You want to post a GIF on Mastodon, but your file keeps getting rejected or plays as a static image. Mastodon supports GIF files, but it converts them to video format MP4 during upload. This conversion process has specific requirements that can cause failures if your source file does not meet them. This article explains … Read more
When you want to mention a user on Mastodon who is not on your home instance, the standard @username format will not work because Mastodon requires the full account address. Tagging someone across instances means you must include their instance domain in the mention. This article explains the correct syntax for cross-instance mentions, shows you … Read more
When you share a link in a Mastodon post, the platform usually fetches metadata from the target page and displays a preview card with a title, description, and image. If that preview card does not appear, the post looks incomplete and can reduce engagement from followers. This problem typically occurs because the shared URL does … Read more
Mastodon does not include a native draft feature in its official web interface or mobile apps. When you start composing a post and close the window, the unsaved text is lost permanently. This can be frustrating if you need to research a link, fact-check a claim, or simply take a break before publishing. This article … Read more
When you upload a header or avatar image to your Mastodon profile, the platform automatically crops and resizes it to fit fixed display areas. This cropping can cut off important parts of your image if you do not prepare the file at the correct aspect ratio. Many users discover the cropping only after saving the … Read more
Mastodon supports basic text formatting to make your posts more readable and engaging. Unlike some other social platforms, Mastodon does not rely on a visual editor for rich formatting. Instead, it uses Markdown, a lightweight markup language that converts plain text into styled HTML. This article explains which Markdown elements work in Mastodon posts and … Read more
Mastodon offers three main interaction buttons on each post: Boost, Favorite, and Bookmark. Many new users confuse these actions because they appear similar to Twitter or Instagram functions. Each button serves a distinct purpose for visibility, feedback, or personal organization. This article explains the functional differences between Boost, Favorite, and Bookmark and when to use … Read more
Mastodon shows a boost count on every post you publish. This number tells you how many times other users have boosted your post to their followers. Some users find this count distracting or prefer to focus on content quality rather than popularity metrics. This article explains how to disable the display of boost counts so … Read more
You want to share a post that only people on your Mastodon instance can see, not the entire fediverse. Standard Mastodon posts are public by default and federate to other servers, which can be too wide for local announcements or community discussions. This article explains what local-only posts are, how to enable them on instances … Read more
You want your Mastodon posts to appear on Bluesky without manually copying and pasting each update. Mastodon and Bluesky use different federation protocols, so no direct bridge exists between the two networks. This article explains how to set up an automated cross-posting workflow using a third-party service called Moa. You will learn the exact steps … Read more