You may have more than one Mastodon account, such as a personal profile and a work or community profile. Switching between them in the official Mastodon app is not always obvious because the app does not show a dedicated account switcher button on the home screen. This article explains the exact steps to add, remove, and switch between multiple accounts in the Mastodon app for iOS and Android. You will learn how to avoid logging out and losing your home timeline each time you want to use a different account.
Key Takeaways: Managing Multiple Accounts in the Mastodon App
- Account profile icon (top-left corner): Tap this icon to open the account menu and switch to another logged-in account.
- Add Account option in the account menu: Use this option to log in to a second Mastodon account without logging out of the current one.
- Edit profile > Log out: The only way to remove an account from the app is to log out from the account menu.
How the Mastodon App Handles Multiple Accounts
The official Mastodon app for iOS and Android supports logging in to multiple accounts at the same time. Each account keeps its own home timeline, notifications, and direct messages. The app stores the session tokens for all logged-in accounts securely on your device. When you switch accounts, the app reloads the home timeline and notifications for the selected account without making you re-enter your credentials.
The app does not display a persistent account switcher bar or a dropdown menu on every screen. Instead, the account menu is accessed through the profile icon in the top-left corner of the home screen. This design keeps the interface clean but can cause confusion for new users who expect a visible switch button.
The app does not limit the number of accounts you can add. However, each account must belong to a different Mastodon instance or the same instance with a different username. You cannot add two accounts from the same instance with the same username because each account is uniquely identified by its full handle, such as @username@instance.social.
Steps to Add and Switch Between Multiple Accounts
- Open the Mastodon app and go to your home screen
If you are already logged in to one account, you will see your home timeline. Tap the profile icon in the top-left corner of the screen. On iOS, this icon shows your avatar or a silhouette. On Android, it shows the same icon in the same position. - Tap your current account name at the top of the menu
After tapping the profile icon, a menu slides in from the left. At the top of this menu, you will see your current account name and handle. Tap that area to open the account list. - Tap Add Account to log in to another Mastodon account
At the bottom of the account list, you will see an option labeled Add Account. Tap it. The app will open the login screen where you can enter the instance URL of your second account, such as mastodon.social or hachyderm.io. Enter your username and password for that account and complete the login process. - Switch between accounts from the same menu
After adding the second account, tap the profile icon again. The account list now shows both accounts. Tap the account you want to use. The app immediately loads that account’s home timeline and notifications. The active account is marked with a checkmark. - Switch back to the original account at any time
Repeat step 1 and step 2, then tap the other account name. The app remembers all logged-in accounts until you manually log out of one.
How to Remove an Account from the Mastodon App
- Open the account menu and tap your current account name
Tap the profile icon in the top-left corner. Then tap your account name at the top of the menu to open the account list. - Tap Edit profile next to the account you want to remove
On the account list, each account has an Edit profile button. Tap that button for the account you want to remove. This opens that account’s profile settings. - Scroll to the bottom and tap Log out
In the profile settings, scroll all the way down. You will see a red Log out button. Tap it and confirm the logout. The account is removed from the app completely. Its session token is deleted, and you will need to log in again to use it.
Things to Avoid When Managing Multiple Mastodon Accounts
Logging out to switch accounts
Do not log out of an account just to switch to another one. Logging out removes the session token and requires you to re-enter the password the next time you want to use that account. Use the account switcher instead by tapping the profile icon and selecting the other account.
Using the same browser-based login for two accounts on the same instance
If you try to log in to a second account on the same instance using the app’s built-in browser, the app may confuse the sessions. To avoid this, log in to the second account by typing the instance URL manually in the app, not by using the browser-based login flow from the first account’s session.
Expecting a visible account switcher on every screen
The account menu is only accessible from the home screen. If you are on a post detail page, a search results page, or a notification list, you must first navigate back to the home screen by tapping the home icon at the bottom of the app. Then tap the profile icon to switch accounts.
Adding accounts from instances that are defederated from each other
If your two accounts are on instances that do not federate with each other, you will not see posts from one instance on the other’s home timeline. Switching accounts is still possible, but the content will be isolated to each instance’s federation scope.
| Item | Mastodon App (iOS/Android) | Mastodon Web Interface |
|---|---|---|
| Account switcher location | Profile icon > account list | Profile icon > account list in left panel |
| Number of accounts supported | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Logout required to switch | No | No |
| Session persistence | Stored on device, survives app restart | Stored in browser cookies, survives browser restart |
| Access from non-home screens | Must return to home screen first | Must return to home column first |
Switching between multiple Mastodon accounts in the app is a two-tap process once you have added all your accounts. Use the account list from the home screen to change accounts without logging out. If you need to remove an account, use the Edit profile option and tap Log out at the bottom of the settings. For users who manage both a personal and a professional Mastodon presence, this method saves time and prevents accidental loss of home timeline data.