The Fediverso Guide: How to download, install, configure, and use PixelFed

 

If by PixelFed you mean the open-source, federated photo-sharing platform, there are two very different ways to “install” it:

1. Use PixelFed as a normal user — create an account on an existing server and use the web/mobile app.

2. Self-host a PixelFed server — download the server software, configure a domain/database/storage, and run your own federated instance.

PixelFed is currently an open-source ActivityPub platform; the official project provides both a server implementation and a mobile app. PPixelfed+1

1. Easiest: use PixelFed without installing a server

Go to the official server directory and choose an instance:

PixelFed server directory

The official project describes joining an existing server as the easiest way to get started. PPixelfed

For example, pixelfed.social is the original PixelFed instance operated by the project's main developer. PPixelfed

Once registered, you can:

• Upload photos and videos.

• Create albums.

• Follow people on the same server or elsewhere in the fediverse.

• Like and comment on posts.

• Send direct messages.

• Use Stories.

• Make posts unlisted or follower-only.

• Mute or block accounts. PPixelfed

PixelFed uses ActivityPub, so your account isn't restricted to communicating with people on your particular server; it can interact with compatible fediverse services such as Mastodon. PPixelfed

2. Self-host PixelFed

If you mean download and install your own PixelFed server, the official source is:

PixelFed source code on GitHub

And the official documentation is:

PixelFed documentation

The current source repository includes a Docker Compose setup, Dockerfile, .env examples, and the application code. GGitHub

Recommended architecture

For a production server, think of PixelFed as roughly:

                    Internet
                       │
                  HTTPS / Domain
                       │
                 Reverse Proxy
                       │
                 ┌─────▼─────┐
                 │ PixelFed  │
                 │   app     │
                 └─────┬─────┘
                       │
          ┌────────────┼────────────┐
          ▼            ▼            ▼
       Database      Redis       Storage
       MySQL/       /cache       photos &
       MariaDB                   videos

The current PixelFed repository officially supports MySQL 9+ and MariaDB 11+; PostgreSQL 14+ is currently described as best-effort. GGitHub+1

Basic Docker approach

On a Linux server with Docker and Docker Compose installed, you would start by obtaining the official repository:

git clone https://github.com/pixelfed/pixelfed.git
cd pixelfed

Then inspect the supplied Docker configuration:

ls
cat DOCKER_COMPOSE_SETUP.md

The repository contains docker-compose.yml, .env.docker.example, and the Docker configuration needed for this deployment method. GGitHub

Don't blindly copy an old PixelFed installation tutorial, because the server requirements and configuration change over time. The current repository is actively maintained—the project repository shows updates in September 2026. GGitHub+1

3. Domain configuration

For a public instance, you'll normally want something such as:

photos.example.com

Create a DNS A/AAAA record pointing the hostname at your server.

Then configure the PixelFed environment with values appropriate for your deployment, particularly:

APP_URL=https://photos.example.com
APP_DOMAIN=photos.example.com

The exact environment variables and supported values should be taken from the current .env/Docker examples in the official repository, rather than an older guide. GGitHub

You'll also need:

• HTTPS/TLS

• Database credentials

• Redis/cache configuration

• Mail/SMTP configuration

• Photo/video storage

• Appropriate filesystem permissions

• Background jobs/queues

• Scheduled tasks

• Federation connectivity

4. Initial configuration

After the application is running, the normal Laravel-style administration tasks include creating the application configuration, generating its secrets/keys, preparing the database, and creating an administrator account.

The important distinction is that PixelFed isn't just a website you run locally. A federated public instance needs its hostname, HTTPS, email, background workers, storage, and ActivityPub connectivity configured correctly.

A local development installation can therefore be considerably simpler than a production server.

5. Configure your PixelFed instance

Once the server is working, log in as the administrator and configure things such as:

Site identity

• Instance name

• Description

• Logo/branding

• Contact information

• Default language

Registration

You can determine whether:

• Anyone can register

• Registration requires approval

• Registration is closed

Privacy

PixelFed provides privacy controls including unlisted/follower-only posts, follower approval, blocking/muting, comment controls, and DM restrictions. PPixelfed

Federation

This is particularly important for a self-hosted instance.

Your server communicates with other ActivityPub servers, allowing your users to follow and interact with accounts outside your instance.

You'll therefore want to monitor:

• Federation connectivity

• Queues/background jobs

• Failed deliveries

• Blocked domains

• Storage growth

• Database growth

6. Create your first account

After the server is configured, visit:

https://photos.example.com

Create your administrator account, then create ordinary user accounts as needed.

Your fediverse identity will generally look like:

@alice@photos.example.com

Other ActivityPub users can use that identity to find and follow the account.

7. Using PixelFed

From the web interface, the basic workflow is:

Log in
  ↓
Home / Feed
  ↓
Create Post
  ↓
Select photo/video
  ↓
Edit/crop/filter
  ↓
Add caption
  ↓
Choose visibility
  ↓
Publish

You can then interact with the fediverse through your feed, profiles, notifications, comments, likes, follows, and messages.

PixelFed also supports albums, collections, portfolios, Stories and other photo-oriented features. PPixelfed

8. Mobile app

The PixelFed project also maintains a React Native mobile application repository:

Official PixelFed mobile app source

The project's GitHub organization identifies this as the PixelFed mobile app repository. GGitHub

For an ordinary user, however, you generally don't need to build the mobile app yourself. If your goal is simply to use PixelFed, joining an existing server is dramatically easier than operating one.

---

If your goal is self-hosting

I can also give you a complete, copy-and-paste PixelFed installation for Ubuntu 24.04/25.04 using Docker Compose, including:

• Docker installation

• PixelFed download

• MariaDB

• Redis

• .env configuration

• domain/DNS

• HTTPS with Caddy or Nginx

• administrator creation

• queues/cron

• media storage

• federation

• backups

• updating PixelFed safely

That would be the most useful route if you're trying to run your own PixelFed server.