Short answer: yes, Bluesky blocks are public. Every block is a record in the blocker's public repository, so anyone can look up who a given account blocks. Finding out who has blocked you is harder, but not impossible.
This surprises people coming from platforms where blocks are private. Here is exactly what is visible, how people find out they have been blocked, what a block does and does not stop, and when a mute is the better choice.
The Direct Answer
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Are blocks public? | Yes – they are public records in the blocker's repository |
| Can anyone see who I block? | Yes – by reading your repository or using a tool that does |
| Can I see who blocked me? | Not in the official app – it needs a network-wide index, which third-party tools build |
| Does the person get notified? | No – but they'll see they're blocked if they visit your profile |
| Does a block hide my public posts? | No – only from their logged-in account |
| Is there a private option? | Yes – muting is private |
Why Blocks Are Public
When you block someone, your app writes an app.bsky.graph.block record into your repository. The record names the account you blocked by its DID. Like your posts, likes and follows, it is signed, public, and broadcast over the firehose.
Blocks have to work this way on an open network. Bluesky is not one server that can quietly keep a private block table. Your data server, the AppView, custom feeds and other apps all need to know about the block to enforce it – to stop the blocked account from replying to you, quoting you or seeing you in threads. Publishing the block as a record is how every part of the network learns about it. Our ATProtocol federation guide covers the architecture behind that.
The same applies to blocklists. If you subscribe to a moderation list as a blocklist, that subscription is also a public record. See our moderation lists and blocklists guide for how those work.
Who Can See Who You Block
Anyone, with a little effort. The official app does not show a list of who another account blocks, but the records sit in your public repository. A developer can list them with a single API call, and some third-party tools present them in a readable way.
The practical rule is the same one that applies to lists: do not assume a block is a secret. If you would be uncomfortable with someone, or their friends, seeing that you blocked them, know that they can.
Can You See Who Blocked You?
This is the harder direction, and it is why the question is so common.
Your blocks are stored in your repository. But the blocks against you are stored in the repositories of the people who blocked you – potentially anyone on the network. Nothing in your own repository lists them, and the official app does not show them.
To answer "who blocked me," something has to read block records from across the whole network and index them by target. Some third-party tools do exactly that: they consume the public stream, keep a database of every block, and let you look up any handle. Because the underlying records are public, these tools are reading data that is genuinely available, not leaking anything private.
A few cautions if you use one:
- You should not need to log in. Block data is public, so a lookup tool has no reason to ask for your password.
- Coverage varies. An index is only as complete as the history it has collected.
- Blocks from blocklists may show up separately. Being on a blocklist that people subscribe to is not the same as being blocked one-by-one.
- It can be bad for your mood. Worth asking whether you actually want the answer.
How People Find Out They've Been Blocked
Bluesky does not send a notification when you block someone. But a block is not designed to be invisible to the other person either.
- On your profile. If they visit your profile while logged in, the app shows them an indication that they are blocked instead of your posts.
- In threads. Your posts stop appearing for them, and conversations you are both in show gaps where your posts would be.
- No interaction. Neither of you can reply to, quote or otherwise interact with the other's posts while logged in.
Blocking is mutual in effect: once you block someone, you do not see their posts either.
A Block Is Not Privacy
This is the most important limit to understand. A block controls interaction between two logged-in accounts. It does not make your public posts private.
Your posts are public records. A blocked person can log out and read your profile on the web, or use any tool that reads public Bluesky data. Bluesky has a setting that asks apps not to show your profile to logged-out visitors, but it is a request that apps honor, not a lock on the data.
If you need someone to genuinely not see what you post, Bluesky does not offer that. Block to stop the interaction, and post with the assumption that anything public is readable by anyone.
Block vs Mute
| Block | Mute | |
|---|---|---|
| Stored as | Public record (app.bsky.graph.block) |
Private preference |
| Discoverable by others? | Yes | No |
| Do they notice? | Usually, if they visit your profile | No |
| Can they see your posts while logged in? | No | Yes |
| Can they reply to you? | No | Yes, you just don't see it |
Mute when you want quiet. Block when you need someone to stop interacting with you, and accept that the block is on the record. More on that in does someone know if you mute them?
Frequently Asked Questions
Are blocks public on Bluesky?
Yes. A block is an app.bsky.graph.block record stored in the blocker's public repository. Anyone can read an account's repository and see who that account blocks.
Can I see who blocked me on Bluesky?
Not in the official app. Each block lives in the blocker's repository, so finding everyone who blocked you means scanning the whole network. Some third-party tools build that index and let you look up a handle.
Does someone know if I block them on Bluesky?
There is no notification, but they will usually figure it out. Logged in, they see an indication on your profile that they are blocked, and your posts stop showing up for them.
Can a blocked person still see my posts?
Not while logged in to their account. But your public posts are still public: they can log out, or use a site or tool that reads public data, and read them. A block stops interaction, not visibility.
Is muting private on Bluesky?
Yes. Mutes are private preferences, not public records. The muted person is not notified and cannot look it up. If you want to stop seeing someone without it being discoverable, mute instead of block.
Blocking and Muting in Skyscraper
- Block from where you are – from the timeline, notifications or a hashtag feed, without opening a profile first
- Temporary mute – hide someone for 2, 24 or 72 hours, stored only on your device, so nothing is published. How it works
- Report posts and accounts – when a block is not enough