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Mastodon Visibility Level Control

Choose Public, Unlisted, Followers-Only, or Direct visibility per post

Mastodon offers granular visibility control. Public (federates), Unlisted (no federated timeline), Followers-Only (private to followers), or Direct.

How to Use

  1. 1Start a Mastodon post
  2. 2Click visibility dropdown
  3. 3See options: Public, Unlisted, Followers, Direct
  4. 4Try "Public" (globe icon) - federates everywhere
  5. 5Try "Unlisted" (unlock icon) - visible but not in public timelines
  6. 6Try "Followers-only" (lock icon) - only your followers see it
  7. 7Try "Direct" (envelope icon) - only mentioned users see it
  8. 8Pick the visibility that fits your post
  9. 9Publish

Key Features

  • Four Visibility Levels - Public, Unlisted, Followers, Direct
  • Public - Federates to all instances, appears in public timelines
  • Unlisted - Visible via profile, not in public/federated timelines
  • Followers-Only - Private to your followers
  • Direct - Only mentioned users can see
  • Icon Indicators - Visual per visibility level
  • Per-Post Control - Choose for each post individually
  • Default Setting - Public is default
  • Privacy Options - Granular control
  • Federation Control - Manage how far posts spread
  • Mastodon-Specific - Unique to Mastodon
  • Strategic Posting - Different visibility per content type
  • Community Respect - Privacy-conscious platform

Visibility Explained

Public (🌐):

  • Appears in: Home, Public, Federated timelines
  • Discoverability: Maximum
  • Use for: General announcements, public content

Unlisted (🔓):

  • Appears in: Home timeline, your profile
  • Hidden from: Public and Federated timelines
  • Use for: Replies, conversational posts

Followers-Only (🔒):

  • Visible to: Only your followers
  • Hidden from: Everyone else
  • Use for: Private updates, follower-exclusive content

Direct (✉️):

  • Visible to: Mentioned users only
  • Hidden from: Everyone else
  • Use for: Private conversations

Why Granular Control Matters

Not all content needs maximum visibility. Mastodon's visibility levels enable nuanced strategies - public announcements, private follower updates, or direct conversations. All in one platform.

Pro Tips

  • Public default for most content
  • Unlisted for replies - keeps timelines clean
  • Followers-only for exclusive updates
  • Direct for private conversations
  • Visibility strategy: Plan what goes where
  • Federation control: Public spreads widely
  • Privacy conscious: Followers/Direct protect content
  • Community expectations: Learn instance norms
  • Mixed strategy: Different posts different visibility
  • Icon reference: Quick visibility identification

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