Bluesky is a new, decentralized social platform offering an exciting alternative to Twitter (now X). If you’ve recently joined, you may want to bring your Twitter followers along, import your old tweets, or add familiar features like bookmarks. In this guide, I’ll tell you a few Chrome extensions that can help make your transition from X to Bluesky smooth and seamless.
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What is Bluesky?
Bluesky is a free, open-source, and decentralized social media platform that offers a refreshing alternative to X. Unlike traditional social networks, no single company controls Bluesky, which gives you more freedom and prevents platform lock-in.
It was initially a project by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and uses the AT Protocol, which lets you easily move your account and data between different providers if you choose. You can curate your experience by choosing the types of content you see and how your feeds are organized.
Many high-profile figures and celebrities have already joined Bluesky. Despite its recent launch in February 2024, Bluesky boasts over 14 million registered users and 6.4 million monthly active users though X still has a significantly larger base with 586 million monthly active users.
1. Transfer All Your Old Tweets to Bluesky
Did you know you can transfer all your old tweets from X to Bluesky, complete with their original posting dates? Even if you posted something last year, it will appear on Bluesky as if you posted it a year ago, even though Bluesky launched more recently.
You can do this using the Porto extension, which is available for Chrome, Edge, Brave, and other Chromium-based browsers. Here’s how to use it to import your tweets to Bluesky:
Get Your Data Archive from X
- On your computer, log in to X and click More in the left sidebar.
- Select Settings and Privacy.
- Choose Your account > Download an archive of your data.
- Enter your X password to verify your identity.
- On the next screen, click Request archive.
Wait for X to email you a download link. This process can take a few hours to a day, depending on the size of your archive. Once you receive the email, click the link to download your archive file.
Upload the X Data to Bluesky
- Install the Porto extension to your Chrome browser.
- Log in to the extension using your Bluesky username and password.
- Click Select a folder and upload your downloaded X archive.
- Select the date range of tweets you want to import which can be as long as when you first joined Twitter, meaning you can essentially import all of your tweets.
- Click Analyze Tweets. The extension will take a moment to tell you what tweets it can import and what retweets or replies won’t be included.
- Click Import to Bluesky and let the extension transfer your tweets.
Give the extension time to transfer your old tweets to Bluesky. You can use other websites and browse the internet freely but do not close the extension or the browser window. Do not shut down your computer until the transfer is finished.
2. Find X Followers on Bluesky
Switching social media platforms often means leaving your existing connections behind. Moving from X to Bluesky is no different. Thankfully, the Sky Follower Bridge Chrome extension helps you find and connect with your X followers on Bluesky.
The extension requires your Bluesky credentials to sign in. However, it is open source and does not store your data. Here’s how to use it:
- Add the Sky Follower Bridge extension to your browser. It’s available for Firefox as well.
- Once installed, go to your Following page on X at https://x.com/following. You can also access this by logging into X, going to your Profile, and clicking Following.
- Click the extension icon and enter your Bluesky username and password. I’d recommend using App Password.
- Then, click Find Bluesky Users.
The extension will scan the list of people you follow on X, using their usernames and display names to find them on Bluesky. Once the scan is complete, tap View Detected Users to see your X connections on Bluesky, each with a Follow button.
If no match is found, you’ll see a “No similar users found” message. This could mean those people haven’t signed up for Bluesky, or they might be using a different display name or username.
3. Redirect X to Bluesky Automatically
Does muscle memory keep leading you back to twitter.com or x.com in your browser? Don’t worry—it happens to the best of us. Save yourself the hassle of correcting the URL every time by using this simple extension.
Install the Redirect Twitter Share to Bluesky extension from the Chrome Web Store. Once installed, all Twitter or X links will automatically redirect to Bluesky. Even “Post to Twitter” buttons will take you straight to Bluesky instead.
4. Add the Bookmarks Feature to Bluesky
While Bluesky includes many of X’s features—like, repost, quote post, and reply—it still doesn’t allow you to bookmark posts. However, if you’d like to save specific Bluesky posts for later reference, you can use the Bluesky Bookmarks extension.
Simply add the extension to Chrome, Edge, or any Chromium-based browser. You’ll start seeing a Bookmark button on all Bluesky posts.
You can access your saved posts anytime by clicking the extension icon in the toolbar, complete with a preview of each bookmark.
5. Remove bsky.social Extension from Username
While usernames on X are displayed simply as @username, Bluesky adds a .bsky.social extension to each username. So, if your username is “david,” it appears as “david.bsky.social”—and the same goes for others on the platform, which can be a bit distracting.
To remove these extensions, install the Bluesky CleanUp Usernames extension on your Chrome or Firefox browser. After installation, click the extension icon, toggle on “Remove all username extensions,” and hit Save. Now refresh the Bluesky webpage, and all usernames will appear without the .bsky.social extension.
Migrating From X to Bluesky Made Easier
Switching platforms can feel daunting, but these five Chrome extensions make it simple to bring your X (Twitter) history, connections, and favorite features to Bluesky. From transferring old tweets to reconnecting with followers and even customizing Bluesky to feel more familiar, these tools help you personalize your new social space with ease. Whether you’re just exploring or fully transitioning, these extensions ensure your move from X to Bluesky is as hassle-free as possible.
