Short answer: go to Settings → Account → Handle, choose a new handle, and save. You keep all your followers, posts, likes and lists, because Bluesky identifies your account by a permanent ID rather than by your handle.

Before you change it, it's worth knowing what does break, and the one risk most people don't think about: your old handle becomes available to anyone.

Handle vs. Display Name: Which One Do You Want to Change?

  • Display name is the bold name at the top of your profile ("Jane Smith"). Change it any time with Edit profile. It isn't unique and changing it has no side effects.
  • Handle is your @username (@janesmith.bsky.social). It's unique, it appears in your profile URL, and it's what people type to mention you. This is what this guide covers.

If you only want people to see a different name, change your display name and leave the handle alone.

How to Change Your Bluesky Handle

On iPhone, Android or the web

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Account.
  3. Tap Handle (shown with your current @handle).
  4. Type your new handle. Bluesky checks availability as you type.
  5. Tap Save or Change handle.

The change is immediate. Your profile, posts and replies all show the new handle within moments.

Using your own domain instead

On the same screen, choose I have my own domain to use a website you own as your handle (@janesmith.com). It's the best handle you can have on Bluesky: it's short, it verifies that you own the domain, and nobody can ever take it from you. Our custom domain handle guide walks through the DNS setup.

What Happens When You Change Your Handle

What you keep

  • All your followers and everyone you follow
  • All your posts, replies, likes and reposts
  • Your lists, starter packs, feeds and blocks
  • Old @mentions of you. When someone mentions you, Bluesky stores your permanent account ID, not the text of your handle. Old mentions automatically link to your account and show your new handle.

All of this works because every Bluesky account has a permanent identifier called a DID (it looks like did:plc:abc123…). Your handle is just a friendly name that points to it. We explain more in our AT Protocol architecture guide.

What breaks

  • Links to your profile that use the old handle. A link like bsky.app/profile/oldname.bsky.social stops working. Update your website, email signature, link-in-bio and other social profiles.
  • Links to individual posts that use the old handle in the URL, for the same reason.
  • Search and memory. People who search for your old handle won't find you.
  • Things you've printed – business cards, slides, merch.

Tip: for links that must never break, use your DID instead of your handle: bsky.app/profile/did:plc:… keeps working through any number of handle changes. Our embedding guide uses the same idea.

The risk: someone can take your old handle

As soon as you change, your old .bsky.social handle is released and anyone can register it. If you're well known, an impersonator could pick it up and inherit every old link that points to it.

To protect yourself:

  • Move to a custom domain – nobody can claim a domain you own.
  • If you have a second account, claim the old handle with it right after the switch, and put "I've moved to @newname" in its bio.
  • Tell your followers in a post before and after the change.

Handle Rules and Common Errors

  • Allowed characters: letters, numbers and hyphens. No spaces, underscores or emoji.
  • "Handle already taken" – someone else has it. Try a variation, or use your own domain.
  • Showing "Invalid Handle" after changing? Usually a custom domain verification problem or a short delay. See how to fix the Bluesky invalid handle error.
  • Don't change it repeatedly. Bluesky rate-limits handle changes, and every change breaks links again. Pick a handle you'll keep.

Should You Change Your Handle?

Good reasons: you're moving from .bsky.social to your own domain, your old handle uses a name you no longer go by, or you're consolidating a brand. Poor reasons: a minor cosmetic tweak that a display name change would cover.

If you're a creator or business, the custom domain route is almost always worth it. It doubles as verification – see how to get verified on Bluesky.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose followers if I change my Bluesky handle?

No. Followers, posts, likes and lists are tied to your permanent account ID (DID), not your handle, so everything stays.

Can someone else take my old Bluesky handle?

Yes. Once you change away from a bsky.social handle, it becomes available for anyone to register. Using a custom domain avoids this problem.

Do old mentions still work after a handle change?

Yes. Mentions are stored with your account ID, so old mentions still link to your profile and display your new handle.

What's the difference between a Bluesky handle and display name?

Your handle is your unique @username used in mentions and profile links. Your display name is the non-unique name shown on your profile, and you can change it freely in Edit profile.

How often can I change my Bluesky handle?

Bluesky limits how often handles can be changed to prevent abuse, so avoid repeated changes. More importantly, every change breaks links that use your old handle.

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