# How to Make Your Bluesky Account Private (and What Works Instead)

> Bluesky has no private accounts. Here's what you can do instead, from logged-out visibility and reply controls to blocks, mute lists and a second account.

Canonical: https://scheduleforyou.com/blog/how-to-make-bluesky-account-private
Last updated: 2026-10-28

Category: Bluesky. 

You can't make a Bluesky account private. Bluesky has no "protected" or locked mode like X or Instagram, because every post, like, follow and block is stored as public data on the AT Protocol, the open network Bluesky runs on. What you can do is limit who sees you when they aren't logged in, control who can reply and quote you, and block or mute the people you don't want around.

Here's every setting that helps, and what each one does and doesn't do.

## What you can and can't control

| You want to | Possible on Bluesky? | How |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Approve followers | No | No private mode |
| Hide posts from logged-out visitors | Partly | Logged-out visibility setting |
| Stop strangers replying | Yes | Reply settings on each post |
| Stop quote posts | Yes | Quote settings, or detach a quote |
| Stop someone seeing your posts | Mostly | Block them |
| Keep DMs private | Yes | Message settings |
| Keep saved posts private | Yes | Bookmarks are private |
| Hide your likes | No | Likes are public data |

## Turn on logged-out visibility

Go to **Settings > Privacy and security > Logged-out visibility** (in older versions it sits under **Moderation**) and switch on **Discourage apps from showing my account to logged-out users**.

This stops bsky.app and the official apps from showing your profile and posts to people who aren't signed in. It's a request, not a lock: other apps and anyone using the API can still read your posts, and Bluesky says so in the setting itself. It also turns off the RSS feed for your profile. Treat it as a speed bump, not privacy.

## Control replies and quotes

When you write a post, tap **Anyone can interact** below the text box (or the **Post interaction settings** in the menu of a published post) and choose who can reply:

- Everybody
- Nobody
- Only people you mention
- Only people you follow
- Only people who follow you
- Members of a list you choose

You can also switch off quote posts. If someone already quoted you, open their quote and choose **Detach quote** to remove your post from it. You can set default interaction settings in **Settings > Moderation > Interaction settings**, so every new post starts locked down.

## Hide replies you don't want

On your own posts, open a reply's menu and pick **Hide reply for everyone**. It moves behind a "hidden replies" link at the bottom of the thread.

## Block, mute and use lists

- **Block** stops someone from seeing your posts while they're signed in, replying, quoting, following or messaging you. Note that blocks on Bluesky are public; our guide to [who blocked me on Bluesky](https://scheduleforyou.com/blog/who-blocked-me-on-bluesky) explains how that works.
- **Mute** hides someone from your view without them knowing. Mutes are private.
- **Moderation lists** let you block or mute a whole list at once, including community-made lists of known spam or harassment accounts.
- **Muted words** hide posts that contain words, tags or phrases you choose.

## Lock down DMs and saved posts

Under **Settings > Privacy and security > Chat**, choose who can message you: everyone, people you follow, or no one. Bookmarks (saved posts) are private and stored off-protocol, so no one else can see what you saved. That's the closest thing to private likes; see [are likes public on Bluesky](https://scheduleforyou.com/blog/are-likes-public-on-bluesky).

## The practical option: a second account

If you need a space only friends can see, Bluesky isn't the right tool, and a second account with a handle no one recognizes is the usual workaround. It's still public, just obscure. For a truly private circle, a group chat (Bluesky added them in 2026) or a different app works better.

If you run a public account for work, the opposite advice applies: keep it public, post on a schedule, and keep personal posting on a separate account. Schedule For You connects Bluesky with an app password, so you can queue the [work account's posts](https://scheduleforyou.com/bluesky) next to X and Threads without sharing your main login.

## Frequently asked questions

### Will Bluesky ever add private accounts?
Bluesky has said private data is hard on an open protocol, and there's no private-account mode at the time of writing. Bookmarks were built off-protocol to stay private, so more private features may follow.

### Does logged-out visibility hide my posts from search engines?
It asks Bluesky's own apps not to show you to logged-out visitors, which reduces exposure, but other apps and the API can still read your posts.

### Can people see my Bluesky posts without an account?
Yes, by default. Anyone can open your profile on bsky.app without signing in unless you switch on logged-out visibility.

### Can I stop someone from following me on Bluesky?
Only by blocking them. There's no follower approval or remove-follower button at the time of writing.

## Related

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