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← Back to Blog How to Schedule Bluesky Posts (Free, Step by Step)
PostClaw Team · · 4 min read
bluesky scheduling guide how-to

How to Schedule Bluesky Posts (Free, Step by Step)

Bluesky grew fast because it feels like the early, chronological Twitter: you follow people, you see their posts, in order. That is great for reading. For posting, it means timing matters — a post that goes out while your audience is asleep scrolls past unseen.

Bluesky's own app is built for posting in the moment. If you want posts to go out at 9 a.m. while you are in a meeting, or a week of posts queued on Sunday, you need a tool that publishes through the Bluesky API on your behalf. This guide shows how to do that for free.

What you need to know about Bluesky posts first

A few limits shape what you can schedule:

  • 300 characters per post. Shorter than X's standard limit, so a tweet does not always fit as-is.
  • Up to 4 images per post, with alt text.
  • Link cards. A URL in your post can render as a preview card with title and image.
  • Threads of posts are replies to your own post — useful when 300 characters is not enough.

The 300-character limit is the one that bites. If you cross-post from X or LinkedIn, the text needs trimming, not just copying.

Step 1: Connect your Bluesky account

Sign in to PostClaw with Google or GitHub — one click, no credit card. Open Channels, choose Bluesky, and enter your handle (for example yourname.bsky.social or your custom domain). You approve access on Bluesky's own sign-in page; PostClaw never sees your password.

If your Bluesky account lives on a self-hosted PDS, or OAuth is not available to you, PostClaw also accepts a Bluesky App Password — create one in Bluesky under Settings → Privacy and security → App passwords. An app password can be revoked at any time without changing your real password.

Step 2: Write the post

Open the Composer, pick your Bluesky channel, and write. Add up to four images and alt text for each.

If you have an AI key (Gemini, OpenAI, Claude, OpenRouter or others), the composer can draft the post for you in your brand voice and keep it inside Bluesky's limit. New accounts get 20 free AI calls to try this before adding a key, and after that the AI runs on your own key — you pay your provider directly, with no markup from PostClaw.

Step 3: Pick a time and schedule

Choose a date and time and schedule it. The post appears on your Calendar, where you can drag it to another slot, edit it, or delete it before it goes out. PostClaw publishes it at that time through the Bluesky API — your laptop does not need to be open.

When to post? There is no universal best time. Start with the hours your followers are active — check when your recent posts got their first likes and replies — then look at what performed after two or three weeks and move your slots.

Step 4: Send the same idea to your other channels

Most people on Bluesky also keep an X, Threads or Mastodon account alive. In the composer, select more than one channel and PostClaw adapts the text for each platform's format and length, instead of pushing an identical post everywhere. You review each version before scheduling.

On the Free plan you can connect two social accounts — Bluesky plus one more — and schedule up to 50 posts a month.

Tips for Bluesky specifically

  • Use custom feeds as a distribution channel. Many topic feeds pick up posts by keyword or hashtag. Posting where a feed's audience already looks is the closest thing Bluesky has to an algorithmic boost.
  • Reply to your own post to make a thread when an idea needs more than 300 characters — but lead with a first post that stands on its own.
  • Do not burst-post. Ten scheduled posts in an hour from a quiet account looks like spam. Spread them across the week.
  • Always add alt text. The Bluesky community notices, and it makes your images accessible.

Summary

  1. Connect Bluesky in PostClaw's Channels with your handle.
  2. Write the post in the Composer (300 characters, up to 4 images).
  3. Pick a time; it publishes through the API while you are away.
  4. Optionally adapt the same idea for X, Threads or Mastodon in the same step.

Try it: start free — connect Bluesky on the Free plan and queue your first week of posts.