One Domain for Your Bluesky Handle and Your Link in Bio

Bluesky lets you use a domain you own as your handle: @yourname.com instead of @yourname.bsky.social. Lots of makers already own that domain and point it at a portfolio or link in bio. The good news is that the same domain can do both jobs, because the two use different DNS records that do not get in each other's way.

This guide shows the setup with makerhandle (our product) as the page, but the DNS logic is the same for any host.

What each one needs

Your Bluesky handle is proven with one TXT record. Bluesky's own guide: in the app go to the handle settings (Settings, then Account, then Handle when the guide was written), choose "I have my own domain", and add a TXT record at the host _atproto with the value Bluesky shows you, which looks like did=did:plc:followed by your ID. Then tap Verify. Bluesky also supports serving the ID from a file at /.well-known/atproto-did on your site, but the DNS record is simpler and is the one to use here.

Your page on your domain needs a record that points the name at the page host. On makerhandle Pro that is a CNAME (for a subdomain such as links.yourname.com), or a flattened CNAME, ALIAS or ANAME at the root for yourname.com, plus sometimes a TXT record to confirm ownership. The editor shows the exact values.

Why they do not clash

DNS records live at names. Bluesky's record lives at _atproto.yourname.com. Your page's record lives at yourname.com or links.yourname.com. Different names, so you can add both, in either order, and neither changes the other.

If your handle is a subdomain, say @links.yourname.com, the Bluesky record goes at _atproto.links.yourname.com. Same idea.

Two setups that work well

Handle and page on the same name. Handle @yourname.com, page at yourname.com. Someone who sees your handle can type it into a browser and land on everything you make. This needs a DNS provider that supports CNAME flattening at the root, which many do. Our glossary entry on CNAME flattening explains it.

Handle on the root, page on a subdomain. Handle @yourname.com, page at links.yourname.com, while yourname.com stays your main website or blog. The simplest choice if you already have a site.

Step by step

1. Decide which name is your handle and which is your page.
2. In Bluesky, go to the handle settings, choose your own domain and copy the TXT value.
3. At your DNS provider, add the TXT record at _atproto (or _atproto.links if your handle is a subdomain).
4. Back in Bluesky, verify. It can take a few minutes.
5. On makerhandle, open Settings, type the page's domain and add the records it shows. It checks them and issues SSL on its own.
6. Put your page's address in your Bluesky bio and pin a post that links to it.

Tell which visitors came from Bluesky

Use a tagged link in your Bluesky bio, such as https://links.yourname.com?ref=bsky, and makerhandle's stats list Bluesky by name as the source. Then you can compare it with X, Threads or LinkedIn without guessing. The UTM guide covers tagging in general.

Cost

Bluesky charges nothing for a custom handle. The domain itself is whatever your registrar charges. A makerhandle page on your own domain is part of Pro, $20 a year, SSL included; see custom domain and the full DNS walkthrough.