Bluesky Blue Check vs Domain Handle: How Verification Works

You see a blue badge on some Bluesky accounts, and a website address in place of a normal username on others. You wonder which one you need, whether one of them makes your account official, and how to get it.

This guide follows Bluesky's own pages. It explains the two layers of verification, what the pages say about each, how a domain handle is set up, and what they do not say. One of our sources is a tutorial from 2023, not a support page, so we use it for the general method and tell you where to follow the live screens instead. We cannot promise a badge, and the pages we read describe no way to buy one. A wrong step can waste your time or expose you to scams, so know what you are doing before you start.

Last checked: 27 October 2026.

#The Two Layers of Bluesky Verification

Bluesky's A New Form of Verification on Bluesky blog post, dated 21 April 2025, says Bluesky launched its first layer of verification in 2023, letting individuals and organisations set their domain as their username, and that domain handles continue to be an important part of verification. It then introduces a new layer: a user-friendly, easily recognisable verification badge.

The pages are clear that the domain handle and the blue badge are two different things. The blog post says setting your domain as your username is separate from verification badges, and the journalists page says the same in a bracketed note: this is different from a verification badge.

#How the Blue Badge Works

The April 2025 post says Bluesky will proactively verify authentic and notable accounts and display a blue badge next to their names. The post does not define notable in detail, and it does not list evidence you must supply. It says notable and authentic accounts interested in a verification badge can apply through the form it links.

We do not repeat any follower counts or other numbers from the post. They describe Bluesky's position on the day it was written, and the badge is not something you can earn by reaching a number.

The post also says that when you tap on a verified account's badge, you see which organisations have granted verification. That is a useful habit for a reader. If you doubt an account, tap the badge, and check who stands behind it.

#What Are Trusted Verifiers?

The post says that, through the Trusted Verifiers feature, select independent organisations can verify accounts directly, and that Bluesky reviews these verifications as well to ensure authenticity. It describes trusted verifiers as organisations that can directly issue verification badges, marked by scalloped badges. Its example is a newspaper that can issue badges to its journalists directly in the app.

The post says that Bluesky's moderation team reviews each verification to ensure authenticity, and that notable and authentic accounts interested in a verification badge, or organisations interested in becoming a Trusted Verifier, can apply through the form.

#Can I Hide the Badges?

Yes, according to the post. It says you can choose to hide verification badges within the app, by going to Settings, then Moderation, then Verification Settings, and toggling it off. That is useful if you simply do not want badges to influence how you read a feed.

#What Is a Domain Handle?

Bluesky's How to verify your Bluesky account guide, dated 28 April 2023, says that on Bluesky you can set your website as your username, and that this is one form of verification on Bluesky. It says Bluesky highly recommends that official organisations and high-profile individuals do this. By default, usernames end with the bsky.social suffix, and the guide gives examples of accounts that use their own website instead.

Bluesky's earlier Domain Names as Handles in Bluesky post, dated 6 March 2023, explains the idea. It says you can tell which accounts are authentic based on the websites they are associated with, and calls custom domain handles a decentralised way to achieve a level of account verification. It also says you can use the same handle across other services built on the same protocol and keep it if you switch services.

The key point is what a domain handle proves. It shows that whoever controls the account also controls that website. That is useful if the website itself is well known. It does not show that Bluesky has reviewed the person or the organisation, which is what the blue badge is for.

#How a Domain Handle Is Set Up

The 2023 guide gives the method, and it says the screenshots show the mobile app while similar steps apply on desktop. In outline, based on that guide:

1. Create a Bluesky account. If you plan to use your website as your username, the guide says to pick any placeholder username when you sign up.
2. Open the left side menu, then go to Settings, then Account, then Handle. On the screen for changing your handle, choose I have my own domain.
3. The screen shows the details to add at your domain registrar, which is the company you bought your domain from. Go to its DNS management page.
4. Add a TXT record. The guide says to set the domain to _atproto, the type to TXT, and the value to the text shown in the app, which starts with did= followed by your own DID value. It says the DID value is public and not sensitive information.
5. The guide says that if you use a hosting company other than the registrar, for example Cloudflare, you add the TXT record there.
6. After adding the record, wait a couple of minutes for the change to spread across the internet, then choose Verify DNS Record in the app. The guide notes that DNS propagation can take some time.

Because the guide is from 2023, the menu names and screens may have changed. Follow the instructions that your app shows you, and use the guide only to understand the idea. The guide also points out that if you work for an organisation with an IT team, you can send them the link, as they can likely help you.

The guide gives a December 2024 update. It says that if you change your default bsky.social username to a website URL, your old bsky.social username will be reserved for you, you no longer need to create a second account to reserve it, and the reservation does not expire. It says only your most recent bsky.social username is reserved. It also says that any tags or mentions with your old handle will still point to your account.

For a subdomain handle, such as one on an organisation's own domain, the guide says the TXT record domain includes the subdomain. For a large set of handles, it describes a different method aimed at developers. We do not cover that here, because it is a technical task for an IT team.

#Which Should You Choose?

• If you own a website or work for an organisation with one, a domain handle is something you can do yourself, and Bluesky encourages it for official organisations and individuals.
• If you are an authentic and notable account, the blue badge is the layer that Bluesky awards. You can apply through the form, but Bluesky decides.
• If you are an organisation that wants to vouch for others, the Trusted Verifier route also goes through the form.
• If you are an ordinary user, neither is needed to use Bluesky.

#Watch for Fake Offers

The pages we read describe two ways a badge is issued: Bluesky verifies accounts itself, or a Trusted Verifier organisation does, and you apply through Bluesky's form. They describe no paid route. A message that offers a badge for a payment, or asks for your login, is not using either route. Bluesky's Community Guidelines page also prohibits falsifying documents or misrepresenting your verification status, and prohibits impersonating others or official groups in ways that could mislead users. Do not claim to be verified when you are not.

If someone is using a copy of your name or photo, that is an impersonation case, not a verification case. See our guide on Bluesky account impersonating you. For the pattern of paid badge offers on other platforms, our guide on fake Meta Verified badge offers shows the signs, and the same signs apply here.

#What the Pages Do Not Say

The pages we read do not say how long Bluesky takes to reply to an application. They do not list the evidence it wants, or say what happens if an application is not successful. They do not say whether you can reapply. The domain guide is a 2023 tutorial, so it does not describe any later change to the settings screens. We do not know the outcome for your account, and we will not guess.

#When It Is Safer to Get Expert Help

Some people set up a domain handle alone, and the official steps stay first. The risks are plain. A wrong TXT record, or one added at the wrong company, will simply fail to verify. Changing your handle can confuse followers who knew the old one. Paying a stranger who promises a badge can cost you money and your login. And an application that does not show why you are notable and authentic can be a wasted effort.

If you are a business or a public figure and the Bluesky presence matters to you, handing the setup to an experienced team such as AwareXone is the safer choice. We can help you check your profile for consistency across platforms, prepare for the official form and avoid mistakes. See our social media verification help page, and use the Apply for Case Review button at the end of this guide.

#When a Case Review Makes Sense

If your handle does not verify, or you want to plan verification across several platforms, a review can help you decide what to do first. SocialSafe by AwareXone is a Malaysia-based service, independent of Bluesky, that helps you use the official routes. We never ask for your password or login codes, and we cannot give you a badge. See how we work on our trust page.

#Frequently Asked Questions

Short answers, based on Bluesky's pages above.