Several social networks have cropped up in recent years, pitching themselves as alternatives to an Elon Musk-owned Twitter. One such network is Bluesky Social, which was backed by former Twitter CEO and co-founder Jack Dorsey before he left the board in 2024.
Bluesky works and looks a lot like Twitter, now X, but without the baggage that Musk brings to the table. It’s seen an influx of users following the US election and Musk’s vocal backing of Donald Trump; Bluesky recently topped 15 million users, up from about 6 million three months ago, as some X users jumped ship.
Bluesky is available on the web and mobile via iOS and Android apps. The main obstacle used to be that it was invitation only. But the platform opened its doors to everyone in early 2024, so joining is now much simpler and quicker. Here’s how to get started with Bluesky.
Sign Up for a Bluesky Account
To sign up from the Bluesky website, click the Sign Up button. On the iOS or Android app, tap Create Account. At the next screen, fill in your email address, password, and your date of birth. Keep the hosting provider set to Bluesky Social. When ready, select Next.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
At the next screen, enter the handle you wish to use for your account. You’ll be told if the handle you create is already taken and asked to try again. Your full handle will then be your username, followed by @bsky.social, as in [email protected]. Select Next.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
After completing a CAPTCHA request, you’re asked to create an avatar or upload a photo to visually identify your account. Choose either option and select Continue.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
Next, select the topics that interest you. Bluesky will use this information to suggest accounts for you to follow. Click or tap Continue.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
Find Bluesky Accounts to Follow
After Bluesky indicates that you’re ready to go, a feed of accounts appears based on the interests you chose. Scroll or swipe down the list. To track down more accounts that may intrigue you, select the button for Find accounts to follow.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
Bluesky suggests additional accounts that you may like. Scroll down the list and tap Follow for any account that interests you.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
Discover Accounts
Here’s another way to discover accounts: Return to the home screen and select the Discover heading at the top.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
Click a post that intrigues you and then choose Follow on the account’s profile page.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
Search for Accounts to Follow
You can also find accounts by searching for them. Tap the Search icon. Bluesky serves up several suggested accounts. Otherwise, type a term to find more accounts related to a specific topic or subject. Pick the name of an account you like and tap the Follow button.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
Next, return to the Home screen and tap the Popular with Friends heading. This screen lists posts from accounts followed by the accounts you follow. Select an account’s name twice to get to its profile page and hit Follow to follow it.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
View and Add Bluesky Feeds
Bluesky also lets you view multiple feeds. In the mobile app, swipe to the right to display a sidebar with the different features and categories and select Feeds. On the website, click the category for Feeds. Scroll down until you see the section for Discover New Feeds. View all the suggested feeds and click or tap the plus (+) icon next to any that interest you.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
Search for Feeds
At the Discover Feeds screen, you’re also able to search for specific feeds. Type a keyword or term in the Search field at the top. Scroll down the list and follow any feeds that intrigue you.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
After you’ve added enough feeds and accounts to follow, return to the Home page and select the Following tab or icon to view your feed.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
Post on Bluesky
To create a new post, tap the blue icon in the mobile app or click the New Post icon on the website. Type your message in up to 300 characters. You can also add different types of files to your post. Select the photo icon to attach a photo.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
In the mobile app, tap the camera icon to snap and add a new photo. You can also create an ALT tag for any image that you attach. This text provides a description for those unable to see the image. Add the text for the ALT tab and select Save. When done, select Post.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
You can also add video clips to your post. For a video, tap the video clip icon and select the clip you want to use. The video must be less than 60 seconds long.
Recommended by Our Editors
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
To add a GIF, tap the GIF icon and then browse or search for a specific GIF.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
Next, you can add links to your post. Select and copy the link from its source and then paste it into your post. Select Add link card to display a preview of the page. When done, select Post.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
Respond to a Post
You can respond to someone else’s post using a few different methods. Select the Heart button to like it. Select the Repost button to repost or quote it. Select the Reply button to add a reply to the post. Select the ellipsis icon to translate the post, copy its text, share it, mute the thread, or report it.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
Mute or Report a Bluesky Post
If you encounter any offensive or objectionable content, you can mute or report the post. For an individual post, select the ellipsis and select Mute thread to silence it or Report post to report it to Bluesky. If you report it, you’re asked to select a category, e.g., spam, unwanted sexual content, copyright violation, etc. You can then add details to the report or immediately send it.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
Mute or Report a Bluesky Account
You can also mute, block, or report an entire account. Select the name of the account to view its profile page, and then select the ellipsis. From here, mute the account to silence its posts, block the account entirely, or report the account to Bluesky.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
Moderate Your Bluesky Feed
To tell Bluesky what type of content you want to be filtered or blocked, select the Settings category and choose Moderation (in the mobile app, swipe to the right first). Select Muted words & tags to control the type of content you wish to see in your feed. Select Muted Accounts to view specific accounts you’ve muted and Blocked accounts to see any accounts you’ve blocked.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
View and Edit Your Bluesky Profile
To view your profile, click the Profile category. This screen displays your posts and replies as well as the number of your posts, followers, and followed accounts. Select Edit Profile to add or change your display name, description, and picture. When done, save your changes. Tap the ellipsis icon to share your profile with another app or person.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
Adjust Your Bluesky Settings
To access more options, return to the Settings screen. Here, you can add another Bluesky account, modify the screen’s appearance, adjust your feed preferences, set up app passwords, view saved feeds, switch your language, change your handle, and delete your account.
(Credit: Lance Whitney / Bluesky)
Like What You’re Reading?
Sign up for Tips & Tricks newsletter for expert advice to get the most out of your technology.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
About Lance Whitney
Contributor
