Bluesky gets a massive video upgrade to tempt X fans who are frustrated by its cyberattack outages

(Image credit: Shutterstock / davide bonaldo)

Bluesky users can now post videos up to three minutes long
There are also new changes to DMs, reporting, muting, and more
It comes soon after rival network X was knocked offline by a cyberattack

Yesterday, X suffered a massive cyberattack that temporarily knocked it offline for users around the world. It came at a bad time, because rival social media app Bluesky has just announced a huge upgrade that could make it an even more enticing alternative to Elon Musk’s X.

According to an official Bluesky post from the app’s developer, the latest version 1.99 update brings a raft of changes to the social media app. The goal is to “make the Internet less toxic, more fun, and more in your control.”

Perhaps the most significant of these changes is that user-posted videos can now be up to three minutes long. Notably, that triples the previous 60-second limit and addresses one of Bluesky users’ most frequent requests.

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As well as that, you’ll now get a separate “Chat Requests” inbox for DMs (direct messages) from unknown users. Instead of having this mail clogging up your regular inbox, you’ll be able to approve or decline new direct messages from accounts you don’t know away from all your important mail.

There were further changes elsewhere. You now have the ability to mute an account from the three-dot menu on a post instead of having to go to a profile first. Bluesky says the moderation reporting flow has been improved, as has the error reporting process during signup. Finally, tablet-optimized layouts now work better when viewed on the web.

These changes are unlikely to provoke a mass exodus from X towards Bluesky, but they come at a fortuitous time for the smaller social network. With many X users unhappy at the controversial direction taken by Elon Musk in recent months, Bluesky has an opportunity to promote itself as a tempting alternative. The high-profile attack that took X offline in recent days may further boost Bluesky’s appeal in the short-term.

If you’ve been considering jumping ship to Bluesky, we’ve got a guide on switching from X to Bluesky that’ll help make the transition seamless. While it’s still far behind X in terms of user count, Bluesky has been steadily gaining popularity over time, making it a viable alternative social network.

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Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he's learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That's all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.