There might be certain instances when you encounter errors while publishing a post from your RecurPost account to your Bluesky profile. There might be a few reasons behind such errors, which we’re going to discuss, along with their possible solutions.
Bluesky does not offer an official API for third-party apps, so RecurPost connects to your profile using your Bluesky handle and an App Password. That means most Bluesky failures come down to one of two things: the credentials RecurPost holds have stopped working, or the post falls outside Bluesky’s limits. Start with the checks below before working through the error messages.
Check the connection first
Are you using an App Password?
RecurPost needs an App Password, not the password you use to log in to Bluesky. Generate one in Bluesky under Settings → Privacy and security → App passwords, give it a name you will recognise, and copy it before closing the dialog, because Bluesky shows it only once. Then enter it in RecurPost under Social profiles → Bluesky. Your main account password will not work, and entering it is the single most common cause of a failed Bluesky connection.
Is the handle exactly right?
The handle is the identifier RecurPost logs in with, so it has to match your profile exactly. Enter it as it appears on your profile, including the `.bsky.social` ending or your custom domain if you use one. A leading `@`, a typo, or an old handle will all fail.
Did you change your handle recently?
Changing your Bluesky handle, including moving to or from a custom domain, breaks the stored connection because RecurPost is still logging in with the old one. Reconnect the profile in RecurPost with the new handle and a current App Password.
Is your email verified?
Bluesky requires a verified email address before an account can upload its first video. If text and image posts publish but videos fail, verify your email in Bluesky under Settings → Account and try the video again.
If the connection checks out, work through the error messages below.
1. Invalid identifier or password
Error message: Invalid identifier or password.
Solution: Bluesky rejected the credentials RecurPost sent. Check three things, in this order. First, confirm you entered an App Password and not your account password. Second, confirm the handle matches your profile exactly, including the domain ending. Third, open Settings → Privacy and security → App passwords in Bluesky and check that the App Password you gave RecurPost is still listed. If it was revoked, or if you are not sure, delete it, generate a fresh one, and reconnect the profile in RecurPost.
2. Reconnect your profile
Error message: Please reconnect your Bluesky profile to continue posting.
Solution: RecurPost no longer has a working login for this profile. This happens when the App Password is revoked, when the account password is reset, or when the handle changes. Go to Social profiles, click Reconnect next to the Bluesky profile, and enter your current handle and a newly generated App Password.
3. Authentication code required
Error message: AuthFactorTokenRequired
Solution: Bluesky is asking for the email two-factor code, which it only does when a login uses the main account password. App Password logins skip two-factor entirely, so this error means the password stored in RecurPost is your account password rather than an App Password. Generate an App Password in Bluesky and reconnect the profile with that instead.
4. Character limit
Error message: Bluesky allows sharing posts with a maximum of 300 characters.
Solution: Bluesky posts support up to 300 characters. Shorten the caption and try posting again. Two things catch people out here. Links count in full because Bluesky does not shorten URLs, and hashtags and @mentions count as ordinary text. A long link plus a few hashtags can use most of the allowance on its own.
5. Content missing
Error message: Bluesky doesn’t allow posting with an empty message. Please add a message and try again.
Solution: A Bluesky post needs text, media, or a link. Add a caption in the text field, or attach an image or video, and try posting again.
6. Too many images
Error message: Bluesky allows only up to 4 images; the extra images will be ignored.
Solution: Bluesky allows up to 4 images in a single post. Remove the extra images, or split the set across more than one post.
7. File too large
Error message: This file is too large. It is 2.63MB but the maximum size is 976.56KB.
Solution: This message comes from Bluesky itself, and the two figures in it change to match your file. Bluesky accepts images up to 976.56 KB, which is just under 1 MB. Resize the image in RecurPost’s Image Editor, or export it again at a smaller file size, and upload it. Saving as a JPEG at around 80% quality will usually bring a photo well under the limit without a visible difference. Bluesky resizes images for display after upload anyway, so there is nothing to gain from a larger file.
8. Media file exceeds Bluesky’s size limit
Error message: Your media file exceeds Bluesky’s size limit. Please upload a file smaller than 976 KB.
Solution: This is the same limit as the error above, reported by RecurPost before the file is sent to Bluesky. Reduce the file to under 976 KB and upload it again.
9. Video doesn’t meet Bluesky’s requirements
Error message: The video does not comply with Bluesky’s guidelines, which require videos under 3 minutes in length and not exceeding 100MB in size.
Solution: Trim the video to under 3 minutes, keep it under 100 MB, and upload it again. MP4 is the preferred format, and MOV is also supported. You can check the full specifications in the Bluesky video sharing guidelines. Re-export the file, upload it to your RecurPost library, and reschedule the post.
10. Daily video limit reached
Error message: You have hit the daily video upload limit for now. Please try posting it again after some time.
Solution: Bluesky allows 25 videos or 10 GB per account per day, whichever comes first. This is a limit Bluesky sets, not RecurPost. Wait until the next day and reschedule the failed posts.
11. Rate limit exceeded
Error message: Rate Limit Exceeded
Solution: Bluesky temporarily stopped accepting requests from your account because too many arrived in a short window. Bluesky limits both logins and writes: 30 logins per 5 minutes and 300 per day per account, and roughly 1,600 new records an hour and 11,600 a day. Wait for the window to clear and reschedule the failed posts. If you hit this regularly, spread your Bluesky time slots further apart rather than grouping several posts into the same minute.
12. Image could not be fetched
Error message: Bluesky could not fetch the image. Please check the URL and try again.
Solution: Bluesky was not able to retrieve the image. If you added the image by URL, open that URL in a browser to confirm it loads directly as an image and is not behind a login or an expired link. If you uploaded the file to your RecurPost library, the upload may have been incomplete, so upload it again, confirm it displays in the library, and reschedule the post.
15. Account deactivated or suspended
Error message: AccountDeactivated
or
Error message: AccountTakedown
Solution: Bluesky has deactivated or suspended the account, and nothing can be published to it until that is resolved. Log in to Bluesky directly to check the account’s status. If the account was deactivated, reactivate it in Bluesky; if it was suspended, appeal through Bluesky’s moderation support. Once the account is active again, reconnect the profile in RecurPost.
Things that are not errors
Hashtags, links, and @mentions are not clickable. Because Bluesky has no official third-party API, posts published through RecurPost carry their hashtags, links, and @mentions as plain text, so they are not tappable in the Bluesky app. The text is still there and readable, and people can copy a link, but it will not be a live link. If a clickable link is essential for a particular post, publish that one directly in Bluesky.
The link preview card is missing or shows a different image. When you add a link, RecurPost fetches a title, image, and description for the preview card, but Bluesky decides what is finally shown at the moment the post goes live. Some sites block the fetch altogether, in which case no card appears. If the preview matters, attach your own image to the post instead of relying on the automatic card.
Analytics are not available for Bluesky. Reporting needs API access that Bluesky does not currently provide to third-party apps, so Bluesky profiles do not appear in RecurPost’s reports.
In case of any queries, feel free to contact us at support@recurpost.com.