Bluesky 1.96: Mentions, Custom Replies, and More!

Bluesky continues to enhance its platform with the release of its 1.96 update, bringing several much-anticipated features to improve the user experience. Among the highlights are a dedicated Mentions tab in notifications and advanced tools to customize how replies are managed on posts.

New Mentions Tab for Notifications

The introduction of a dedicated Mentions tab makes it significantly easier to track conversations where you’ve been tagged or posts that directly respond to your content. This addition brings clarity and simplifies interactions, particularly for active users juggling multiple threads.

Custom Reply Display Options

The update introduces advanced tools to control how replies are displayed on your posts. Users can now choose between two layouts:

Linear: Replies appear in a simple chronological order.
Threaded: Replies are nested, Reddit-style, for better readability of complex discussions.

Additionally, Bluesky now offers new sorting modes for replies:

Most Recent First: Displays the newest replies at the top.
Oldest First: Prioritizes replies in the order they were made.
Most Liked First: Highlights replies with the most "likes."
Active Replies First: Sorts based on relevance or recent activity.
Random: A shuffled order for unexpected insights.

These new tools give users more control over how they engage with conversations, making Bluesky a more dynamic and personalized experience.

Protection for Old Usernames

For users adopting a custom domain as their username, Bluesky now ensures that their previous .bsky.social handle is reserved and cannot be claimed by others. This added layer of security helps prevent identity theft, a common issue on many social platforms.

Bluesky’s Growth and Future Plans

Bluesky experienced rapid growth in November, recently surpassing 25 million registered users. Although the pace has slowed, the platform is continually evolving to retain its community. Upcoming developments include the launch of a subscription service early next year and an integrated payment platform.

However, competition remains fierce, particularly with Meta’s Threads, which continues to roll out new features at a rapid pace. Despite this, Bluesky is betting on its strong community and unique innovations to stand out in an increasingly crowded social media landscape.

The Road Ahead

With the 1.96 update, Bluesky strengthens its foundation, improving both user experience and security. While it remains to be seen if these updates will help it compete with industry giants, the platform is clearly determined to carve out its place in the social media ecosystem.