It’s really easy:
- Choose a server on Fedi.Garden ⧉ or JoinMastodon.org ⧉. All the servers listed on those sites have committed to certain standards of reliability and moderation (JoinMastodon’s standards are here ⧉, Fedi.Garden’s standards are here ⧉).
- Click on the server you want, this will take you to the server’s own website where you can do the actual signing up.
- Once you have signed up, you can log in on that server’s website, or if you prefer you can use it through a Mastodon app.
Also remember that if you pick the wrong server, you can always transfer your account to another server (including your follows and followers). It’s not a permanent decision, you can always move elsewhere if you want.
How do I find out more about a server before signing up?
If you click on a server on Fedi.Garden, that will take you to the front page of the server’s website. You can then find out more by clicking the ⋯ icon (on the mobile website) or the About link in the bottom left corner (on the desktop website).
If you’re finding a server via JoinMastodon.org, it will take you straight to a sign-up page. Click the link marked Back at the bottom of the sign-up page to go to the server’s front page, and you can then click ⋯ or About to find out more about it.
Do I need to sign up via the official Mastodon app?
No. Each server is totally independent, you can sign up directly on the server’s website without having anything to do with the app. Once you’re signed up, you can use that account on any Mastodon app you want.
I tried to log in on the official Mastodon app but it didn’t show my server? How do I log in?
To log in on the official Mastodon app with your server:
- If you have already created your account on the server’s website, click on Log in at the bottom of the title screen
- Type your server’s name in full in the search box. Don’t worry if the automatic suggestions don’t match, just keep typing! When you have finished typing your entire server name in full, it will show it below.
- When your server appears below, click on it and then click Continue. This will open a special browser window where you can sign in on your server.
- Sign in with your email address and password.
- Click Authorize. (This screen is just your server’s way of asking you if it is okay for your app to use your account.)
- That’s it, you should now be logged in with your account on the official Mastodon app.
You don’t have to use the official app, most people find that third party apps are better, but they will all have a similar process for signing in with your account.
I’m moving my account from elsewhere. Do I still need to sign up for a new account?
Yes, even if you’re moving you still need to sign up on the server you want to move to. The process of transferring accounts will ask you where you want to move to, and this is when you tell it about your new account.
Are all Fediverse servers listed on Fedi.Garden and JoinMastodon.org?
No. There are thousands of servers in total on the Fediverse, and only a small fraction are listed on these curated sites. The reason these sites only list a small fraction is because they need to meet certain minimum standards ⧉ and also be open for sign-ups. Some servers are closed to sign-ups, or don’t meet the standards, or they just don’t want to be listed on curated sites.
Also, in the case of JoinMastodon.org, it only shows Mastodon servers but there are many non-Mastodon servers on the Fediverse too. Fedi.Garden shows some non-Mastodon servers too.
Help! This server list is really overwhelming me with choice!
If you’re not sure where to sign up, just sign up on a general server from one of the human-curated lists above.
I found an automated Fediverse server list with huge numbers of servers listed! Should I use it to find a server to sign up on?
No. Automated lists just show every server they can find, regardless of whether it is reliable or safe. Automated lists are mainly designed just to show info about the entire Fediverse, rather than suggest servers to sign up on.