You want to move your social media presence from Mastodon to Bluesky but you do not want to lose your followers or your posting history. Mastodon and Bluesky use different federation protocols, so a direct account transfer is not possible. Skybridge is a set of beta tools that bridges this gap by syncing your Mastodon account to a Bluesky account. This article explains how to set up Skybridge, what it can and cannot do, and what to watch out for during the migration.
Key Takeaways: Migrating Mastodon to Bluesky Using Skybridge
- Skybridge.social sign-in with Mastodon: Authorizes the bridge to read your Mastodon account data.
- Bluesky handle or DID input: Links your Bluesky account so Skybridge can cross-post.
- Follower sync toggle: Automatically follows your Mastodon followers on Bluesky if they also use Skybridge.
What Skybridge Does and What It Cannot Do
Skybridge is a third-party service that runs on the AT Protocol, the same protocol that Bluesky uses. It acts as a relay between Mastodon and Bluesky. When you authorize Skybridge, it reads your Mastodon account and creates a bridge profile on Bluesky. From that point, any post you make on Mastodon is automatically cross-posted to your Bluesky account. The service also scans your Mastodon followers to see which ones have also bridged their accounts. If a follower is bridged, Skybridge follows them on Bluesky on your behalf.
Skybridge does not delete your Mastodon account. It does not transfer your old posts from Mastodon to Bluesky. Only new posts made after the bridge is active will appear on Bluesky. The bridge is one-way: posts made on Bluesky do not appear on Mastodon. Skybridge is in beta, which means you may encounter bugs, service interruptions, or missing features. You should not rely on it as a permanent migration tool until it reaches a stable release.
Prerequisites for Using Skybridge
Before you start, you need a Mastodon account on any instance that allows third-party app access. Most public instances do. You also need a Bluesky account. If you do not have a Bluesky invite code, you can join the Bluesky waiting list. Skybridge works with any Bluesky handle or DID. Make sure you know your Mastodon email and password because you will need to authorize Skybridge through Mastodon’s OAuth flow.
Steps to Set Up Skybridge Between Mastodon and Bluesky
- Go to Skybridge.social
Open your browser and navigate to skybridge.social. The landing page shows a large button labeled Sign in with Mastodon. Click it. - Authorize Skybridge on your Mastodon instance
You are redirected to your Mastodon instance’s authorization page. Enter your Mastodon username and password. You also see a list of permissions Skybridge requests. The permissions include reading your profile, reading your posts, and reading your followers. Click Authorize to continue. - Connect your Bluesky account
After authorization, Skybridge shows a field labeled Bluesky handle or DID. Type your Bluesky handle, for example @yourname.bsky.social. If you have a custom domain handle, enter that instead. Click Connect. - Verify Bluesky ownership
Skybridge sends a verification code to your Bluesky account. Open Bluesky and check your direct messages or app password section. Copy the code and paste it into the Skybridge verification box. Click Verify. - Enable follower sync
Once verified, Skybridge shows a dashboard. Look for the toggle labeled Sync followers. Turn it on. Skybridge scans your Mastodon followers and follows any that are also bridged on Bluesky. This step is optional but recommended if you want to keep your network. - Test the bridge
Go back to Mastodon and post a short message, such as Testing Skybridge bridge. Open Bluesky and check your timeline. The post should appear within a few minutes. If it does not, check the Skybridge dashboard for error messages.
Common Issues With Skybridge and How to Handle Them
Posts Not Appearing on Bluesky
If your Mastodon posts do not show up on Bluesky, the most common cause is an expired authorization token. Mastodon tokens can expire after a few hours or days depending on the instance. Go back to Skybridge.social and click Reauthorize. You may need to sign in to Mastodon again. Another cause is that your Bluesky account is rate-limited. Bluesky limits new accounts to a few hundred posts per day. Wait 24 hours and try again.
Follower Sync Does Not Find Anyone
Follower sync only works when your Mastodon followers have also bridged their accounts with Skybridge. If none of your followers have done so, the sync will show zero results. You can share your Skybridge profile URL on Mastodon to encourage followers to bridge their accounts. The profile URL is typically skybridge.social/@yourmastodonhandle.
Skybridge Dashboard Shows Error Messages
Skybridge is beta software, so error messages are not always descriptive. If you see a red banner, try disconnecting your Bluesky account and reconnecting it. If the error persists, check the Skybridge status page or GitHub repository for known issues. You can also join the Skybridge Discord server for support from the developers and other users.
Mastodon vs Bluesky: What Changes After the Bridge
| Item | Mastodon | Bluesky (via Skybridge) |
|---|---|---|
| Post content | Same as before the bridge | Only new posts from Mastodon appear |
| Followers | Your original Mastodon followers remain | Only bridged Mastodon followers are followed |
| Account deletion | Your Mastodon account stays active | Bluesky account is independent; bridge does not delete it |
| Post history | All old posts remain on Mastodon | No old posts transfer to Bluesky |
| Two-way sync | Posts made on Bluesky do not appear on Mastodon | One-way sync from Mastodon to Bluesky only |
The bridge is not a full account migration. It is a cross-posting tool that lets you maintain a presence on both platforms simultaneously. If you eventually want to leave Mastodon entirely, you will need to manually announce your Bluesky handle on your Mastodon profile and then consider deleting your Mastodon account. Skybridge does not automate that final step.
Things to Avoid When Using Skybridge
Do not post sensitive or private content on Mastodon after bridging. Skybridge copies all new public posts to Bluesky. If you use Mastodon’s unlisted or followers-only visibility, Skybridge may still cross-post those depending on how the bridge is configured. Always test with a non-sensitive post first. Do not delete your Mastodon account while the bridge is active. If you delete your Mastodon account, the authorization token becomes invalid and the bridge stops working. Your Bluesky account remains, but the follower sync will no longer update. Do not rely on Skybridge for critical communication. Because it is beta software, the service can go offline without notice. Keep your Mastodon and Bluesky accounts independent so you do not lose access to either platform.
You can now set up Skybridge to cross-post from Mastodon to Bluesky and sync your followers who have also bridged. After the bridge is active, test it by posting a message on Mastodon and verifying it appears on Bluesky. For a more permanent solution, consider moving your most active followers to Bluesky by sharing your Bluesky handle in your Mastodon bio and pinning a post with the announcement.