Pixelfed

Connect to the Pixelfed instance that hosts your account. No operator-created developer app is needed when automatic registration works.

Connect a public instance

1. In OpenPost, choose your workspace and open Settings → Workspace → Social accounts → Pixelfed.
2. Select Continue to Pixelfed, then enter the address of the instance that hosts your account, such as https://pixelfed.social. Do not enter your profile URL.
3. Continue to the instance's authorization page and approve OpenPost.
4. By default, Pixelfed shows an authorization code. Copy it and return to OpenPost. In the Pixelfed connection dialog, select Code, paste it into Authorization code, and select Connect account.
5. Publish a single-photo test post and open the resulting link from the post details.

OpenPost registers the app on that instance through POST /api/v1/apps with read write scopes and keeps the client secret encrypted. The default redirect is urn:ietf:wg:oauth:2.0:oob, which makes Pixelfed display a code instead of redirecting to a callback.

Configure a fixed instance app

Use this path if you want to preconfigure a known instance or its app registration endpoint is unavailable to OpenPost.

1. On that Pixelfed instance, open your settings and register an application named OpenPost with read and write scopes and the redirect URI urn:ietf:wg:oauth:2.0:oob. Save the app and copy its client ID and secret. Instance menus can differ.

2. Add the instance and credentials to PIXELFED_SERVERS in your server environment. Keep the JSON on one line in .env:

   PIXELFED_SERVERS=[{"name":"Team instance","client_id":"your-client-id","client_secret":"your-client-secret","instance_url":"https://pixelfed.example"}]

3. Recreate OpenPost with docker compose up -d --force-recreate openpost to load the changed environment. The instance should appear as a choice when connecting Pixelfed.

The Instance settings form does not offer Pixelfed app credentials. Use PIXELFED_SERVERS for a fixed instance.

Publish photos and albums

Attach up to four photos. Review their order, caption, alt text, content warning, and sensitive-media flag before publishing or scheduling.

Video support depends on the instance and version. OpenPost warns when you attach video. Pixelfed accounts do not offer Mastodon polls, quotes, or interaction policies.

Troubleshoot

• Enter the instance origin, for example https://pixelfed.example, without a username or path. OpenPost accepts public HTTPS instances.
• If app registration fails, ask the instance administrator whether it accepts new OAuth apps, or configure a fixed app for that instance.
• If Pixelfed rejects the authorization code, start the connection again and copy the new code. Check that the app's registered redirect URI matches.
• If a fixed instance is missing, check the PIXELFED_SERVERS JSON and the container logs after restart.