Last Updated:
The new update for Bluesky is bringing these features for users.
The new version (1.83) of Bluesky lets you send direct messages to friends with rumours of adding support for messages with images and videos.
Bluesky will now let you send direct messages to other users on the platform. As of now, the new update only allows sending text messages but the social app is also looking to add support for images and videos soon. The official account of Bluesky shared the update in a post on its platform.
The company wrote, “Now available: DMs! Start a private conversation with a friend directly in Bluesky within the Chat tab. Update to the latest version of the app (1.83) or refresh on the desktop to start chatting!”
To send a direct message on the updated Bluesky app, select the chat icon present on your mobile screen’s bottom. For a desktop, you will have to click on the chat bubble in your sidebar. Once a new chat is created, search for the user that you want to text. Then write your message and click on the send button. Do remember that the messages on the Bluesky app aren’t end-to-end encrypted as of now. However, the platform will soon be looking to add support for the same in the future.
Bluesky also allows the people you follow to text you by default. If you want to change this then head on to the platform’s settings menu. Over there you can select from the options, ‘Everyone’, ‘No one’ or ‘Users I follow’. You can also decide to turn on or off the notification sounds for texts. Provisions have also been made for users to report abusive DMs and block users directly from the messages section. Bluesky notes that the platform’s moderation team ‘may need to open your DMs to investigate broader patterns of abuse’.
For the unversed, Bluesky is a decentralised social app that was conceptualized by Twitter’s (now X) ex-CEO Jack Dorsey. It was parallelly developed alongside the now Elon Musk-owned platform. Bluesky features an interface similar to X that uses an open-source framework. The in-house developed framework is also known as the AT protocol.
For people who do not know how to use Bluesky, the app functions very much like a cut-down version of X. It has a ‘plus-shaped’ create button that allows you to write a post of not more than 256 characters. These posts may also include photographs. You can also search for and follow other users and view their updates on the ‘Home’ timeline. The popular/trending posts are in a personalised ‘Discover’ tab.
Bluesky has been slowly adding new features since getting rid of the platform’s ‘invite-only’ system. There are a ton of new updates on the roadmap which include 90-second videos, better anti-harassment tools, group DMs and more.