Mastodon Visibility Level Control

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