat this step for lists, domain blocks, and mute settings.
What Happens If the Instance Goes Offline Before Migration
If the source instance shuts down before you complete the Move process, the follower handshake cannot happen. Your followers will not be redirected automatically. You can still recover your data from the exported archive, but you must manually rebuild your social graph.
Followers Lost After Instance Shutdown
When the source instance is offline, the destination instance cannot verify the move request. Followers see the old account as suspended or unreachable. You can post a toot from your new account explaining the situation and ask followers to follow you again. This is less reliable than the automatic Move process, but it is the only option after shutdown.
Archive Import Does Not Restore Followers
The archive ZIP file contains your posts and media, but it does not contain a list of your followers. The follower list CSV export is a separate file. If you did not export the follower list CSV before shutdown, you cannot recover the list of who followed you. Always export both the archive and the CSV files.
Private Messages and Direct Toots Are Not Migrated
Direct messages in Mastodon are stored only on the sending and receiving instances. The Move process and the archive export do not include direct messages. If you need to preserve private conversations, ask the sender to forward them manually before the instance shuts down.
Mastodon Migration Methods: Before vs After Instance Shutdown
| Item | Before Shutdown | After Shutdown |
|---|---|---|
| Follower redirect | Automatic via Move activity | Not possible |
| Following list transfer | CSV export and import | CSV export only if done before |
| Post archive | ZIP export available | ZIP export only if done before |
| Lists and blocks | CSV export and import | CSV export only if done before |
| Direct messages | Not transferable | Not transferable |
Act now if your instance announces a shutdown date. Export your data and start the Move process while the server is still running. After the shutdown, the only data you keep is what you exported in advance. Your followers will not be redirected, and your social graph must be rebuilt manually.