Flashes, A Bluesky-Based Instagram Alternative, Now Available On App Store. All You Need To Know

If you're getting tired of Instagram, a Bluesky-based alternative known as Flashes is now available on the App Store. According to TechCrunch, the app offers a decentralised, algorithm-free experience for users who want more control over their visual content. It uses the same basic technical framework as Bluesky, the AT protocol. However, though closely integrated, it is developed by a third-party Berlin-based developer, Sebastian Vogelsang, rather than Bluesky's core team. Flashes is currently a free download from the App Store and requires iOS 17 or higher to run. There is no confirmed date for an Android version yet. 

Flashes' features and functionality 

Flashes has the same requirements around posting images and videos as you'd find on Bluesky directly. Originally, that meant support for posting up to four images and videos of one minute in length, but as the Bluesky version 1.99 was updated and released earlier this year, users have been able to upload videos up to three minutes in length, the outlet reported.

Unlike traditional social media apps, posts made on Flashes will also appear on Buesky, with comments and interactions flowing between both platforms seamlessly. 

How Flashes is different from Instagram

Flashes is somewhat similar to Instagram, as it offers a scrollable feed of photos and videos, user profiles, and even photo filters to enhance your images when posting, per TechCrunch. But instead of having to start your network from scratch, Flashes' users are immediately tapped into the wider Bluesky community. 

Even if not all of Bluesky's users are on Flashes, their images and videos will be displayed in the app. And when you post on Flashes, it will create a post that will appear on Bluesky. 

Moreover, the app will let you browse your own Bluesky feeds and choose from Bluesky's over 50,000 custom feeds. In Flahses, you can like, repost and reply to posts, just like Bluesky. Those interactions will also appear in Bluesky's app, while Bluesky users' interactions will show up in Flashes. 

On Flashes, you can customise your user profile by opting to show or hide likes, lists and feeds, or using other media filtering options. For content creators, the app also has a feature called "Portfolio", which will let you curate which images should appear on your Flashes user profile. 

How to get started

To use Flahses, you'll need to have a Bluesky account. If you already have one, you can directly sign in with those credentials. 

If not, you will have to sign up for a Bluesky account within the Flashes app. To create an account, you'll need to provide an email address, password, and date of birth, then accept the terms of use. Once signed in, you can immediately start browsing the images and videos shared on your Bluesky timeline or any other Bluesky feed, or post your own media.