Bluesky Custom Feed Does Not Update New Posts: Fix

You open your Bluesky custom feed expecting to see the latest posts, but it still shows old content from hours or days ago. This happens because custom feeds are not updated in real time like the default Following feed. Instead, feeds rely on an algorithm or a third-party service that refreshes on a schedule. This article explains why the update delay occurs and provides several methods to force a refresh or fix the underlying issue.

Why a Custom Feed Stops Showing New Posts

A Bluesky custom feed is a curated list of posts generated by an algorithm or a user-defined set of rules. Unlike the default Following feed, which updates continuously as new posts appear, custom feeds poll the Bluesky API on a fixed interval. Most third-party feed generators, such as SkyFeed or Graze, cache results for 5 to 30 minutes to reduce server load. If the feed creator has not published new content matching the feed criteria, or if the algorithm itself is slow to index new posts, the feed appears stuck.

Another common cause is a client-side caching issue. The Bluesky app or web client stores a snapshot of the feed data and does not request new data until the cache expires. This is especially noticeable after you have scrolled through the feed and the app preloads older results.

Steps to Force a Custom Feed to Update

Follow these methods in order. Each method attempts to refresh the feed data from the server.

Method 1: Manual Refresh on Mobile

1. Open the custom feed
   Tap the custom feed from your Feeds tab or from the Home screen if it is pinned.
2. Pull down from the top of the screen
   Place your finger at the top edge of the feed and swipe downward until you see a spinning indicator. Release your finger. The app sends a new request to the feed server.
3. Wait 10 seconds
   If the feed still shows old posts, repeat the pull-down gesture once more. Some feed servers require two consecutive requests to refresh the cache.

Method 2: Switch Feeds on Desktop or Mobile

1. Tap or click a different feed
   Select any other feed from your Feeds list, such as the default Following feed or a different custom feed.
2. Wait 5 seconds
   Allow the new feed to load fully. This clears the cached data from the previous feed.
3. Return to the original custom feed
   Tap or click the original feed again. The app fetches fresh data from the API rather than serving the old cached version.

Method 3: Re-add the Feed in Settings

1. Go to Settings > Feeds
   On the Bluesky web or mobile app, open the Settings menu and select the Feeds section.
2. Find the problematic feed
   Scroll through the list of saved feeds and locate the one that is not updating.
3. Tap Remove or the X icon
   Remove the feed from your saved list. This deletes the local configuration and cached data.
4. Re-add the feed
   Search for the feed by name or paste its URL into the search bar. Tap Add or Save to re-add it. The feed now reloads from scratch.

Method 4: Clear the Bluesky App Cache

1. Open your device Settings
   On an iPhone, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Bluesky. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Bluesky > Storage.
2. Tap Clear Cache (Android) or Offload App (iPhone)
   Clearing the cache removes temporary data without deleting your account or saved feeds. On iPhone, offloading removes the app but keeps documents and data. Reinstall Bluesky from the App Store afterward.
3. Open Bluesky again
   Sign in if needed. The app builds a fresh cache, which forces all feeds to request the latest data from the server.

Method 5: Check the Feed Creator’s Status

1. Visit the feed creator’s Bluesky profile
   Search for the account that published the custom feed. Many creators post status updates about feed outages.
2. Look for a link to the feed’s source code or status page
   Some feeds are hosted on services like SkyFeed or GitHub. Check the feed description for a status link. If the service is down, the feed cannot update until the service recovers.
3. Report the issue to the creator
   Send a direct message or reply to a status post. The creator may need to restart the feed generator.

If the Custom Feed Still Has Issues After the Main Fix

The following situations require additional steps beyond a simple refresh.

Feed Shows ‘Feed Offline’ or ‘No Posts Found’

This indicates that the feed server is unreachable or the algorithm has encountered an error. Wait at least 30 minutes and try Method 1 or Method 3 again. If the error persists, the feed may have been discontinued by its creator. Search for an alternative feed using the same keywords.

Feed Updates Slowly for All Users

Some popular feeds, such as ‘What’s Hot’ or ‘Science’, update every 15 to 30 minutes by design. This is not a bug. Check the feed description for the stated refresh interval. If the interval is not listed, assume a 15-minute delay.

New Posts Appear in the Following Feed but Not in the Custom Feed

The custom feed algorithm may use specific criteria that exclude the new posts. For example, a feed that filters by language or minimum like count will skip posts that do not meet the threshold. Verify the feed rules by reading its description or source code. If you want broader inclusion, switch to a different feed with looser criteria.

Custom Feed Update Methods Compared

Item	Pull-to-Refresh	Re-add Feed
Result	Forces a new API request from the client	Clears all cached data and reconnects to the feed server
Effectiveness	Works if the feed server has new data cached	Works even if the feed server cache is stale
Time required	10 seconds	1 to 2 minutes
Risk	None	You may lose the feed’s sort order or pinned position

If you frequently encounter stale feeds, pin your most-used feeds to the Home tab. Pinned feeds receive priority updates from the Bluesky client. To pin a feed, go to Settings > Feeds, find the feed, and toggle the Pin to Home option. This does not change the server refresh rate but reduces the chance of the feed being skipped during the update cycle.