Short answer: Bluesky has no advanced search form, but the regular search box understands operators. Use from:, to:, mentions:, since:, until:, lang:, domain: and "quotes" – and combine as many as you like in one query.
Here is every operator with a working example, recipes for common searches, and why search sometimes misses a post you know exists.
On this page:
- The direct answer
- Search operator cheat sheet
- Combining operators: useful recipes
- Top vs Latest
- Why search misses posts
- Searching from the API
- Frequently asked questions
The Direct Answer
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is there an advanced search page? | No – operators go in the normal search box |
| Search one person's posts? | from:handle (or from:me) |
| Search by date? | since: and until: with YYYY-MM-DD, in UTC |
| Find mentions of an account? | mentions:handle or to:handle |
| Find posts linking to a site? | domain:example.com |
| Can I combine operators? | Yes – separate them with spaces |
What Search Operators Does Bluesky Support?
These are the operators Bluesky documents for post search, as of October 2026:
| Operator | What it finds | Example |
|---|---|---|
from:handle |
Posts by one account | from:bsky.app drafts |
from:me |
Your own posts (logged in) | from:me recipe |
to:handle |
Posts that mention an account | to:jay.bsky.team |
mentions:handle |
Same as to: | mentions:me |
since:YYYY-MM-DD |
Posted on or after a date (UTC) | since:2026-10-01 |
until:YYYY-MM-DD |
Posted before a date (UTC) | until:2026-10-07 |
lang:xx |
Posts tagged with a language (two-letter code) | lang:ja |
domain:site |
Posts that link to a website | domain:nytimes.com |
"exact phrase" |
Those words in that order | "rate limit exceeded" |
#hashtag |
Posts tagged with a hashtag | #WorldSeries |
A few details that trip people up:
- Handles go in without the @.
from:bsky.app, notfrom:@bsky.app. Use the full handle, including.bsky.socialif the account has one. meworks withfrom:,to:andmentions:, but only when you are logged in.- Dates are UTC. If you are in the US and posted something at 9pm on October 6, it is dated October 7 to search. Full UTC timestamps are also accepted for precise windows.
lang:reads the language the post was tagged with, which the posting app sets. Most apps tag your device language by default, so a Spanish post from an English-language phone may be taggeden.domain:matches link cards and links in the text, so it is a good way to see who is sharing your site.
Hashtags
Searching #tag returns posts tagged with that hashtag; tapping a hashtag in a post does the same. Hashtags are stored as tags on the post rather than just text, which our facets guide explains. If you want to keep up with one tag continuously rather than search it once, see how to follow hashtags on Bluesky.
How Do You Combine Bluesky Search Operators?
Put them in the same box, separated by spaces. Every operator narrows the results further. Some searches worth keeping:
| You want | Search |
|---|---|
| Something you posted last month | from:me since:2026-09-01 until:2026-10-01 podcast |
| Replies and mentions from one person | from:alice.bsky.social mentions:me |
| Who is linking to your site | domain:getskyscraper.com |
| An exact quote in Japanese posts | "新しいアプリ" lang:ja |
| A brand mention on one day | "skyscraper app" since:2026-10-06 until:2026-10-07 |
| A live event | #WorldSeries since:2026-10-07, then the Latest tab |
For brand and keyword tracking, one-off searches get old fast. Our guide to Bluesky monitoring tools covers alerts that run continuously.
Top vs Latest: Which Tab Should You Use?
Search results open on Top, which ranks posts by engagement. It is good for "what are people saying about this?" and bad for "find that one post." When you are looking for something specific – especially with from: or a date range – switch to Latest, which lists every match newest first.
The other tabs, People and Feeds, search account names and custom feeds. Operators apply to post search; for accounts, type a name or handle. If you are looking for curated groups of accounts instead, finding lists on Bluesky works differently.
Why Doesn't Bluesky Search Find a Post?
- You are on Top. Low-engagement posts may not rank. Use Latest.
- The post was deleted. Deleted posts drop out of search.
- Blocks. If either of you blocked the other, you will not see their posts in search (see how Bluesky blocks work).
- Moderation filters. Posts with labels you have set to hide will not appear.
- A typo in the handle, or an @ in front of it.
- Time zones. Widen your
since:/until:window by a day on each side. - Words versus phrases. Quotes require the exact wording in that order. If you might be misremembering it, drop the quotes and search a few distinctive words instead.
How Do You Search Bluesky From the API?
The same query syntax works in app.bsky.feed.searchPosts. It also takes structured parameters – author, mentions, since, until, lang, domain, tag – and a sort of top or latest. In Python:
from atproto import Client
client = Client()
client.login("yourname.bsky.social", "xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx") # app password
res = client.app.bsky.feed.search_posts(
params={"q": "from:bsky.app video", "sort": "latest", "limit": 25}
)
for post in res.posts:
print(post.author.handle, post.record.text[:80])Call it with a logged-in session: the unauthenticated public.api.bsky.app host returns 403 for search requests. Search is paginated with a cursor, and like every endpoint it is rate limited. If you need every matching post as it is created rather than a search after the fact, use Jetstream instead – see our Python firehose tutorial. For more on the SDK, start with how to post to Bluesky with Python.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Bluesky have advanced search?
Yes. Bluesky has no advanced search form, but its search box understands operators such as from:, to:, mentions:, since:, until:, lang: and domain:, plus quotes for exact phrases. You can combine them in one query.
How do I search someone's posts on Bluesky?
Type from: followed by their handle and your search words, for example from:bsky.app video. Use from:me to search your own posts while logged in.
How do I search Bluesky by date?
Use since: and until: with dates in YYYY-MM-DD format, for example election since:2026-09-01 until:2026-09-30. Dates are in UTC, so posts from late in the day in your time zone may land on the next date.
How do I find posts that mention me on Bluesky?
Search mentions:me while logged in, or mentions: followed by any handle. The to: operator works the same way.
Can you search Bluesky without an account?
Sign in for the full experience: operators like from:me and mentions:me only work when Bluesky knows who you are. Developers can use the app.bsky.feed.searchPosts API with the same operators, but the public.api.bsky.app host refuses search requests, so call it with a logged-in session.
Why doesn't Bluesky search find a post I know exists?
Common reasons: the post was deleted, the author has hidden their posts from logged-out viewers or blocked you, a moderation label filters it, or you are on the Top tab instead of Latest. Try Latest and loosen your operators.
Search in Skyscraper
Skyscraper's search is built for people who search a lot:
- Live search – results update as you type
- Advanced filters – build a search without memorizing operators, then save it as a pinned feed so it sits next to your timeline
- Saved searches – synced across your devices over iCloud
- Trending hashtags – filterable by language, in Explore