All desktop browsers (I think/hope) support bookmarklets -- bookmarks that contain JavaScript code which is run when you select them. This bookmarklet makes it easier to follow users or interact with toots from other Mastodon instances by passing their URLs back to your home instance, where you can then follow/interact with them normally.
The bookmarklet:
javascript:var host="mastodon.social";if(document.location.hostname==host){alert("Already on your own instance!")}else{document.location=("https://"+host+"/authorize_interaction?uri="+encodeURIComponent(document.location))}Here's how to set it up in Chrome:
- Make sure your bookmarks bar is visible (Ctrl-Shift-B in Windows and Linux, Cmd-Shift-B in macOS)
- Right click on it, select "Add Page"
- Enter any title in the "Name" field
- Copy the above JavaScript into the "URL" field
- Important: Finally, change the hostname of your instance in the beginning of the script!
Now, whenever you're viewing a user profile or post on a remote Mastodon instance in your browser, hit that bookmarklet, and it will take you back to your home instance, where you can follow or interact with it.
Enjoy!