Bluesky adds support for three-minute videos, up from the previous one-minute limit, and a new “Chat Requests” feature to screen messages from unknown users
With every update, we're aiming to make the Internet less toxic, more fun, and more in your control. — • 3 minute videos! — • A separate request inbox for DMs from unknown users — • Mute accounts more quickly [image] @bsky.app : 📢 1.99 is rolling out now (3/5) — In addition to tooling to reduce DM spam, we've also added a new Chat Requests screen for messages from unknown users. You can accept or reject new conversations here. [images] @skylight.social : THIS IS NOT A DRILL!! — 3 minute video is here!!! — Keep an eye out for this update on Skylight today!! — LETS GOOOO!!! 🙌🏽 [embedded post] @bsky.app : 📢 1.99 is rolling out now (2/5) — People said it couldn't be done, but we cracked the technology: — Videos can now be up to 3 minutes long! — Put another way, the Bee Movie now only takes 30 posts. (Please don't test that.) Lupita Nihongo / @otsumamiboy : Bluesky introducing 3-minute video the day twitter gets taken down is like that year the Celtics just casually showed up with Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. @ooccouchgags : 3 minute video — Finally, I can stop cutting clips into parts now and do it just like on Twitter and Instagram now. [embedded post] @bsky.app : 📢 1.99 is rolling out now (4/5) — Mute accounts more quickly! — Tap the “...” three-dot menu and select “Mute account” to mute directly from a post. [images] See also Mediagazer
Context & Ripple Effects
Bluesky had already established a baseline for native video with its one-minute video rollout and subtitles, while its messaging push began with the introduction of direct messages. This update advances both product tracks at once: richer posting formats and more manageable private communication.
The moderation emphasis also fits Bluesky’s earlier appeal during user movement triggered by proposed changes to X’s blocking tools, documented in a one-day 500,000-user gain.
First-order effects
- Creators can publish videos up to three minutes long, giving Bluesky posts more room for demonstrations, commentary, and other formats that do not fit within one minute.
- Recipients gain a separate review step for unsolicited DMs, while the quicker mute action reduces the friction of responding to unwanted accounts.
Second-order effects
- Longer uploads raise the value of video creation and viewing on Bluesky, making format depth a more consequential product dimension alongside the network’s social feed.
- Screened message requests and faster muting shift more moderation decisions to users, potentially reducing the disruption caused by spam or harassment before it reaches normal conversations.
Third-order effects
- If Bluesky continues pairing engagement features with granular user controls, platform competition may increasingly hinge on whether growth can be accommodated without weakening users’ ability to manage attention and contact.
- The pattern points toward social products treating messaging safety and content-format expansion as interdependent: more participation creates more interaction surfaces that require user-facing controls.
The trend: Bluesky is building a fuller social platform by expanding expressive formats while embedding safety controls at the points where unwanted interaction occurs.