# How to DM on Bluesky: Send Messages, Start Group Chats and Control Who Can Message You

> Yes, you can DM on Bluesky. How to send a direct message, start a group chat, change who can message you, what DMs support, and whether they're private.

Canonical: https://scheduleforyou.com/blog/how-to-dm-on-bluesky
Last updated: 2026-10-28

Category: Bluesky. 

Yes, you can DM on Bluesky. Tap the **chat bubble** icon in the menu (on the web it's **Chat** in the left sidebar), tap the **new message** button, search for the account and type your message. You can also open someone's profile and tap the chat icon next to Follow. By default, people can only message you if you follow them, and you can only message people whose settings allow it. Group chats of up to 50 people arrived in June 2026.

## How to send a DM on Bluesky

1. Open the **Chat** tab (the speech bubble).
2. Tap the **pencil** or **New chat** button.
3. Search for a handle or name and select the account.
4. Type your message and tap send.

From a profile: open the profile and tap the **chat** icon. If there's no chat icon, or you see "can't be messaged," that person only accepts messages from people they follow, or from no one.

To share a post in a DM, tap the **share** icon on the post and choose **Send via direct message**.

## What Bluesky DMs support

| Feature | Supported at the time of writing |
| --- | --- |
| Text and emoji | Yes |
| Links and shared Bluesky posts | Yes |
| Emoji reactions | Yes |
| Group chats | Yes, up to 50 people, with invite links |
| Photos, video and voice notes | Not yet |
| End-to-end encryption | Not built in |

Bluesky has said media in DMs will come once its safety and moderation tools for it are ready. Until then, people share an image as a post and send the post, or use another app for photos.

## How to start a group chat

From the Chat tab, start a new chat and add more than one person, or create a group and share its invite link. The creator can decide who may join. Groups hold up to 50 members at the time of writing.

## Change who can message you

Go to **Settings > Privacy and security > Chat** (or tap the gear icon in the Chat tab) and choose:

- **Everyone**
- **Users I follow** (the default)
- **No one**

Message requests from people you don't follow appear in a separate **Requests** area, where you can accept, delete or report them. Spam usually lands there.

## Are Bluesky DMs private?

DMs are private between the people in the chat, but they aren't end-to-end encrypted. They're stored on Bluesky's servers, outside the public AT Protocol, so they aren't visible like posts and likes, but Bluesky can access them for moderation. For sensitive conversations, use an encrypted app. Bluesky has partnered with the third-party app Germ for encrypted messaging, which is separate from the built-in chat.

## Why can't I DM on Bluesky?

- **The other person doesn't allow it.** Their chat settings limit messages to people they follow, or no one.
- **One of you blocked the other.** Blocks stop DMs.
- **Age verification.** In places where law requires age checks, such as the UK, Bluesky disables DMs for accounts that haven't verified as adults.
- **A third-party app without permission.** Apps that sign in with an app password need the "Allow access to your direct messages" box ticked when you create that password.

That last point matters for scheduling tools: Schedule For You only needs an app password for posting, so you can leave DM access unticked. Your messages stay out of it, and your [Bluesky posts](https://scheduleforyou.com/bluesky) still publish on schedule with X and Threads.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can you DM on Bluesky?
Yes. Direct messages launched in 2024 and group chats in 2026. Open the Chat tab to start one.

### Can I send pictures in Bluesky DMs?
Not at the time of writing. You can send text, emoji, links and shared posts.

### Can I delete a Bluesky DM?
You can delete a message or a whole conversation for yourself from its menu. The other person may still have their copy.

### How do I stop strangers messaging me on Bluesky?
Set Chat settings to Users I follow or No one, and report spam from the Requests list.

## Related

- [All guides](https://scheduleforyou.com/blog)
- [Pricing](https://scheduleforyou.com/pricing)