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 want to save a complete copy of your Mastodon account before leaving an instance, switching servers, or simply protecting against data loss. Mastodon offers a built-in export tool that creates a downloadable archive of your posts, media files, follower lists, and account settings. This article explains how to request and download your Mastodon data … Read more
You request an export of your Mastodon data, but the download status stays on “Download pending” for hours or even days. This problem usually occurs when the background job queue on your Mastodon server is overloaded or stuck on a failed task. The server never generates the export file, leaving you with no way to … Read more
When you create a new Mastodon account, you lose all connections from your old account. Manually searching for and following each person is time-consuming and error-prone. Mastodon provides a built-in tool to export and import your following list as a CSV file. This article explains how to export your follow list from your old account … Read more
When you request your Mastodon data archive, you receive a compressed file containing your posts, media uploads, follower lists, and account settings. The size of this archive can range from a few megabytes to several gigabytes depending on how long you have used the instance and how much media you have shared. Understanding what influences … Read more
Moving to a new Mastodon account often means rebuilding your block and mute lists from scratch. Without these lists, you risk seeing content from users you previously filtered out. Mastodon provides a built-in tool to export and import these moderation settings as CSV files. This article explains how to export your block and mute lists … Read more