Short answer: No. As of October 2026, Bluesky has no private or protected accounts. Every post, like, follow, repost, list and block is a public record. The “logged-out visibility” setting only asks apps not to show your profile to signed-out visitors; it doesn't hide anything from signed-in users or developers.

Here's why Bluesky works this way, exactly what is public and what is private, what the logged-out setting does and doesn't do, and the practical alternatives if you want a smaller audience.

On this page:

The Direct Answer

Question Answer
Can I make my Bluesky account private? No – there's no private or protected mode
Can I approve who follows me? No – anyone can follow; you can block
Are my posts visible without an account? Usually yes, unless you turn on the logged-out setting, which apps may ignore
Are my likes and follows public? Yes
Is anything private? Yes – mutes, bookmarks, drafts and DMs
Are DMs end-to-end encrypted? No

Why Bluesky Has No Private Accounts

Bluesky is built on the AT Protocol, where your account is a public data repository. Every post, like and follow you make is a record in that repository, and anyone can read it – not only through the Bluesky app, but through other apps, search tools, feed generators and the public firehose that streams every new record as it happens.

That openness is what lets you pick a different app, run custom feeds, or move your account to another server. It's also why a "protected" mode is hard: once a record is broadcast across the network, Bluesky can't make other services forget it. Our ATProtocol federation guide and firehose explainer show how that data moves.

Private posts for a chosen audience have been discussed by the Bluesky team as a long-term goal, but as of October 2026 they don't exist.

What Is Public on Bluesky

  • Posts and replies, including ones in threads with reply limits
  • Reposts and quote posts
  • Likes – anyone can see who liked a post, and tools can list everything you've liked. See are Bluesky likes public?
  • Follows and followers – both lists are visible to anyone
  • Blocks – every block is a public record. See are Bluesky blocks public?
  • Lists and starter packs you create, including who is on them. See are Bluesky lists public?
  • Your profile: display name, bio, avatar, banner and pinned post
  • Deleted posts, for a while – deletion removes a post from Bluesky, but anyone who already saved or indexed it may still have a copy

What Is Actually Private

Some things never go into your public repository:

  • Mutes – muted accounts and muted words are stored privately. The muted person isn't told. The exception is mute lists, which are public. See does someone know if you mute them?
  • Bookmarks – saved posts are visible only to you. See our Bluesky bookmarks guide.
  • Drafts – unposted drafts aren't published anywhere.
  • Direct messages and group chats – not public, but also not end-to-end encrypted. Don't send anything you'd be upset to see leaked.
  • Your email address, password and settings, including moderation and notification preferences.
  • Who viewed your profile – Bluesky doesn't record or share it. See can you see who viewed your profile?

What the Logged-Out Visibility Setting Does

The closest thing Bluesky has to a privacy switch is in Settings → Privacy and security → Logged-out visibility. Turning on "Discourage apps from showing my account to logged-out users" adds a label to your account asking apps to hide it from people who aren't signed in.

What that does:

  • The official Bluesky website shows a "sign in to view" message instead of your profile and posts to signed-out visitors.
  • Apps that respect the label do the same.

What it doesn't do:

  • It doesn't hide anything from signed-in Bluesky users – and accounts are free.
  • It doesn't stop apps or tools that ignore the label.
  • It doesn't remove your data from the firehose, the API or search engines that have already indexed you.

Think of it as "please don't" rather than "can't". It's worth turning on if you'd rather not appear in casual web searches, but it isn't privacy.

Alternatives to a Private Account

If the real goal is a smaller, safer audience, these get you closer:

Limit who can reply

You can restrict replies on any post to people you follow, people who follow you, people you mention, members of a list, or nobody. You can also turn off quote posts and hide replies. Everyone can still read the post, but strangers can't pile on. See Bluesky reply settings.

Use group chats for private conversation

For things you only want certain people to see, a Bluesky group chat is the private-audience feature that exists today. Remember that DMs aren't end-to-end encrypted.

Restrict who can message you

In chat settings, you can allow messages from everyone, only people you follow, or no one. That stops unwanted DMs without blocking anyone.

Block, mute and moderate

Blocking stops someone from interacting with you in the app, and muting hides them from you without them knowing. Moderation lists let you block or mute whole groups. See our moderation lists guide.

Use a second, low-profile account

Many people keep a pseudonymous second account with a generic handle and no links to their main identity. It's still public, but it isn't connected to you. Be careful with follows: following all the same people from both accounts makes them easy to link.

Post less personal information

Assume every post, like and follow is permanent and searchable. Check what's out there by downloading a backup of your own account from Skyscraper's free Bluesky Tools – it's the same view anyone else can get.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make a Bluesky account private?

No. As of October 2026, Bluesky has no private or protected accounts. Posts, likes, follows, lists and blocks are public records that anyone can see, including people who don't follow you.

Can I approve followers on Bluesky?

No. Anyone can follow any account without approval. If you don't want someone following you, you can block them, which removes their follow and stops them from interacting with you.

What does logged-out visibility do on Bluesky?

It asks apps not to show your profile and posts to people who aren't signed in. The official website respects it, but signed-in users can still see everything and other tools can ignore it.

Are Bluesky DMs private?

They're not public, but they're not end-to-end encrypted either. Only the people in the conversation can see them in the app, but don't share anything highly sensitive over Bluesky DMs.

What is private on Bluesky?

Mutes, muted words, bookmarks, drafts, direct messages, your email and your settings. Profile views aren't recorded. Mute lists are the exception: they are public.

Will Bluesky add private accounts?

Bluesky has talked about private or limited-audience posts as a long-term goal, but nothing has launched as of October 2026. Group chats are currently the main way to talk to a chosen audience.

Privacy Controls in Skyscraper

Skyscraper uses the same Bluesky privacy rules as every other app, and gives you the controls that exist:

  • Threadgate-aware reply controls when you post
  • Mute words, reposts, replies and quote posts, and block from the timeline, notifications or a hashtag feed
  • Saved Posts, Bluesky's private bookmarks
  • Account Data – browse your own repository in lexicon or plain English to see exactly what's public

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