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When you enable two-factor authentication on Mastodon, the server provides a set of backup codes. These codes let you regain access if you lose your authenticator app. The exported file containing these codes is encrypted to protect your account. This article explains how to decrypt that file and recover your backup codes. The encrypted file … Read more
When you need to leave a Mastodon instance or reorganize your account, two tools are available: data export and account migration. Many users confuse these options or pick the wrong one for their situation. Export creates a downloadable archive of your posts, media, and lists. Account migration transfers your follower relationships and profile information to … Read more
You may have downloaded your Mastodon account archive twice — once today and once a month ago — and want to see what changed. Mastodon archives contain separate JSON files for follows, mutes, blocks, domain blocks, bookmarks, and lists. Comparing two archives manually is tedious and error-prone. This article explains how to use a simple … Read more
When you log in to a Mastodon client app like Tusky, Fedilab, or the official Mastodon mobile app, the app receives an OAuth token that grants it permission to act on your behalf. If you lose access to your account or need to switch devices without reauthorizing every app, backing up those tokens saves time … Read more
You have left a Mastodon instance or deactivated your account, but you want your old posts to remain publicly accessible. A read-only mirror built from your Mastodon export archive lets you preserve every toot without needing a live account. This article explains how to generate the archive inside Mastodon and then publish it as a … Read more
You try to sign in to your Mastodon account using a WebAuthn security key, but the browser shows “Sign-in failed” with error code 401. This problem occurs when the WebAuthn credential stored on your key does not match the challenge or origin expected by the Mastodon server. In this article, you will learn why the … Read more
When you try to log in to your Mastodon account through a web browser, you may see the error message “Could Not Reach the Server.” This happens when the browser cannot establish a connection to the Mastodon instance’s server. The error can appear on any instance, whether you use mastodon.social, a small community server, or … Read more
When you submit a form in Mastodon, such as logging in, posting a status, or changing settings, you might see the error CSRF Token Mismatch. This error means the security token that verifies your browser session did not match what the server expected. The cause is usually a stale or missing session cookie, a browser … Read more
When you see Mastodon Error 422 with the message “Validation Failed,” the server has rejected your request because the data you sent does not meet its rules. This error often appears when posting, following accounts, or uploading media. The problem usually stems from malformed API requests, expired session tokens, or content that violates instance-specific limits. … Read more
When you post multiple toots in quick succession, Mastodon may respond with a “Rate limit exceeded” error and block your account from posting for several minutes. This happens because Mastodon instances enforce rate limits to prevent spam and reduce server load. The error typically appears as an HTTP 429 status code with a message like … Read more