Bluesky, the decentralized social media platform, has introduced significant updates to its notification system, empowering users to tailor their alert preferences for a more personalized and streamlined experience. These enhancements aim to reduce notification overload and ensure users receive alerts that are most relevant to them.
Introduction to Bluesky’s Notification Enhancements
On July 7, 2025, Bluesky announced a series of updates designed to give users greater control over their notifications. These updates include the ability to receive activity notifications from specific accounts and refined options to manage alerts for various interactions such as new followers, likes, replies, mentions, quotes, and reposts. By allowing users to customize these settings, Bluesky aims to declutter the notification center and minimize unnecessary alerts.
Customizing Notification Preferences
Users can now navigate to the ‘Settings’ menu and select ‘Notifications’ to access a comprehensive suite of customization options. This section enables users to adjust alerts for different types of interactions:
– New Followers: Choose to receive notifications when someone follows you.
– Likes: Opt to be notified when your posts receive likes.
– Replies and Mentions: Set preferences for alerts when others reply to your posts or mention you.
– Quotes and Reposts: Decide if you want notifications when your content is quoted or reposted.
– Everything Else: Manage general notifications, including alerts when someone joins through a Starter Pack or verification updates.
Each of these options can be tailored to apply only to accounts you follow, to everyone, or can be disabled entirely, providing a granular level of control over your notification experience.
Activity Notifications for Specific Accounts
A standout feature of this update is the introduction of activity notifications for specific accounts. This functionality allows users to stay updated on posts and replies from their favorite accounts, similar to features found on platforms like X and Threads.
To enable this feature:
1. Visit the profile of the account you wish to follow closely.
2. Tap the bell icon located next to the ‘Follow’ button.
3. Choose to receive notifications for new posts, replies, or both.
This feature is particularly beneficial for users who want to keep up with specific friends, brands, or media outlets, ensuring they never miss important updates.
Managing Activity Notifications
Users have the flexibility to manage their activity notifications through the settings menu. If you no longer wish to receive updates from a particular account, you can easily remove it from your list. However, it’s important to note that account owners have the option to disable this feature entirely or restrict activity notifications to only the people they follow. This means that users may not be able to turn on activity notifications for every account they wish to follow.
Enhancements for Repost Engagement
Bluesky has also introduced notifications for interactions with reposted content. Users will now receive alerts when someone likes their repost or when their reposted content is shared again. This feature is especially useful for individuals who primarily reshare posts rather than create original content, as it helps them feel more engaged and connected within the community.
Replacement of ‘Priority Notifications’ Feature
In this update, Bluesky has replaced the previous ‘priority notifications’ feature. Previously, this feature allowed users to filter notifications to receive updates only from accounts they follow. To achieve the same result with the new system, users need to adjust their reply, mention, and quote notifications to ‘people you follow only.’ This change provides a more flexible and customizable approach to managing notifications.
Conclusion
Bluesky’s latest updates mark a significant step forward in enhancing user experience by offering advanced notification customization. By providing users with the tools to tailor their alerts, Bluesky ensures that individuals can stay informed about the content that matters most to them while minimizing unnecessary distractions. These enhancements reflect Bluesky’s commitment to user-centric design and its ongoing efforts to provide a more personalized and engaging social media platform.
