How to use a custom domain as your Bluesky handle with Netlify DNS

Why this is such a nice solution to the username problem

If you have ever tried to claim a username on a social platform, you know the pain. You think of the perfect handle, type it in, and get hit with "already taken."

Sometimes the account is active. Fair enough. But often it is not. It is just sitting there, unused, or being held for profit.

Bluesky has a clever workaround: you can use your custom domain as your handle.

That means if you own yourdomain.com, your identity is tied to something you already control. And if your domain is managed with Netlify DNS, setting this up is pretty straightforward.

This guide walks through the exact steps.

Prerequisites

You will need:

• A Bluesky account
• A Netlify account
• A custom domain connected to a Netlify site using Netlify DNS

If your domain is not using Netlify DNS yet, you will want to set that up first, because the steps below assume you can edit DNS records inside Netlify.

Step 1: Get the DNS record details from Bluesky

First, you tell Bluesky which domain you want to use.

In Bluesky:

1. Open Settings
2. Choose Change my handle
3. Click I have my own domain
4. Enter your domain, like example.com

After you enter the domain, Bluesky will show you the DNS record you need to add. It typically looks like this:

Domain: _atproto.example.com
Type: TXT
Value: did=did:plc:something-long-here

Keep this info open. You will copy it into Netlify in the next step.

Step 2: Add the Bluesky TXT record in Netlify DNS

Now switch to Netlify:

1. Go to the Netlify site that is using your custom domain
2. Open Domain settings
3. Find your domain and open the DNS panel
4. Click Add a new record

Netlify's form fields do not use the exact same labels as Bluesky, so here is how they map:

• Bluesky Domain becomes Netlify Name
• Bluesky Type becomes Netlify Record type
• Bluesky Value stays Netlify Value

So if Bluesky shows this:

Domain: _atproto.example.com
Type: TXT
Value: did=did:plc:abc123

You would add a new DNS record in Netlify like:

• Name: _atproto
• Record type: TXT
• Value: did=did:plc:abc123

After saving, you should see the new TXT record listed in your Netlify DNS panel.

DNS propagation note

DNS changes are not always instant. Sometimes it takes a few minutes, sometimes longer. If Bluesky cannot verify right away, it usually means the record has not fully propagated yet.

Step 3: Verify the DNS record on Bluesky

Go back to Bluesky and hit the verify button for the domain handle setup.

Once Bluesky can see the TXT record, it will confirm ownership and update your handle to your domain.

At that point, your Bluesky handle is now something like:

example.com

And you do not have to worry about someone else grabbing it.

Next steps

Now that you can use a custom domain as your Bluesky handle, you can create branded accounts without playing the username lottery.

If you want to go deeper on Netlify domain management, these topics are worth reading up on:

• Netlify custom domains
• Netlify DNS

Conclusion

Using your custom domain as a Bluesky handle is a practical way to avoid "username already taken," and it gives you an identity you actually control.

The Netlify side is just a DNS change:

• Grab the TXT record details from Bluesky
• Add the TXT record in Netlify DNS
• Verify in Bluesky

Once it is done, your handle is yours as long as you own the domain.