If you’ve recently signed up for Bluesky, you’re likely on the search for alternatives to mainstream social media. Perhaps you’ve grown weary of platforms that flaunt exploitive privacy practices or those that adjust their narratives based on political climates, often disregarding factual information. There’s a chance you value online environments that foster genuine exchanges, where opinions, humor, and creativity can flourish without the motive of profit-driven divisiveness.

Bluesky certainly serves as a viable alternative, particularly for those looking to step away from X. However, for those who relish sharing images and videos with a broader audience, the connection to Instagram can still feel inescapable. Fortunately, there are alternatives like Pixelfed, a decentralized image-sharing network which now includes an official app. Yet, for those fully immersed in Bluesky, a tool that seamlessly integrates with that community would be ideal.

This is where the innovative Flashes app comes into play. Crafted by developer Sebastian Vogelsang, Flashes builds on the concept of his previous application, Skeets, a subscription-based Bluesky client that places a strong emphasis on accessibility and additional functionalities (such as a clever method of editing posts). Flashes was designed specifically to create an Instagram-like experience tailored for Bluesky users, allowing them to share photos and videos effortlessly.

Credit: Sebastian Vogelsang

It’s essential to clarify: Flashes is not a competitor to Instagram in the traditional sense. There is no separate Flashes platform to join, and you won’t find a dedicated feed specifically for Flashes posts. Instead, the app serves as a “photo viewing client” for Bluesky. It aggregates images and videos from your Bluesky timeline and presents them in a layout that mirrors Instagram’s user interface. When you share content via Flashes, it actually gets posted to your Bluesky profile, where all interactions, including comments, will be reflected on your Bluesky account as well.

Your eagerness to explore this app is understandable, but a brief wait is necessary. The official Flashes App Bluesky account has just begun posting, and Vogelsang has indicated that an open Testflight Beta for iOS users should commence soon. Once launched, Flashes will allow users to upload up to four photos or videos at once, with video clips being limited to one minute each.

As reported by TechCrunch, Vogelsang also has plans to introduce a video-focused version of Flashes, dubbed Blue Screen. This could potentially offer a compelling alternative to TikTok for avid Bluesky enthusiasts.