We're excited to announce a new feature in Skyscraper for iOS: Temporary Muting. Now you can mute Bluesky users for a set period of time – 2 hours, 24 hours, or 72 hours – without permanently blocking or muting them on Bluesky.
Why Temporary Muting?
Sometimes you need a break from someone's posts without making a permanent decision. Maybe:
- Sports fans during a game – Avoid spoilers for a few hours
- Heated political discussions – Take a 24-hour breather
- Live-tweeting events – Mute someone flooding your timeline temporarily
- Award show nights – Skip the hot takes for now
- Breaking news fatigue – Take a 72-hour break from constant updates
Temporary muting gives you control without the commitment of a permanent mute.
How It Works
Skyscraper's temporary mute feature is local to the app – it's not synced with Bluesky's API. This means:
- The muted user doesn't know they're muted
- The mute only applies within Skyscraper
- You can still see their content on bsky.app or other Bluesky apps
- When the timer expires, they automatically reappear in your feed
Mute Duration Options
When you mute someone in Skyscraper, you'll see these options:
| Duration | Best For | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Hours | Live events, sports games | Skyscraper only |
| 24 Hours | Cooling off after disagreements | Skyscraper only |
| 72 Hours | Extended breaks from someone | Skyscraper only |
| Forever | Permanent mute | Bluesky-wide (synced) |
The "Forever" option uses Bluesky's native mute API, so the mute applies everywhere – not just in Skyscraper.
How to Temporarily Mute Someone
- Open Skyscraper for iOS
- Navigate to the user's profile
- Tap the menu button (three dots)
- Select Mute
- Choose your duration: 2 Hours, 24 Hours, 72 Hours, or Forever
That's it! The user's posts will be hidden from your timeline until the mute expires.
Managing Your Temporary Mutes
You can view and manage all your temporary mutes in Skyscraper's settings:
- Go to Settings
- Tap Moderation
- View your Temporary Mutes
From here, you can:
- See who you've muted and when it expires
- See time remaining (e.g., "1h 23m remaining")
- Unmute someone early if you change your mind
Technical Details
For those interested in how this works under the hood:
- Local storage – Temporary mutes are stored in UserDefaults, not on Bluesky's servers
- Per-account – Each Bluesky account you add has its own temporary mute list
- Auto-cleanup – Expired mutes are automatically removed every minute
- Timeline filtering – Posts from muted users are filtered client-side before display
Why Not Just Use Bluesky's Mute?
Bluesky's native mute is permanent until you undo it. That's great for users you never want to see again, but sometimes you just need a temporary break. Here's the comparison:
Bluesky Native Mute
- Permanent until manually undone
- Synced across all Bluesky apps
- Good for long-term moderation
Skyscraper Temporary Mute
- Automatically expires after 2, 24, or 72 hours
- Only applies within Skyscraper
- Perfect for short-term breaks
- No cleanup required – it just expires
Use Cases
Sports Fans
Watching the game on DVR? Mute the sports commentators for 2 hours so you don't see spoilers. They'll be back in your feed when you're caught up.
News Fatigue
Big breaking news event dominating your timeline? Mute the accounts covering it for 24-72 hours and come back when the dust settles.
Disagreements
Had a heated exchange? Instead of rage-muting forever, take a 24-hour break. You might feel differently tomorrow.
Award Shows & Live Events
Don't want Oscars spoilers? Mute the entertainment accounts for 2 hours. They'll be back in your feed after the show.
Privacy & Data
- Temporary mutes are stored only on your device
- Skyscraper does not upload your mute list anywhere
- The muted user has no way of knowing they're muted
- Mute data is cleared if you delete the app
Download Skyscraper
Temporary muting is available now in Skyscraper for iOS. Download it to take control of your Bluesky timeline:
- Skyscraper for iOS – Free on the App Store
More Skyscraper Features
Temporary muting is just one of many features that make Skyscraper the best Bluesky client for power users:
- Trending Hashtags – See what's popular on Bluesky right now
- Multi-Account Support – Switch between accounts with one tap
- Push Notifications – Get notified of likes, reposts, and mentions
- Account Backup – Download your posts as HTML and JSON
- Pinned Hashtags – Quick access to topics you follow
- Keyword Alerts – Get email alerts when keywords are mentioned
Get Started
Ready to take control of your Bluesky timeline? Download Skyscraper and try temporary muting today.