Configuring A New Mastodon Instance

This guide outlines the essential configuration steps for setting up a new Mastodon instance, suitable for small or solo instances.

Branding

Administration > Server Settings > Branding

Server Name: The name that appears in the title bar and on the homepage.
Server Thumbnail: 800px by 400px image which appears on the homepage of the server.
Favicon: 192px by 192px transparent PNG. It's actually OK to keep this blank if you are running Mastodon on a subdomain and want to make that clear.

Registrations and Invites

Administration > Server Settings > Registrations

Disable open sign-ups to prevent spam. Instead use the "Invite People" feature to generate and distribute invite links to specific users. This ensures controlled access to the instance.

Relays and Content Population

Administration > Relays

If you want to populate your instance with some content use hashtag-specific relays like relay.fedi.buzz to populate the instance with relevant content. This helps manage storage and maintain the focus of the server. Avoid broad tags that can lead to excessive content.

Content Retention

Administration > Server Settings > Content Retention

Adjust the media cache retention period based on your user activity. Shorter retention periods reduce storage usage but will increase the burden that your server places on the fediverse if you are often refetching content. It also means a delay when loading images.

Do not set the remote content retention period. It almost always causes unintended consequences. To learn more you can watch this video on managing Mastodon storage.

Discovery and Trends

Administration > Server Settings > Discovery

For solo or small instances among friends it makes a lot of sense to check "Allow trends without prior review" which avoids the need for manual approval of trends.

Moderation and Block Lists

Moderation > Federation

If you want to avoid socially maladjusted basement inhabitants then importing a basic block list will save you from the most obvious problematic servers. We recommend starting with a lighter list, such as Garden Fence, and adjusting as needed.

User Accounts and Admin Roles

Administration > Roles

It's a good idea to create a separate admin account for daily use, rather than relying solely on the "super user" owner account. Assign admin roles and permissions here to what you would need on a daily basis for this account. Limit permissions to necessary functions to enhance security and prevent accidental damage.

Invite Yourself and Others

Invite People

Create an invite link for your "daily admin user" and any other people you might want to add to your server. Remember to paste the link into an incognito window when creating your own daily admin user account or it won't work.

This guide provides a foundational setup for new Mastodon instances. Further customization and advanced settings can be explored as the instance evolves.