To change your Bluesky handle, open the menu, go to Settings, then Account, then Handle, and type a new name ending in .bsky.social, or choose the own-domain option to use your website. Old tags and mentions still point to you, and Bluesky reserves your most recent .bsky.social name if you switch to a domain.
Your Bluesky handle is your @username, and you can change it whenever you like. You can pick a new name on the usual .bsky.social ending, or do something most platforms don't allow: use your own website address as your handle. That second option is one of Bluesky's forms of verification. Here's how to do both, and the reassuring details Bluesky gives about old mentions.
Change to a new .bsky.social handle
- Open the menu on the left.
- Go to Settings, then Account, then Handle.
- Type the new name you want, ending in .bsky.social, and save it.
The same steps work on the desktop site and in the app. Bluesky says tags and mentions using your old handle will still point to your account, so you won't break old conversations.
Use your own website as your handle
- Go to Settings, Account, Handle, then choose the option to use your own domain.
- Bluesky shows the details you need to add to your domain.
- Log in to the company you bought your domain from, or wherever your DNS is managed, and find DNS management.
- Add a TXT record. Set the domain to _atproto, the type to TXT, and paste the value Bluesky gave you.
- Wait a few minutes, then click Verify DNS Record in Bluesky.
Bluesky notes that the value you paste, called a DID, is public and not sensitive, so don't worry about sharing it with whoever manages your website. If your DNS is handled somewhere other than your domain registrar, such as Cloudflare, add the record there instead. Changes can take a little while to spread across the internet, so give it time before assuming it failed.
Your options at a glance
| Handle type | Example format | What it signals |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | yourname.bsky.social | A normal Bluesky account |
| Your domain | yourbusiness.com | That you control the website: Bluesky treats this as a form of verification |
| A subdomain | you.yourcompany.com | That an organisation has given you a name on its domain |
What happens to your old name
Two reassuring details from Bluesky's own guide. First, old tags and mentions keep pointing to you. Second, since a Bluesky update, if you move from a .bsky.social handle to a website, your most recent .bsky.social username is reserved for you, and the reservation doesn't expire. So you can switch to your domain without worrying someone will grab your old name.
Using a subdomain
Organisations can give staff handles on their own domain, so a reporter at a newspaper might be @name.newspaper.com. The steps are the same, except the TXT record's domain includes the subdomain, for example _atproto.me for me.newspaper.com. If you work somewhere with an IT team, Bluesky suggests simply sending them its guide.
A domain handle is not a blue badge
Bluesky is clear that a domain handle and a verification badge are different things. Bluesky's verification announcement said over 270,000 accounts had linked their username to a website, but the blue badge is a separate system run by Bluesky and trusted organisations. For businesses, though, a domain handle is a strong, free signal: anyone can see the account belongs to the owner of that website.
Don't have a domain?
Bluesky partnered with Namecheap so you can buy a domain through Bluesky, and it says buying that way doesn't lock you in. If you already own your business domain, use that rather than buying a new one, because the whole point is that people recognise it.
If verification fails
Most failed domain handles come down to three things. The record was added in the wrong place: it has to go wherever your DNS is managed, which may be your hosting company or a service like Cloudflare rather than the company you bought the domain from. The record name is wrong: it should be _atproto (or _atproto plus your subdomain), and some DNS tools add your domain on automatically, so you may only need to type _atproto. Or it simply hasn't spread yet: Bluesky notes DNS changes can take some time, so wait and click Verify DNS Record again.
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Choosing your handle
- For a business, use your main website domain.
- For a personal brand, use your name's domain if you own it, or your name on .bsky.social.
- Keep it the same as your other platforms where you can, so people find you easily.
- Don't change it often: it's how people mention you.
If you're tidying up usernames across platforms, my guides on changing your Kick username and changing your Linktree URL cover two more. And if you decide Bluesky isn't for you after all, here's how to delete your Bluesky account.
My verdict
Change your handle under Settings, Account, Handle. If you have a business website, take the extra ten minutes to set your domain as your handle: it's free, it's a form of verification on Bluesky, and your old .bsky.social name stays reserved for you.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change my handle on Bluesky?
Open the menu, go to Settings, then Account, then Handle, and enter a new name, or choose the option to use your own domain.
Can I use my website as my Bluesky handle?
Yes. Choose the own-domain option under Settings, Account, Handle, add the TXT record Bluesky gives you to your domain's DNS, then click Verify DNS Record.
Will old mentions break if I change my Bluesky handle?
No. Bluesky says tags and mentions with your old handle still point to your account.
What happens to my old .bsky.social name?
If you switch to a website handle, Bluesky reserves your most recent .bsky.social username for you, and the reservation doesn't expire.
Is a domain handle the same as a Bluesky blue check?
No. Bluesky says setting your domain as your username is different from a verification badge.
