You want to save a complete copy of your Mastodon account before leaving an instance, switching servers, or simply protecting against data loss. Mastodon offers a built-in export tool that creates a downloadable archive of your posts, media files, follower lists, and account settings. This article explains how to request and download your Mastodon data archive through the web interface. It also covers what the archive contains, how long the export takes, and what to do if the download button does not appear.
Key Takeaways: Exporting Your Mastodon Data Archive
- Preferences > Import and Export > Export data: Access the archive request button to start the backup process.
- CSV files for followers, following, lists, mutes, blocks, and domain blocks: Download plain-text lists of your social graph connections.
- Outbox.json and Actor.json: Contains your posts in ActivityPub format and your account metadata for portability.
What the Mastodon Data Archive Contains
The Mastodon data archive is a ZIP file that contains several folders and files representing your entire account activity and configuration. Understanding the contents helps you verify the backup is complete before you delete your account or switch instances.
Media Files
All images, videos, and other media you uploaded to your Mastodon posts are included in the media_attachments folder. The files retain their original filenames and extensions. If you posted a large number of media files, the archive size can reach several gigabytes.
ActivityPub Data
Your posts, boosts, and favorites are stored in an outbox.json file using the ActivityPub standard format. This file contains the full text of each post, timestamps, visibility settings, and content warnings. The actor.json file stores your profile metadata including display name, bio, avatar URL, and header image URL.
CSV Exports of Social Graph
Separate CSV files list your followers, accounts you follow, lists you created, muted accounts, blocked accounts, and domain blocks. These files contain account URLs and usernames. You can import these CSV files into another Mastodon instance to restore your social connections.
Steps to Export Your Mastodon Data Archive
The export process is initiated from the Mastodon web interface. You must be logged into the account you want to back up. The archive is generated on the server and can take several minutes to complete depending on your account size.
- Open Preferences
Click the gear icon in the top right corner of the Mastodon web interface, then select Preferences from the dropdown menu. - Go to Import and Export
In the left sidebar, click Import and Export under the Administration section. - Request your archive
On the Export data tab, click the Request your archive button. A confirmation message appears saying your archive is being generated. - Wait for the archive to be ready
Mastodon sends an email notification to your account email address when the archive is ready. This usually takes between 5 and 30 minutes. Do not close the browser tab during this time. - Download the archive
Return to Preferences > Import and Export > Export data. Click the Download your archive button. The ZIP file saves to your computer. - Save the archive securely
Store the ZIP file in a safe location such as an encrypted external drive or cloud storage service. Do not share the file because it contains private data including direct messages.
Common Issues When Exporting Mastodon Data
Download Button Does Not Appear
If the Download your archive button is missing, the server may still be generating the archive. Refresh the page after 10 minutes. If the button still does not appear, check your email for the notification. Some instances require you to click Request your archive again after a failed generation.
Archive File Is Empty or Very Small
A nearly empty archive usually means the export process failed silently. Delete the partial archive by clicking the trash icon next to the download button, then request a new archive. Ensure you have a stable internet connection during the request.
Email Notification Never Arrives
Check your spam or junk folder. If the email is not there, the instance may have disabled email notifications for archive completion. In that case, return to the Export data page after 30 minutes and refresh the page. The download button should appear once the archive is ready.
Mastodon Data Archive vs Manual CSV Export
| Item | Data Archive | Manual CSV Export |
|---|---|---|
| Contents | Posts, media, followers, following, lists, blocks, mutes, account metadata | Followers, following, lists, blocks, mutes, domain blocks only |
| Format | ZIP containing JSON, CSV, and media files | Individual CSV files |
| Media included | Yes, all uploaded media | No |
| Generation time | 5 to 30 minutes | Instant |
| Download location | Preferences > Import and Export > Export data | Same page, separate CSV download buttons |
The Mastodon data archive is the only backup method that includes your posts and media files. The manual CSV exports are useful for quickly saving your social graph without waiting for the full archive to generate.
After downloading your archive, verify the file integrity by checking that the ZIP file opens correctly and contains the expected folders. You can now safely delete your account or migrate to a new instance knowing you have a complete backup of your Mastodon presence. For advanced users, the outbox.json file can be parsed with a script to extract individual posts for import into other platforms.