Mastodon does not include a built-in one-click export for individual posts as plain text files. The default data export from your account settings delivers a JSON archive that is difficult to read without technical tools. Many users want a clean text copy of their posts that preserves timestamps, visibility settings, and reply context. This article … Read more
You want to create a permanent, self-hosted backup of your Mastodon posts that works even if your instance goes offline. Mastodon offers a built-in export tool that produces CSV and JSON files, but these formats require specialized software to read. A static HTML archive converts your public posts into a browsable website that you can … Read more
Mastodon stores your account data, including posts, media, and followers, on the server you joined. If you lose access to that server or it shuts down, your data can disappear. A manual export through the Mastodon web interface creates a backup archive, but you must download it each time and store it locally. This article … Read more
After exporting your Mastodon archive, you may worry that some posts were omitted during the process. The export tool generates a JSON file containing statuses, but network interruptions or server rate limits can truncate the data. This article explains how to verify the completeness of your Mastodon export by checking post counts, timestamps, and file … Read more
You want to export your Mastodon profile fields — the custom text labels and values you set under your profile settings — so you can back them up or reuse them on another instance. Mastodon does not offer a one-click export for profile fields in the web interface. However, you can retrieve them programmatically using … Read more
As a Mastodon server administrator, you need a reliable backup strategy to protect user data, media files, and configurations. Manual exports are time-consuming and prone to human error, especially when managing a growing instance. This article explains how to set up an automated cron job that runs a Mastodon export on a schedule, creating regular … Read more
When you leave a Mastodon instance, you can download an archive of your data including posts, media, and lists. However, simply uploading that archive to a new instance does not automatically load your old content into the active timeline. Mastodon’s archive is designed for data portability and backup, not as a live import tool that … Read more
When you export your Mastodon account data, the standard archive includes your statuses, media files, and followers list. But pinned posts — the tweets you have manually pinned to the top of your profile — are not included as a separate item in the default export. This can be confusing if you want to preserve … Read more
Mastodon instances often include hundreds of custom emoji that you cannot use on other servers. You might want to back up these emoji for personal use or migrate them to another instance. The built-in Mastodon export feature does not include custom emoji. This article explains how to use a browser script and a manual method … Read more
When you export your Mastodon account settings, the platform generates a JSON file that contains your profile, preferences, and other configuration data. Many users export this file for backup or migration purposes but struggle to interpret the raw JSON structure. This article explains the key sections of the Mastodon export JSON file and shows you … Read more