You are getting unwanted notifications from a fediverse user who replies to your public Threads posts. This happens when your account has fediverse sharing enabled and an ActivityPub user on Mastodon or another compatible server interacts with your thread. Their replies appear in your Threads notification list just like any other reply. This article explains how to mute that specific fediverse user so you stop seeing their notifications without blocking them entirely.
Key Takeaways: Muting a Fediverse User in Threads
- Profile > Following > Muted accounts: Find and manage all muted fediverse users from this list.
- Three-dot menu on the notification: Tap the three dots on the offending notification and select Mute this account.
- Mute vs Block: Muting hides notifications only; the user can still see your public posts and reply.
What Happens When You Mute a Fediverse User in Threads
Threads lets you connect your public posts to the fediverse through ActivityPub. When a user on a fediverse server like Mastodon replies to your thread, that reply appears in your Threads notification feed. If that user sends multiple replies or starts conversations you do not want to follow, you can mute them.
Muting a fediverse user does not remove their replies from the thread itself. It only stops their replies from triggering a notification on your end. The user is not notified that you muted them. They can still see your public posts and reply to them. This is different from blocking, which prevents the user from seeing your profile or interacting with your content entirely.
You can mute any fediverse user who has replied to your public Threads post at least once. The mute applies to that user across all your Threads notifications. You can also view and manage your muted accounts from your settings.
Steps to Mute a Fediverse User From Your Notifications
- Open the notification that shows the fediverse user reply
Tap the bell icon at the top right of the Threads app or click it on the web version. Find the notification from the fediverse user you want to mute. The notification will show their display name and the server they are on, for example “@user@mastodon.social.” - Tap the three-dot menu on the notification
On the right side of the notification, tap or click the three-dot icon. A small menu appears with options for that specific notification. - Select Mute this account
From the menu, choose Mute this account. A confirmation dialog appears asking if you are sure. Tap Mute to confirm. The user is now muted. You will no longer receive notifications for any future replies from that user.
How to View and Manage Your Muted Fediverse Users
You can see the full list of all accounts you have muted, including fediverse users, from your settings.
- Go to your Profile
Tap your profile picture at the bottom right of the Threads app or click your profile icon at the top right on the web version. - Tap Following
Below your profile name and bio, tap the Following number. This opens a list of everyone you follow. - Tap Muted accounts at the top
At the top of the Following list, tap Muted accounts. This shows every account you have muted, including fediverse users. Each entry shows the user’s display name and server. - Tap Unmute to reverse the action
If you want to start receiving notifications from that fediverse user again, tap Unmute next to their name. The user is unmuted immediately.
What to Do If the Mute Option Is Not Available
In some cases, the Mute this account option may be grayed out or missing from the three-dot menu on a fediverse user notification. This usually happens because of one of the following reasons.
The notification is from a user who is already muted
If you already muted that user through another notification or through the Muted accounts list, the menu will not show the mute option again. Check your Muted accounts list to confirm.
The notification is a quote or a link post, not a direct reply
Threads only shows the mute option on notifications that are direct replies to your post. If the fediverse user quoted your post or shared a link to it, that notification may not offer a mute option. In that case, you can mute the user by going to the Muted accounts list and adding them manually. However, Threads does not currently let you add a fediverse user by their handle. You must wait until they reply directly to one of your posts to mute them from the notification.
The fediverse user deleted their reply before you muted them
If the user deleted the reply that triggered the notification, the notification may still appear in your feed but the mute option may be missing. The user is no longer active in that conversation, so muting may not be necessary.
Muting a Fediverse User vs Blocking Them
| Action | Mute | Block |
|---|---|---|
| Notifications | Stopped for that user | Stopped for that user |
| User can see your public posts | Yes | No |
| User can reply to your posts | Yes | No |
| User is notified | No | No |
| You appear in their follower list | Yes, if you follow them | No |
| Can be reversed | Yes, from Muted accounts | Yes, from Blocked accounts |
Choose mute when you want to stop notifications from a specific fediverse user but still allow them to interact with your public content. Choose block when you want to prevent that user from seeing or interacting with your profile entirely.
You now know how to mute a specific fediverse user from your Threads notifications using the three-dot menu on the notification or by managing the Muted accounts list in your Profile > Following section. Try muting a user the next time a fediverse reply becomes distracting. For more control over your fediverse experience, explore the Privacy settings under Profile > Privacy > Fediverse sharing to review which of your posts are shared to the fediverse.