Bluesky is building a federated social network, but full account migration between independent providers is not yet available. The Bluesky team has released a public roadmap that outlines how users will eventually move their accounts, follows, and posts from one provider to another. This article explains the current state of migration on Bluesky, what features are already live, and what is still under development.
The federated model means users can choose a hosting provider instead of relying on Bluesky’s official servers. However, moving your digital identity and data between providers requires specific technical capabilities that are being built in phases. You will learn the exact migration features available today, the limitations you must accept, and the planned upgrades that will make switching providers seamless.
Key Takeaways: Bluesky Migration Capabilities in 2025
- PDS (Personal Data Server) hosting: You can run your own server or use a third-party host, but moving your account to a different PDS is not yet supported.
- Handle migration via DNS: You can point a custom domain to any Bluesky provider, but your account data stays on the original server.
- Planned full account migration: The roadmap includes migrating follows, posts, and direct messages between providers, with no release date confirmed.
Why Account Migration Is a Core Federated Feature
Federation means multiple independent servers can communicate with each other, similar to email. On Bluesky, each server is called a Personal Data Server or PDS. When you create an account, your data — posts, follows, likes, and direct messages — lives on one specific PDS. The Bluesky team, led by the nonprofit Bluesky PBLLC, operates the main PDS at bsky.social. Other providers can run their own PDS and join the network.
The key advantage of federation is choice. If your current provider shuts down, changes its terms, or simply offers poor performance, you should be able to move your entire digital presence to a new provider without losing followers or content. This is called account portability. Without it, users are locked into their original provider, which defeats the purpose of a decentralized system.
The Bluesky team has published a public roadmap on GitHub that breaks migration into three phases: account creation on any PDS, handle migration, and full data migration. As of early 2025, only the first two phases are partially complete.
What the AT Protocol Makes Possible
Bluesky runs on the AT Protocol, also called AT Proto. This protocol is designed from the ground up to support user migration. Unlike ActivityPub used by Mastodon, AT Proto separates user identity from server location. Your identity is tied to a handle, which is a DNS domain or a username like @user.bsky.social. The protocol uses a distributed ledger called the DAG to store references to your data across servers. This design theoretically allows you to change your PDS without breaking your identity.
Current Migration Capabilities on Bluesky
The following features are available as of the latest stable release. They represent the first two phases of the migration roadmap.
1. Choose Your Own PDS at Sign-Up
You can create an account on any PDS that the Bluesky network recognizes. During sign-up, you select a provider from a list or enter a custom server address. This is the only migration step that works fully today. Your account, posts, and followers are created on that specific PDS and cannot be moved later.
2. Custom Domain Handles
Bluesky allows you to use your own domain as your handle. For example, you can set your handle to @yourexample.com. This is configured by adding a DNS TXT record that points to your Bluesky account. The handle is portable because it is controlled by your DNS provider, not by Bluesky. If you switch PDS providers, you can update the DNS record to point to your new account. However, your historical posts and followers remain on the original PDS. This is not a full migration; it is a handle redirect.
3. Export Your Data
Bluesky provides a data export tool in the Settings menu. You can download a ZIP file containing your posts, likes, follows, and block lists. This file is intended for backup purposes only. There is currently no import function that allows you to upload this data to a new PDS. The export is a one-way operation that gives you a copy of your data but does not transfer your account.
Planned Migration Features from the Roadmap
The Bluesky team has identified the following features as necessary for full account portability. These are listed on the public roadmap but have no confirmed release dates.
1. Account Transfer Between PDS Providers
This is the core migration feature. It will allow you to move your entire account, including all posts, follows, likes, and direct messages, from one PDS to another. The process is expected to work by generating a transfer token on the source server, then redeeming it on the destination server. The source server will then redirect all future requests to the new location. The roadmap lists this as a high-priority item but does not specify a timeline.
2. Follow Migration
When you move to a new PDS, your follow list must be preserved. The protocol currently stores follows as references to other users’ DIDs, which are server-independent identifiers. The destination server should be able to reconstruct your follow graph from the exported data. The roadmap indicates that follow migration will be included in the account transfer feature.
3. Post and Like Migration
Your posts and likes are stored as records on your original PDS. The migration process must copy these records to the new server and update the distributed references so that other servers can find them. The Bluesky team has discussed using content-addressed storage to make this process reliable. This feature is listed as a future milestone.
4. Direct Message Migration
Direct messages on Bluesky are encrypted and stored on the sender’s and recipient’s PDS. Moving DMs between providers requires transferring encrypted blobs without decrypting them. The roadmap mentions DM migration as a later-stage feature, after account and post migration are stable.
Common Misconceptions and Limitations
“I can already move my account to another server.”
This is false. You can create an account on any PDS, but you cannot move an existing account. If you want to switch providers today, you must create a new account and manually re-follow everyone. Your old posts remain on the original server.
“Custom domain handles mean my account is portable.”
A custom domain handle only redirects your identity. Your data stays on the original PDS. If the original server goes offline, your posts and followers become inaccessible even if your handle points to a new account.
“Exporting my data lets me import it elsewhere.”
The export feature creates a backup file, but no import tool exists on any Bluesky PDS. You cannot upload the ZIP file to a new server. The export is useful for archival purposes only.
Bluesky vs Mastodon: Migration Feature Comparison
| Item | Bluesky | Mastodon |
|---|---|---|
| Account creation on any server | Yes, at sign-up | Yes, at sign-up |
| Account transfer between servers | Not yet available | Partial — redirects followers but does not move posts |
| Custom domain as handle | Yes, via DNS | Yes, via WebFinger or DNS |
| Data export and import | Export only, no import | Export and import available for posts and follows |
| Direct message migration | Planned, not available | Not supported |
Mastodon currently offers a more complete migration path, including the ability to redirect followers from your old account to a new one. Bluesky’s roadmap aims to surpass this by moving all data, not just followers. However, Mastodon’s features are available today, while Bluesky’s are still in development.
What You Can Do Now
If you want to prepare for future migration on Bluesky, take these steps. First, set up a custom domain as your handle. This ensures your identity remains under your control regardless of which PDS you use. Second, export your data regularly using the Settings > Account > Export Data option. Store the ZIP file in a safe location. Third, choose a PDS provider that you trust to stay operational. If you run your own PDS, keep your server software updated to support future migration features. Finally, monitor the official Bluesky roadmap on GitHub for updates on the account transfer feature. When it becomes available, you will be able to move your entire digital presence to a new provider with minimal disruption.