Mastodon lets you follow hashtags the same way you follow people. When you follow a hashtag, posts tagged with it appear in your home feed alongside accounts you follow. This feature helps you track topics without manually searching. This article explains how to follow a hashtag on Mastodon from the web interface and mobile apps.
Key Takeaways: Following a Hashtag on Mastodon
- Search bar or hashtag link: Navigate to a hashtag page to start following it.
- Follow button on hashtag page: Click the follow icon to add the hashtag to your home feed.
- Hashtag settings in Mastodon: Adjust how followed hashtags appear in your timeline.
What Happens When You Follow a Hashtag on Mastodon
Mastodon treats a hashtag like a virtual account. When you follow a hashtag, posts from any public account that include that tag appear in your home feed. The posts are interleaved with posts from people you follow. This is different from searching a hashtag, which only shows results on demand.
You can follow any hashtag that exists on your instance or on a remote instance. The hashtag must be a single word or phrase without spaces. Mastodon automatically converts spaces to underscores when you type the tag.
You need a Mastodon account to follow hashtags. Guest users cannot use this feature. Your instance must be running Mastodon version 3.5 or later, but most instances are on current versions.
Steps to Follow a Hashtag on Mastodon
- Go to the hashtag page
Open the Mastodon web interface or mobile app. Click the search icon (magnifying glass) at the top of the screen. Type the hashtag without the # symbol. For example, type "photography" not "#photography". Press Enter. Mastodon shows the hashtag page with recent posts. - Click the follow button
On the hashtag page, look for the follow icon. It looks like a person silhouette with a plus sign. On the web interface, it is located at the top of the page next to the hashtag name. On the mobile app, tap the three-dot menu at the top right and select "Follow hashtag". The icon changes to a solid person silhouette with a check mark when followed. - Verify the hashtag appears in your home feed
Return to your home feed by clicking the house icon. Scroll through the posts. You should see posts tagged with the hashtag you followed. They appear mixed with posts from accounts you follow. If you do not see any, wait a few seconds and refresh the feed. - Unfollow a hashtag when needed
Go back to the hashtag page. Click the same follow icon again. On the web, it now shows a check mark. Click it to unfollow. On the mobile app, tap the three-dot menu and select "Unfollow hashtag". The hashtag stops appearing in your home feed.
Manage Followed Hashtags from Your Profile
- Open your profile settings
Click your avatar at the top right of the web interface. Select "Preferences" from the dropdown menu. On the mobile app, tap your avatar at the top left, then tap the gear icon. - Navigate to hashtag settings
In Preferences, scroll down the left sidebar and click "Hashtags" under the "Other" section. This page lists every hashtag you follow. - Edit or remove hashtags
Each hashtag has a toggle for "Show in home timeline". Turn the toggle off to stop seeing the hashtag without unfollowing it. Click the red "Unfollow" button to remove the hashtag entirely.
Common Mistakes and Limitations
Following a hashtag from a post does not work
Clicking a hashtag in a post opens the hashtag page. You must then click the follow button on that page. There is no direct follow option from the post itself.
Private or unlisted posts do not appear
Mastodon only shows public posts from followed hashtags in your home feed. Posts marked as unlisted, followers-only, or direct are excluded. This is a privacy feature.
Hashtags with special characters may not work
Mastodon supports letters, numbers, and underscores in hashtags. Symbols like @, !, or & are not allowed. If a hashtag contains a hyphen, Mastodon treats the hyphen as a word separator and only follows the first part.
Following too many hashtags can clutter your feed
Each followed hashtag adds many posts to your home feed. If you follow 10 or more active hashtags, your feed may fill up quickly. Consider using lists or muting specific hashtags instead.
| Item | Following a Hashtag | Searching a Hashtag |
|---|---|---|
| Where results appear | Home feed, mixed with accounts | Hashtag page, temporary view |
| Persistence | Permanent until unfollowed | One-time search result |
| Interaction | Like, boost, reply from home feed | Same interactions, but must revisit search |
| Privacy | Public posts only | Public posts only |
Following a hashtag on Mastodon is a simple way to track topics you care about. Use the search bar to find the hashtag page and click the follow button. Manage your followed hashtags from Preferences to keep your feed organized. For active topics, consider using a list instead of following the hashtag to control how many posts appear.