Bluesky goes down amid exodus from Elon Musk's X / Twitter

Cloudy skies.
By Tim Marcin  on 
bluesky logo on a computer and phone
Credit: Photo Illustration by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Bluesky appeared to crash on Thursday amid a surge in users as they apparently fled Elon Musk's X / Twitter.

A status page for the Twitter alternative said some systems were down as of about 5:15 p.m. ET. Down Detector saw a bit of a spike in reports at the same time.

It's not yet clear how widespread the issue is, but the app was not loading for me on both desktop and the app on my phone. When I went to the site or app all I got was a spinning circle, as if it were trying to load. Down Detector showed a large spike in reports of issues earlier Thursday as well.

Mashable Top Stories
Stay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news.
Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter
By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!

It's perhaps expected that Bluesky might have issues. Amid Musk's high-profile support for President-elect Donald Trump lots of users made an exodus for Bluesky. It skyrocketed to the top of Apple's App Store, adding approximately 100,000 users per day since last week's election.

With all that added traffic, it might not be a surprise that Bluesky would have some growing pains.

close-up of man's face
Tim Marcin

Tim Marcin is an Associate Editor on the culture team at Mashable, where he mostly digs into the weird parts of the internet. You'll also see some coverage of memes, tech, sports, and the occasional hot take. You can find him posting endlessly about Buffalo wings on the website formerly known as Twitter at @timmarcin.


Recommended For You
Bluesky adds videos to the platform to take on Elon Musk's X
Bluesky logo on smartphone

Brazilian users flock to Bluesky after Elon Musk's X banned
X and Bluesky on smartphones with Brazil's flag in the background

Bluesky hits #1 on the App Store as users continue to flee Elon Musk's X
Bluesky app logo

I've barely used Bluesky, and the engagement already feels more real
bluesky on a phone and a graph behind it of the site adding users


More in Life

The best Cyber Monday deals still live in 2024
A colorful Black Friday background with an Apple watch, Hisense TV, iRobot vacuum, Microsoft 2-in-1 laptop, and Apple AirPods.

Samsung still has its 'buy one, get one free' sale on Odyssey gaming monitors going on now
By Mashable Shopping
samsung gaming monitors on blue background with badge that reads 'black friday cyber monday'

Cyber Monday is over, but these deals are still live at Amazon
pink and orange background with amazon logo

The gorgeous 'Wicked'-edition Shark FlexStyle is 25% off post-Cyber Monday
hand holding Shark FlexStyle Wicked edition with teal and purple background

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections today: Hints, answers for December 3, 2024
A phone displaying the New York Times game 'Connections.'

Tesla suspends Cybertruck production. Who could have predicted this?
Tesla vehicles, including Cybertrucks, loaded on a transport that seems to be going nowhere.

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 4, 2024
A phone displaying the New York Times game 'Connections.'

Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 3
a phone displaying Wordle

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 2, 2024
A phone displaying the New York Times game 'Connections.'
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!