How to Connect Bluesky and Mastodon Accounts to a Scheduler

Step by step

1. 1

   Open SocialKit's connections screen

   Sign in to SocialKit and navigate to your workspace settings. Look for the "Accounts" or "Connections" area — as of June 2026 this lists all 11 supported networks with an option to add each one. You'll be connecting Bluesky and Mastodon as separate accounts, so work through them one at a time.

   Tip: Connect Bluesky first if that is the network you post to most. You can schedule to it immediately while finishing the Mastodon setup.

2. 2

   Generate a Bluesky app password

   Before authorizing in SocialKit, open Bluesky in a separate tab. Go to Settings → Privacy and Security → App Passwords, then create a new app password and give it a recognizable name (for example "SocialKit"). As of June 2026, Bluesky app passwords are 19 characters in an xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx format (alphanumeric segments separated by dashes) — copy it immediately, because it is shown only once.

   Tip: App passwords are isolated credentials scoped to a single app. If you ever want to revoke SocialKit's access, delete just that app password from Bluesky settings — your main account and other apps are unaffected.

3. 3

   Authorize your Bluesky account in SocialKit

   Back in SocialKit, select Bluesky from the network list. You will be asked for your Bluesky handle (your full @handle, e.g. yourname.bsky.social or a custom domain) and the app password you just created. SocialKit uses this credential to connect — your main Bluesky account password is never requested or stored. As of June 2026, verify in SocialKit's help docs whether an OAuth-based flow has replaced the app-password method, as Bluesky is actively developing its auth layer.

   Tip: If your handle is a custom domain (e.g. @yourname.com), enter it exactly as shown on your Bluesky profile — including the leading @ if the field expects it, or without if it does not.

4. 4

   Confirm the Bluesky connection

   After submitting, SocialKit should display your Bluesky handle and profile picture in the connected accounts list. Compose a short test post and schedule it a few minutes out to confirm auto-publish is working. Bluesky supports auto-publishing via third-party tools as of June 2026, so you should not need a mobile reminder for basic posts.

5. 5

   Enter your Mastodon instance URL in SocialKit

   Select Mastodon from the network list. Unlike centralized networks, Mastodon requires you to identify which instance hosts your account. Enter your home server URL — for example "mastodon.social", "fosstodon.org", or your self-hosted domain. SocialKit uses this to route the OAuth authorization to the correct server. As of June 2026, the exact field label ("instance", "server", or "domain") may vary; look for the prompt asking where your account lives.

   Tip: Unsure of your instance URL? It is the portion of your Mastodon handle that comes after the second @, or the domain you visit to log in — for example, if you log in at fosstodon.org, that is your instance URL.

6. 6

   Authorize SocialKit via Mastodon's OAuth screen

   After entering the instance URL, SocialKit redirects you to that instance's own authorization page. Log in if prompted, review the permissions SocialKit is requesting (typically read and write access for posts), and approve. As of June 2026, you approve on your instance's own domain — never paste your Mastodon password into any third-party box.

   Tip: The permissions screen appearance varies by instance software version. If you see a scope list, confirm it includes write access to posts; read-only will not let SocialKit schedule content.

7. 7

   Confirm the Mastodon connection and verify character limits

   Back in SocialKit, your Mastodon handle and instance should appear in the connected accounts list. Note that character limits vary by instance — the Mastodon default is 500 characters, but many instances raise this. As of June 2026, SocialKit's composer reflects the limit for your specific instance where possible, but double-check long posts before scheduling. Schedule a brief test post to confirm the connection is live.

   Tip: Mastodon also supports content warnings (CW) for posts. If your instance community norms call for CWs on certain topics, check whether SocialKit's composer exposes this field as of June 2026 — it is an important civility feature on many servers.

Best practices

• Name your Bluesky app password clearly (e.g. "SocialKit-2026") so you can identify and revoke it quickly if needed — treat it like an API key, not a shared password.
• On Mastodon, post to your instance during its active hours rather than at generic "best times" — federated timelines mean your followers are spread across many instances and time zones, so check your own instance's peak activity via your analytics.
• Cross-post between Bluesky and Mastodon thoughtfully: each community has distinct norms. A post that performs well on one may need a rewritten tone or different context for the other.
• After connecting, post at least one piece of content within the first week to signal to SocialKit that the connection is active — some OAuth tokens can expire faster on lesser-used instances if they go untouched.
• If a connection drops (common after instance software upgrades on Mastodon), reconnect from the connections screen — it takes under a minute and does not require generating a new app password for Bluesky unless the token was explicitly revoked.
• Both Bluesky and Mastodon support alt text on images — add descriptions in SocialKit's composer before scheduling so every post is accessible from the start.

Good to know

Do it in SocialKit