Bluesky users baffled by ‘invalid handle’ alert as millions flock to X rival – but there’s a way to instantly fix it
MILLIONS of people have flocked to Bluesky as an alternative to Elon Musk's X social network.
The platform has been around since 2019 but after the US Election it blew in popularity with a number of high-profile names and celebrities jumping on board.
Bluesky is quite similar to X - formerly known as Twitter - with the ability to post, reply, and message other users.
It actually started out as a research initiative at Twitter before being spun off.
But in the rush to bag profile names, some have noticed a bizarre error on their account.
On some profiles, it says "invalid handle" below their name.
Read more about Bluesky
And it doesn't appear to be a new problem either.
"Why does it say invalid handle beside your name?," one confused user wrote.
"I never changed my handle and still get the invalid handle error lol," another said.
"The "Invalid handle" strikes again!" a third commented.
It's not clear why the issue happens.
Back in August 2023, Bluesky posted about "invalid handle" saying it was part of their "upgraded infrastructure" which "may affect your profile".
But the firm also detailed a solution that should fix it.
Bluesky says you will need to re-verify to resolve the problem.
You can do this by going to Settings > Change my handle > Type in your current handle > Verify DNS Record > Update.
"The above steps should resolve your handle, but if the error persists, please file a support ticket via the “Help” button in your menu so our team can assist you," Bluesky said.
Celebs on Bluesky

- Lizzo
- Mark Hamill
- Barbara Streisand
- Ben Stiller
- Stephen King
- Gabrielle Union
- Jamie Lee Curtis
- Bette Midler