Mastodon polls let you ask your followers a question with multiple answers. You can set a time limit for voting, from as short as five minutes to as long as seven days. Many users find that polls boost engagement because people want to see the results. This article explains how to create a poll on Mastodon, set its duration, and avoid common mistakes.
Key Takeaways: Mastodon Polls and Duration Settings
- Poll icon in the compose box: Tap the bar chart icon to add a poll to any new post.
- Duration dropdown menu: Choose from preset times — 5 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 6 hours, 1 day, 3 days, or 7 days.
- Multiple choice toggle: Enable this option to let users select more than one answer.
What Mastodon Polls Do and What You Need Before Creating One
A Mastodon poll is a post that includes a question and up to four answer options. Other users can vote on the poll within a time window you set. After the poll ends, the results are visible to everyone who can see the post. You do not need special permissions to create a poll — any Mastodon account can add one to a post.
Before you create a poll, make sure you are logged into your Mastodon account. You can use the Mastodon web interface or the official mobile app. The steps are the same on both platforms. You must also know that polls cannot be edited after they are posted. If you make a mistake, you have to delete the entire post and start over.
Poll Options You Can Configure
Mastodon offers these poll settings:
- Number of choices: You can add between two and four answer options. Each option can be up to 50 characters long.
- Duration: The poll runs for a preset length of time. You choose from the dropdown menu when creating the poll.
- Multiple choice: When enabled, voters can select more than one answer. When disabled, each voter can pick only one answer.
- Visibility: The poll inherits the privacy setting of the post. A public poll appears on the federated timeline. A followers-only poll is visible only to your followers.
Steps to Create a Mastodon Poll and Set Its Duration
Follow these steps to create a poll on Mastodon and configure how long it stays open for voting.
- Open the compose box
Click the compose button at the top of the Mastodon interface. In the web version, the compose box is always visible on the home page. In the mobile app, tap the pencil or plus icon to start a new post. - Tap the poll icon
Look for the bar chart icon (a small graph) next to the text input area. Click or tap it. The compose box expands to show poll fields below your text. - Enter your question
Type your poll question in the main text area of the post. This is the text that appears above the voting options. For example, “Which browser do you use most?” or “What time should we schedule the meeting?” - Add answer options
In the poll fields that appear, type each answer option. You start with two fields. To add a third or fourth option, click the “Add option” button. Each option can have up to 50 characters. Keep answers short and clear. - Set the poll duration
Click the duration dropdown menu. It shows a list of preset times: 5 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 6 hours, 1 day, 3 days, and 7 days. Select the time you want the poll to remain open. For quick feedback, choose 30 minutes or 1 hour. For broader participation, choose 1 day or 3 days. - Enable multiple choice (optional)
If you want voters to be able to select more than one answer, toggle the “Multiple choice” switch on. This is useful for questions where multiple answers apply, such as “Which features do you use?” - Post the poll
Click the “Publish” button (web) or tap the send icon (mobile). The poll goes live immediately. Other users see the poll in their timeline with a countdown timer showing how much time remains.
After you post the poll, you cannot change the question, the options, or the duration. You can only delete the entire post. If you delete the post, all votes are lost.
How to View Poll Results
While the poll is active, you can see the current vote counts and percentages. Mastodon shows a bar graph next to each option. The numbers update in real time. After the poll ends, the results become final. The post still shows the bar graph with the final tallies. You cannot export the results as a file — you must copy the numbers manually.
Common Mistakes and Things to Avoid With Mastodon Polls
Poll Duration Is Too Short or Too Long
A 5-minute poll is useful for real-time events like live streams. But most polls need at least 1 hour to gather enough votes. If you set the duration to 7 days, the poll stays on your profile for a week. Some users find that old polls clutter their timeline. Choose a duration that matches the question. For a quick opinion, use 6 hours or 1 day. For a weekly survey, 3 days is usually enough.
Answer Options Are Too Similar or Too Vague
Vague options like “Yes” and “No” work for simple yes-or-no questions. But if you ask “Which tool do you prefer?” and the options are “Tool A” and “Tool B,” make sure the names are distinct. Avoid options that overlap in meaning. For example, do not include both “Chrome” and “Google Chrome” as separate options.
Poll Cannot Be Edited After Posting
You cannot fix a typo in a poll option after you publish the post. The only way to correct an error is to delete the entire post and create a new poll. This also removes any votes that were already cast. Always double-check the question and options before you click Publish.
Multiple Choice Polls Confuse Some Voters
When you enable multiple choice, voters expect to select more than one answer. If your question is “What is your favorite color?” a multiple choice poll does not make sense — people usually have one favorite. Save multiple choice for questions where selecting more than one answer is natural, like “Which social media platforms do you use?”
Poll Visibility Follows Post Privacy
If you set the post to “Followers only,” only your followers can see and vote on the poll. The poll will not appear on the public federated timeline. If you want maximum participation, set the post to “Public.” Note that polls on unlisted posts are still visible to anyone with the link, but they do not appear in public timelines.
Mastodon Polls vs Twitter Polls: Key Differences
| Item | Mastodon Polls | Twitter Polls |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum options | 4 | 4 |
| Duration options | 5 min, 30 min, 1 hr, 6 hr, 1 day, 3 days, 7 days | 30 min, 1 hr, 6 hr, 1 day, 3 days, 7 days |
| Multiple choice | Yes, toggle available | No |
| Edit after posting | No | No |
| Results visible during voting | Yes, in real time | Yes, in real time |
| Character limit per option | 50 characters | 25 characters |
Mastodon polls give you more flexibility with the multiple choice option and a 5-minute duration for quick checks. Twitter polls have a shorter character limit per option and no multiple choice. Both platforms show live results.
Now you can create a Mastodon poll and set its duration to match your audience. Start with a simple yes-or-no question to test the feature. For your next poll, try enabling multiple choice to see how the results differ. Remember that you can set the duration to as little as 5 minutes for instant feedback during a live event.