There are many ways to share posts from Mastodon and the rest of the Fediverse. Which method you use depends on what kind of sharing you want to do.
How to share posts with people who follow you on Mastodon and the Fediverse
Sharing posts on Mastodon is called “boosting”. To share a post on Mastodon, click the Boost button below a post, usually indicated by a pair of spinning arrows such as 🔁 or a rocket like 🚀. This will share the post in the Home timelines of everyone who follows you, and will also share it on your own profile.
How to share posts with people outside Mastodon and the Fediverse
The simplest and surest way to share a post is to copy a direct link to it. You can include these links in your posts anywhere on the internet:
- Go to the post you want the link for
- Click the ⋯ icon on the post
- Select Copy link or Copy link to status (the exact wording may vary between interfaces and apps)
- Paste the link wherever you want to share it, for example on a website, blog or other social networks.
People do not need a Mastodon or other Fediverse account to view public posts, so sharing a direct link to a public post will allow everyone to see it. Clicking on a shared link takes people to the website of the server where the link was posted, so it is the most complete and up-to-date version of the post.
How to share posts on mobile apps
If you’re viewing Mastodon through a mobile app, there may be a Share option below posts which is often shown as an arrow leaving a square. Clicking this option will give you a range of things you can do including sharing a post on other apps on your device. There will also be options for opening the post in your web browser, or copying a link the post to your device’s clipboard so you can paste the link elsewhere.
How do I embed a Mastodon post on a website or blog?
Mastodon’s website interface and web app let you copy embedding code for any post, which you can then paste into a website or blog that supports pasting custom HTML. See the embedding guide for more details on how to do this.