You can use Mastodon entirely through your server’s website if you prefer. This works especially well on computers, but the mobile web interface is good too and appears automatically on small screens. To log in through the web:
- Go to your server’s website
- Click the Sign in button
- Log in with the same email and password you use to sign in on the app
What’s my server’s website address?
It’s usually the same as the name of your server. For example, if you joined Mastodon through the server kind.social you would log in through the website kind.social ⧉.
Why would I want to use my server’s website instead of a mobile app?
Mastodon’s official website interface is the reference platform for Mastodon’s development, and it usually receives the latest features first. Most features are eventually adopted by apps too, but they tend to be released first for the website interface.
Also, some features on the website are still not on any apps, and some account settings can only be adjusted from the website interface.
Can I install Mastodon as a web app on my home screen?
Yes! Mastodon supports being installed as a web app on Android and iPhone / iPad. See this site’s complete guide to installing web apps for Mastodon and the Fediverse.
How does the website interface cope with small or large screens?
It adjusts its layout to cope with whatever your current screen size is, and includes layouts specifically for computers, phones and tablets.
Can I see the tablet and phone interfaces on a computer?
If you’re on a computer and want to see what the phone and tablet interfaces are like, try making your web browser’s window narrower. When it’s medium width it will show you the tablet interface, and when it’s narrow width it will show you the phone interface.
Can I log in from other servers’ websites?
No, you can only log in from your own server’s website. Each server on Mastodon and the Fediverse is independent and has its own website for that server’s members.
It’s exactly the same situation as with email: there is no central email website, you can only log into email through specific email providers such as Yahoo Mail, Gmail etc.
Although the Fediverse’s servers talk to each other to form a single network, you have to log in on your own server so that you can access this shared network.
I have a web link to a post on another mastodon server. How do I interact with it on my server if I can’t log in on other servers?
Copy and paste the web link into the search box on your own server. This will make the post appear within your own server and you will be able to interact with it.
My password doesn’t work! I can’t remember my password! I can’t log in, help!
If you are unable to log in through your server’s website, try doing these steps in this order:
- Make sure you are logging in on the correct website. You have to log in through your own server’s site, which will usually be the same as the server’s name. If you don’t know your server’s name, it’s in the last part of your account address.
- Make sure you are typing the password correctly. Passwords are case sensitive, so you need to make sure each letter’s case is correct.
- Underneath the login form there will be a link that says something like “Forgotten password?” or “Having trouble logging in?”. Click this link, then enter your email address and it will send you an email with a reset link in it. If the email hasn’t arrived after a few minutes, check your spam folder in case it’s there,
- If you’re still having trouble logging in on Mastodon, go to your server’s website and click on ⋯ (if you’re on the mobile website) or on your server’s About link in the bottom left corner (if you’re on the desktop website). This will take you to your server’s info page. Your server admin’s public email address will be shown in the info page’s section marked “CONTACT:”, you can send them an email to ask for help with logging in even if you get locked out.
By the way, if you have a computer using Mastodon through the website is perhaps the best way to experience it. Fans of the multicolumn Tweetdeck may also want to try the advanced web interface.