Moving to a Bonfire instance

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A step-by-step guide for migrating your account from another fediverse instance to Bonfire.

Moving to Bonfire opens up new possibilities for community-driven, boundary-respecting social networking.

Table of Contents

Before you move

Things to consider

  • Posts cannot be migrated - Your post history will remain on your previous instance <!--
    • 30-day cooldown - You can only migrate once every 30 days on most instances -->
  • Process is irreversible - Profiles moves cannot be undone
  • New features - Bonfire has unique features like circles that may not exist on your previous instance

What can be migrated

✅ Automatically transferred:

  • Your followers (if your old instance supports ActivityPub moves)

✅ Can be manually imported:

❌ Cannot be migrated:

  • Private conversation history
  • Media files (though references may be preserved)
  • Instance-specific features

Step 1: Export your data from your old instance

The export process varies by software. Here are common locations:

From Mastodon

  1. Go to Settings > Import and export > Data export
  2. Download CSV files for follows, blocks, mutes, bookmarks, and lists
  3. Request full archive of posts and media

From Bonfire (if migration between two Bonfire instances)

  1. Go to Settings > Export
  2. Download CSV files for follows, silences, ghosts, bookmarks, circles/lists, etc
  3. Request full archive of activities and uploads

From Akkoma

  1. Go to Settings > Data export
  2. Export follows, blocks, mutes, bookmarks, lists as available

From Misskey & co

  1. Go to Settings > Import/Export
  2. Export following list, blocked users, muted users, bookmarks, lists
  3. Lists and other data may need to be manually recreated

From other instances

  • Check your instance's documentation
  • Look for "Export", "Backup" or "Data" in settings
  • Contact your instance admin if unsure

Step 2: Create your new Bonfire account

  1. Choose your Bonfire instance

    • Research the instance's community and rules
    • Check that it federates with your old instance

  2. Sign up for your account

    • Use the same username if available
    • Set up your profile with display name and bio
    • Upload your profile picture and header

  3. Explore Bonfire's unique features

    • Create custom circles for controlling how you share, and to organise your feeds
    • Set up your boundaries and privacy preferences
    • Familiarize yourself with Bonfire's interface

Step 3: Set up account aliases

On your old instance

The process varies by software:

Mastodon/Akkoma/Pixelfed:

  1. Go to Settings > Account
  2. Look for "Moving from another account" or "Account aliases"
  3. Add your new Bonfire account: @yournewusername@bonfire-instance.com

Bonfire (if migration between two Bonfire instances):

  1. Go to Settings > Export
  2. Look for "Moving to a different profile"
  3. Add your new Bonfire account: @yournewusername@bonfire-instance.com

Misskey/etc:

  1. Account aliasing may not be supported
  2. You may need to manually notify followers

On your Bonfire instance

  1. Go to Settings > Import
  2. Scroll to the bottom for migration options
  3. In the "Account aliases" section:
    • Add your old account: @youroldusername@old-instance.com
  4. Save the alias

Verify your new account is working

  1. Follow it from your old profile
  2. Follow your old account from your new Bonfire profile
  3. Make a test post on each profile
  4. Ensure federation is working properly in both directions
  5. ✅ Both accounts should now show the other as a verified alias

Importing data

The import system is designed to be flexible and safe. Here's how it works:

What you can import:

  • CSV files - Relationship and activity data from Bonfire or other platforms like Mastodon
  • JSON files - Complete post history and activities (your "outbox")

How importing works:

  1. Upload your file - Drop a CSV or JSON file in Settings > Import
  2. Jobs are queued - Large imports are processed in the background so you can keep using Bonfire
  3. Smart handling - The system automatically skips duplicates and handles errors gracefully
  4. Track progress - Monitor your import progress in Settings > Import History

Supported imports

  • Following lists - People you want to re-follow
  • Block lists - Accounts you want to block, silence, or ghost
  • Bookmarks - Saved posts (if your old platform exports them)
  • Likes and Boosts - Preserve your past interactions (without re-notifying people)
  • Circles/Lists - Custom lists become Bonfire circles
  • Complete post history - Your entire posting history (including posts and other content you created) with preserved dates and URLs (if your old platform exports a JSON archive of your outbox)

Import safety:

  • Duplicates are automatically detected and skipped
  • Invalid data is ignored without breaking the import
  • You can track exactly what succeeded or failed
  • Imports don't affect your existing data

Data preservation

Bonfire takes special care to preserve your content's original identity when importing posts and other content you created. Here's what happens:

Your content maintains its original identity:

  • Posts keep their original timestamps and canonical URLs
  • Replies from different instances remain correctly linked to their parent posts
  • Like and boost counts are maintained as they were
  • Your timeline stays chronologically accurate

How it works:

  • Imported posts are boosted to make them visible on your new profile timeline
  • These boosts are not pushed to people's feeds or notifications, so your old content appears on your profile without flooding anyone with historical posts

What this means for you:

  • Your posting history appears complete and in the correct chronological order
  • People can still find and interact with your old posts using their original links
  • If people interact (such as like or reply) with your old posts, you will not receive notifications on your new profile
  • Conversations and reply threads remain intact across instances
  • You don't have to worry about annoying your new followers with old content

Step 4: Import your data into Bonfire

  1. Go to Settings > Import in your Bonfire instance

  2. Import following list:

    • Upload your following CSV file
    • They will automatically be re-followed little by little (you can check the progress and results by clicking on "Import History")

  3. Import blocks and/or silences and ghosts:

    • Upload CSV files you exported previously

  4. Import other data:

    • Upload bookmarks CSV if available from your previous instance
    • Upload likes and boosts CSV if available from your previous instance
    • Upload lists/circles CSV if available from your previous instance

  5. Import posts and activities:

    • Upload your outbox JSON export to restore your posts, replies, and other content
    • Note: Posts are preserved with their original dates and URLs, then boosted to appear in your new profile's timeline without notifying your current followers

⏱️ Processing time: Large lists may take several minutes or hours to process

Step 5: Move your followers

⚠️ Warning: This step is irreversible and may have a cooldown period!

On your old instance

  1. Go to your old instance's account settings
  2. Look for "Move to a different account" or similar option
  3. Enter your new Bonfire account address: @yourusername@bonfire-instance.com
  4. Read all warnings carefully
  5. Enter your password to confirm the move

What happens next:

  • Your old account should be marked as moved (a "This account has moved" notice may appear on your old profile, otherwise you can edit your bio with a link to your new profile)
  • Your followers will receive a notification about your new account
  • Followers running compatible software will automatically re-follow your new Bonfire profile
  • Your old account may be restricted (no new posts, followers, etc.)

If your old instance doesn't support moves:

  • Manually announce your move in a final post
  • Pin the announcement to your profile
  • Ask followers to follow your new Bonfire account
  • Consider keeping the old account as a redirect

Step 6: Clean up your old account

  • Leave your account as-is to to point visitors to your new account (you can update your bio with a notice)
  • This means your old posts and activities are still accessible
  • No further action needed

Option B: Delete your old account

⚠️ Only do this if you're absolutely sure!

  1. Wait at least a week after moving to ensure followers have migrated
  2. Follow your old instance's account deletion process
  3. This is usually permanent and irreversible
  4. Your username may become available for others to use

Troubleshooting

My followers didn't transfer

  • Check if your old instance supports moves - Some instances may not support ActivityPub moves
  • Wait 48-72 hours - Federation can be slow between instances
  • Manual solution: Make an announcement post asking followers to follow your new Bonfire account

Import failed on Bonfire

  • Check the progress and results by clicking on Settings -> Import -> Import History
  • Check file format - Ensure CSV files are properly formatted
  • File size limits - Very large lists may need to be split into smaller files
  • Unsupported data - Some instance-specific data may not be importable

Can't set up aliases

  • Federation issues - Ensure both instances can communicate with each other
  • Account verification - Double-check that account addresses are correct
  • Software limitations - Your old instance may not support aliasing

Move option not available

  • Aliases not set up - Both accounts must have each other as aliases (if supported)
  • Cooldown period - You may need to wait if you've moved recently
  • Instance restrictions - Check with your old instance's admin

Features work differently on Bonfire

  • Lists become circles - Recreate your lists as Bonfire circles with enhanced privacy controls
  • Different privacy model - Bonfire's boundaries system may work differently than your old instance
  • New interaction options - Explore Bonfire's unique features like circles and boundaries

Welcome to Bonfire!

  • Explore the Bonfire user guides to learn about unique features
  • Join community discussions to connect with other users
  • Set up circles to organize your social experience
  • Configure your boundaries for a personalized, safe social environment