GIFs without Google: a guide to Mezzo for Tenor

Mezzo is an open source front end for Tenor, the GIF service owned by Google.

Checked on 9 November 2026 from two different networks, with the user agent of Safari on iOS 15.8 (the newest system for an iPhone 7). Talk about this guide in the Privacy Enjoyers forum.

What it replaces

Mezzo replaces the Tenor website for searching and viewing GIFs.

• Search and view Tenor GIFs.
• Runs as one small Go program or a Docker container.

Instances on 9 November 2026

Results: works = a real content page came back; bot check = a short JavaScript check runs before the site opens; loads = the start page opens, but a content page was not confirmed; moved = the address now forwards somewhere else; down = no answer. Public instances change often, so check the project's own instance list too.

How to use it

1. Open tenor.nadeko.net.
2. Search for a GIF.
3. Open it to copy its link.

On an iPhone 7 (iOS 15.8, Safari 15.6)

Search results are plain pages with images. Not yet tested on a real iPhone 7.

What you keep private, and what you do not

Google's Tenor sees the instance's server instead of you. The instance you choose still sees your IP address and the pages you open, the same as any website does, so pick an operator you trust, or run your own copy. No guide here needs an account or an email address.

Run your own copy

• Source code: https://gitfield.org/fsky/mezzo (licence AGPL-3.0).
• Last code change seen on 2026-10-19.
• docker run -p8006:8006 gitfield.org/fsky/mezzo:latest, or build it with Go (from the README).

Known problems

• The README warns that the instance's media directory works like an access log of what was viewed, so operators should keep it private.

Sources

• Mezzo repository and README, read 9 November 2026.

Questions, a working instance we missed, or a test on a real iPhone 7? Post it in the Privacy Enjoyers forum.