One of Bluesky’s strengths as a social network is that it lets you select your own default feed, as opposed to letting an algorithm decide what kind of engagement bait (or rage bait) dominates your page. Even better, you can use starter packs to quickly discover multiple accounts and feeds. Starter packs let you follow, mute or, block multiple accounts in just a couple of clicks.
This means you don’t have to spend much energy hiding content you don’t care for, and at the same time, you can quickly follow the people you want to see more of. It’s also great for those who want to build their audience on a new platform. If you get added to a starter pack, you’re likely to get more followers a lot faster than you would otherwise. As an example, check out this Lifehacker starter pack to follow all the writers and editors who make this site awesome. If that interests you, here’s how to create your own starter pack on Bluesky.
How to create a starter pack on Bluesky
Credit: Pranay Parab
You can easily create starter packs on both Bluesky’s website and app. Follow these steps:
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Go to your profile on Bluesky, which is in the left pane on the desktop and the bottom-right corner in the app.
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Select the Starter Packs subheading to the right of Feeds. You’ll see a banner that prompts you to create one.
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Choose Create to make a starter pack, or Make one for me to use Bluesky’s tools to generate one quickly. I recommend creating a pack manually so that you’ll have more control over it.
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You’ll be asked to add a name and description for your starter pack. Once you’re done, select Next.
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You can now add accounts to the starter pack. Bluesky will show a list of accounts you follow, but you can use the search bar at the top to look for more. A starter pack can include between seven and 150 accounts.
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Once you’ve added people, you can choose up to three feeds (optional) to bundle into the pack as well. These appear in a separate tab in the starter pack.
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Once you’re done, you’ll see a banner for the pack. Use the Share link or Share QR code buttons to share your pack with others.
All of your starter packs are located under the Starter Packs subheading on your Bluesky profile. Go there anytime to see or edit them.
How to find starter packs on Bluesky
Credit: Pranay Parab
There are many ways to find starter packs on Bluesky, but the easiest one is to use Bluesky Directory. Lifehacker’s Deputy Editor and certified Bluesky expert Joel Cunningham calls it the best way to find and follow people on Bluesky. It’s not official, but Bluesky Directory lets you use a search bar to look for starter packs on topics you’re interested in (or sometimes, topics you want to remove from your feed). This way, you can quickly follow feeds or people who post about the things you care about. Or, you could even use starter packs to instantly block or mute accounts you’d rather not follow.
Alternatively, you can always use Bluesky’s search feature to look for people posting starter packs around particular subjects, but this approach isn’t as good as the independent directory.
How to remove yourself from a starter pack
If you find yourself in a starter pack you’d rather not be associated with, you have two options: block the creator of the starter pack or report the pack to Bluesky. You’ll see a link to who created it just below the name of the starter pack. Click it, select the three-dots icon, and choose Block Account. This will remove you from the starter pack. Alternatively, you can click the three-dots icon next to the name of the starter pack and select Report starter pack to bring it to the moderation staff’s notice. This won’t immediately remove you from the starter pack, but if it gets taken down, it’ll have the same effect.
