Short answer: in the official Bluesky app, go to your profile, open the starter packs area, and create a new pack. Name it, write a short description, add up to 150 people and up to 3 custom feeds, then share the link or QR code. Anyone who opens it can follow everyone in one tap.
The mechanics take a few minutes. The part that decides whether anyone uses it is who you put in, and what you call it.
The Quick Answer
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Where do I make one? | Your profile, in the starter packs area (official app or web) |
| How many people? | Up to 150 |
| How many feeds? | Up to 3 custom feeds |
| Is it public? | Yes – the pack and its members |
| Can I edit it later? | Yes, and the link stays the same |
| How do people get it? | A link or a QR code |
How to Create a Starter Pack
- Open your profile in the official Bluesky app or on the web.
- Find the starter packs area. It sits alongside your posts, lists and feeds on your profile. Start a new pack from there.
- Name it and write a description. More on this below; it matters more than people think.
- Add people. Search for accounts and add them.
- Add feeds (optional). Pick up to three custom feeds that go with the topic.
- Save it. You'll get a page for the pack with options to share it.
Exact button labels in the official app change from version to version, so treat these steps as directions. Everything you need is reachable from your own profile.
On the protocol, the pack is an app.bsky.graph.starterpack record in your repo. Its members are stored in a list it points to, made of ordinary app.bsky.graph.listitem records, and the feeds are stored as references. That's why a starter pack can be edited later without changing its link, and why it's public in exactly the same way a list is.
The Limits
- Up to 150 people. That is plenty for a focused pack; most good ones are far smaller.
- Up to 3 custom feeds. Feeds are optional.
- One pack, one topic. Not a hard limit, but a pack that tries to be everything gets ignored. Make several instead.
Just because you can add 150 people doesn't mean you should. Following 150 accounts at once noticeably changes someone's timeline. For most topics, 30 to 80 well-chosen accounts gets a better reception than a maxed-out pack.
Write a Name and Description People Click
The name and description are all most people read before deciding. A few rules:
- Say who's in it, specifically. "Chicago Bears beat writers" beats "Football." "Women in iOS development" beats "Tech people."
- Use the words people search for. Packs can turn up in search, and people look for a team, a field or a city.
- Say why you picked these accounts. One sentence: "Reporters and analysts who post during games, not just links."
- Skip the inside jokes. The pack is for people who don't know the community yet.
How to Choose Who Goes In
This is the part that makes a pack good or forgettable.
- Active accounts only. Check that each person has posted recently. A pack full of quiet accounts gives newcomers an empty timeline.
- People who post, not just people who are famous. A mid-sized account that posts thoughtfully every day is worth more in a pack than a big name who posts once a month.
- Mix sizes. Include smaller accounts. Starter packs are one of the few places on Bluesky where a newer account gets real discovery.
- Stay on topic. If a pack is "football writers," don't slip in your friends who don't write about football.
- Think about asking first. Starter packs are public and can drive a wave of follows. Most people are happy to be included, but some would rather not be, and asking costs nothing.
- Pick feeds that fit. A topic feed (a team hashtag, a subject's keywords) pairs well with a pack of the people who post about it. See our custom feeds guide for finding one.
For examples of what works, look at curated packs for a single community, like our roundups of NFL football writer starter packs and comedy starter packs.
Sharing It
Once the pack exists, open it and use its share option. You can copy the link or, in the official app, show a QR code.
- Pin a post with the link on your profile while the pack is new.
- Use the QR code in person. Conference slides, meetups, the back of a badge.
- Share it off Bluesky. A starter pack link works for people who don't have an account yet. They can sign up and land in the pack, which is what starter packs were designed for.
Who Gets Notified, and What's Public
Assume everything about the pack is public. The name, description, creator, members and feeds are all public records, the same as a Bluesky list. Anyone can see that you made it and who you put in it.
On notifications, be careful about assuming. Adding someone to a list sends no notification, and starter pack members are stored in a list, so don't rely on Bluesky to tell people they've been included. If you want them to know, tell them. On the creator side, the official app can tell you when people join Bluesky through your pack, but behavior here has changed over time, so don't treat it as a reliable counter.
Editing a Pack Later
You can come back and change the name, description, people and feeds at any time from the pack's own page, and the link stays the same. One thing to know: people who already followed everyone keep the follows they made. They aren't automatically subscribed to new additions, and removing someone from the pack doesn't unfollow them for anyone. That's the key difference between a starter pack and a pinned list, which we explain in list vs starter pack vs custom feed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make a starter pack on Bluesky?
In the official app, go to your profile, open the starter packs area, and create a new one. Give it a name and description, add people and up to three feeds, then save and share the link.
How many people can be in a Bluesky starter pack?
Up to 150 accounts, plus up to 3 custom feeds. Older guides mention a lower limit from when starter packs first launched.
Are Bluesky starter packs public?
Yes. A starter pack is a public record in your account, and so is the list of people in it. Anyone can see the pack, its members and who made it.
Do people get notified when they're added to a starter pack?
Don't count on it either way. Adding someone to a list sends no notification, and a starter pack's members are stored in a list. If it matters, tell people yourself.
Can I edit a starter pack after sharing it?
Yes. You can change the name, description, people and feeds after creating it, and the link stays the same. People who already followed everyone keep their existing follows; new additions aren't followed for them automatically.
Starter Packs in Skyscraper
- Open any starter pack and see who's in it, then follow people one at a time or all at once
- Pinned feeds, custom feeds, lists and saved searches sit together in the feed selector, so a pack's feeds are easy to reach once you've saved them