After Elon Musk bought Twitter (now X) a little more than three years ago, people started searching for alternative social networks. The goal was to find a platform similar to Twitter but without the dysfunction and toxicity. In response, a few new social media platforms popped up. One such service is Bluesky Social.
Since officially launching as an invite-only beta in February 2023 and then expanding to everyone in February 2024, Bluesky has seen its audience steadily increase. By November 2023, the platform had reached 2 million people. Cut to November 2024, and the number had grown to 20 million. At last count, Bluesky currently is home to 40 million registered users.
Also: How to migrate from X to Bluesky without losing your followers
Along the way, Bluesky has tried to keep innovating by adding and improving key features. These include such items as custom feeds, direct messages, pinned posts, support for video attachments, an in-app music player, and more effective tools for dealing with inappropriate posts and accounts.
How Bluesky compares to X
Bluesky looks and works a lot like X. And that's no coincidence. Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey initially backed the company, though he left its board in 2024. But Bluesky also differs from X in several ways.
Unlike X, which is a closed platform owned by one person, Bluesky is a decentralized social network with no central authority. Built on the AT protocol, Bluesky is an open-source platform that allows different social media apps to talk with each other. Bluesky users can share posts on networks that use the same protocol, such as Mastodon.
Many Bluesky users also like the platform because it generally offers a less noxious and combative environment compared with X. Bluesky feels like a friendlier social network where people can express their opinions without being blasted by trolls.
Also: How to manage Bluesky, Mastodon, and Threads all from one free app
Bluesky and all its features are completely free. Now, how do you sign up and use the service? Let's take a look.
How to use Bluesky
1. Browse the Bluesky website
At the Bluesky Social website, you can browse, search for, and view existing accounts and posts without having to sign up or sign in. At the Discover page, scroll down to read the current posts.
2. Sign up for Bluesky
When you're ready to set up your account, you can do that at the website or the mobile app for iOS or Android. Select the Create account button. Enter your email address, create a password, and choose your date of birth. Click or tap Next.
3. Create a user handle
At the next screen, create and type a user handle. Your full handle on Bluesky will then be the name you type followed by .bsky.social, as in @johnsmith.bsky.social. Click or tap Next.
4. Create an avatar or use a photo
After answering a CAPTCHA challenge, you're asked to create an avatar or upload a photo of yourself. Perform either action and then select Continue.
5. Choose your interests
The next screen prompts you to choose your favorite interests so that Bluesky can direct you to accounts you may want to follow. Select your interests and then click Continue.
6. Choose accounts to follow
After Bluesky tells you that you're ready to go, you'll see a feed of accounts to follow based on your interests. Click the Follow button for any account you want to add to your feed. When done, click Continue.
7. Choose lists to follow
The next screen shows account lists that you may want to follow. Select Follow All for any that interest you. Select Continue.
8. Access your Bluesky Following feed
You can now check out the feeds and posts you follow. At the home page for the website, click the heading for Following. In the mobile app, tap the Home icon at the bottom and the Following heading at the top. With the mobile app, you can also swipe to the right to access the same categories as on the website. Scroll or swipe down the Following page and select any post you want to read.
9. Find more accounts to follow
Click the Explore category and scroll down the page. Bluesky will suggest entire feeds that might interest you. Click the Pin Feed button to add one to your account. Any pinned feeds appear at the top. You'll also find more accounts to match your interests. Select the Follow button for any you want to add.
10. Search for specific accounts to follow
To find specific accounts by name or topic, click or tap the Search field. Type a search word or phrase. In response, the search window displays associated accounts, while the feed lists both posts and users that match your search term. Select an account or feed and click the Follow button to follow it.
11. View a post
Click any post to view it. You can then follow the account if you wish. Scroll down to view any replies to the post.
12. Respond to a post
When you find a post that interests you, you're able to respond to it in a number of ways. Tap the Reply button to add a reply to the post. Tap the Repost button to repost or quote it. Tap the heart icon to like it. Tap the ellipsis icon to translate the post, copy its text, share it, mute the thread, or report it.
13. Submit a post
To submit a post, tap the blue icon in the mobile app or click the New Post icon on the website. Type your post. Select the photo icon to attach a photo. Select the camera icon to snap and take a new photo.
You can also create an ALT tag for an image, which describes it to someone who's unable to see it. Add the text for the ALT tab and select Save. When done, select Post.
14. Submit a post with a link
You can also add links to your post. Select and copy the link from its source and then paste it into your post. Select the option for Add link card to display a preview of the page. When done, select Post.
15. Add other items to a post
To spruce up a text post, you can also add a video clip, snap a new photo, or include a GIF. Just tap or click the appropriate button and select the item you want to include.
16. View notifications
Select the Notifications icon or category to view any notifications.
17. Send or Receive a Message
You can send and receive direct messages to kick off a conversation. To control this, each Bluesky user is able to set whether or not they will accept a message. At the website or in the mobile app, select the Chat icon and then select the gear icon. Here, you can allow new messages from everyone, from accounts you follow, or from no one. Make your choice.
To send someone a DM, go to the Chat screen and tap the plus icon. A list of accounts you follow will appear. Any account that appears in bright white allows messages either from everyone or from people they follow. Accounts that don't allow DMs will be grayed out. Select one of the accessible accounts to message that person. If the account you want doesn't show up, tap the Search field, start typing its name, and select it from the results.
Write and send your message. The person on the other end then has to accept it. If they do and they respond, you'll see the reply in your message feed for that conversation.
18. Mute or report a post
If you run into any objectionable content, there are a couple of steps you can take. For an individual post, select the ellipsis icon and choose 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.
19. Mute or block an account
You're also able to take certain actions on an entire account that you find objectionable or offensive in some way. Select the name of the account to view its profile page. Select the ellipsis. Here, you can mute the account to silence its posts, block the account entirely, or report the account to Bluesky.
20. Moderate your feed
You can view any content or accounts that you filter or block. To do this, select the Settings category and then choose Moderation (in the mobile app, swipe to the right first). Select Muted words & tags to control what type of content you want 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.
21. View and edit your profile
Click the icon or category for Profile. The screen shows your posts and replies along with the number of posts, followers, and followed accounts. Select Edit Profile to add or change your display name, description, and picture. Then save your changes.
22. View and adjust your settings
Finally, select the icon or category for Settings. Here, you can add another account or invite a friend. You're also able to change the appearance of the screen, adjust the preferences for your feed, set up app passwords, view saved feeds, switch your language, change your handle, and delete your account.