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TikTok-to-Bluesky Follow Finder Tool

Moving to a new social media platform like Bluesky can feel like starting over. Wouldn’t it be great if you could easily find the people you already follow on other platforms, like TikTok? This tool helps you do just that!

*This tool and the following writeup were created with Google Gemini 2.5 Pro*

What is this tool?

The TikTok-to-Bluesky Follow Finder is a simple script (a small program) written in Python. Its main goal is to bridge the gap between your TikTok following list and your new Bluesky account.

Purpose

  • Saves Time: Instead of manually searching Bluesky for potentially hundreds of TikTok usernames, this tool automates the search process.
  • Rebuild Your Network: It helps you quickly find and follow people you already know from TikTok, making Bluesky feel more familiar faster.
  • Uses Your Data: It works by reading the official Following.txt file you can download from your TikTok account data.

How Was It Made? (A Peek Under the Hood)

This tool is a Python script. Python is a popular programming language often used for automation. Here’s the basic idea of how it works:

  1. Reading Your List: It opens the Following.txt file exported from TikTok and carefully extracts just the usernames.
  2. Connecting to Bluesky: It uses an official programming library called atproto to securely connect to the Bluesky network. It logs into your Bluesky account using a special, secure App Password.
  3. Searching Bluesky: For each TikTok username from your list, it asks the Bluesky system (via its API – Application Programming Interface) to search for matching user profiles.
  4. Checking Relationships: Before suggesting a follow, it often checks if you are already following that Bluesky account to avoid redundancy.
  5. Following (With Your OK): When you confirm (‘y’), it tells Bluesky, “Please have my account follow this user,” again using the atproto library.
  6. Handling Variations: It includes logic to deal with different ways usernames might appear and includes delays to avoid overloading the Bluesky system.

Available Versions

You have two versions of the script available:

  • bluesky_follow_manual.py (Manual Confirmation): This version will always ask for your confirmation (y/n/s) before following any potential match found on Bluesky, even if only one match is returned by the search. This gives you maximum control.
  • bluesky_follow_auto.py (Auto-Follow Single Match): This version streamlines the process. If the search for a TikTok username returns exactly one potential match on Bluesky, the script will attempt to follow that account automatically (after checking you aren’t already following them). If the search returns multiple potential matches, it will list them and ask for your confirmation (y/n/s) just like the manual version.

Choose the version that best suits your preference for control versus speed.

Prerequisites (What You Need Before Starting)

  1. Python 3: This is the programming language the script is written in. Many computers already have it, but if not, it’s free and easy to install.
  2. Your TikTok Following List (Following.txt): You need to request your data from TikTok.

    How: In the TikTok app/website: Settings -> Account -> Download your data -> Request data. Choose the TXT file format. It can take 1-2 days for TikTok to prepare your data. Download the zip file they provide and find Following.txt inside.

  3. A Bluesky Account: Obviously!
  4. A Bluesky App Password: This is crucial for security. Do NOT use your main Bluesky password.

    How: In Bluesky: Settings -> App Passwords -> Create App Password.

    Give it a name (like “TikTok Finder”).

    Important: Copy the generated password (xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx) immediately and paste it somewhere safe temporarily (like Notepad or TextEdit). Bluesky will not show it again. You’ll need this password to run the script.

Setup Guide (One-Time Only)

Follow the steps for your operating system (Windows or Mac).

For Windows Users

  1. Check/Install Python 3:

    Open Command Prompt (search for cmd in the Start menu).

    Type py --version and press Enter.

    If you see Python 3.x.x, you’re good! Skip to step 2.

    If not, the easiest way is to install it from the Microsoft Store (search for “Python 3”) or download the installer from python.org.

    If using the python.org installer: During installation, make sure to check the box that says “Add Python 3.x to PATH” on the first screen. This is very important!

  2. Install Libraries:

    Keep Command Prompt open.

    Copy and paste the following command, then press Enter:

    py -m pip install requests atproto

    (If py didn’t work in step 1, try python -m pip install requests atproto).

    You should see some text about downloading and installing packages. Wait for it to finish.

For Mac Users

  1. Check/Install Python 3:

    Open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal).

    Type python3 --version and press Enter.

    If you see Python 3.x.x, you’re good! Skip to step 2.

    If not, the best way is usually via Homebrew. First, install Homebrew (if you don’t have it) by pasting this in Terminal:

    /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

    Then, install Python with:

    brew install python

    Alternatively, download the installer directly from python.org.

  2. Install Libraries:

    Keep Terminal open.

    Copy and paste the following command, then press Enter:

    python3 -m pip install requests atproto

    Wait for the downloading and installing messages to finish.

Running the Tool (Step-by-Step)

  1. Create a Folder: Create a new, empty folder somewhere easy to find (e.g., on your Desktop, named BlueskyTool).
  2. Save Files:

    Download the script file you want to use (use the links in the “Available Versions” section above) and save it inside the BlueskyTool folder.

    Find your Following.txt file (from the TikTok data download) and copy it inside the same BlueskyTool folder.

  3. Open Terminal/Command Prompt:
    • Windows: Open Command Prompt.
    • Mac: Open Terminal.
  4. Navigate to Folder: Use the cd command (change directory) to get into your BlueskyTool folder.

    Example: If your folder is on the Desktop, you might type:

    # On Mac:
cd ~/Desktop/BlueskyTool

# On Windows:
cd %UserProfile%\Desktop\BlueskyTool

    (Tip: Type cd, a space, then drag the folder icon from Finder/Explorer into the terminal window and press Enter).

  5. Run the Script: Now type the command to start the script (replace script_name.py with the actual filename you downloaded, e.g., bluesky_follow_manual.py):
    • Windows: py script_name.py (or python script_name.py)
    • Mac: python3 script_name.py

    Press Enter.

  6. Enter Login Details:

    It will ask for your Bluesky handle. Type it fully (e.g., yourname.bsky.social) and press Enter.

    It will ask for your Bluesky App Password. Carefully paste the App Password you saved earlier and press Enter. (You won’t see characters appear as you paste – this is normal security).

  7. Follow the Prompts:

    The script will show “Reading usernames…” and then start processing each name.

    It will print --- Processing TikTok user: [username] ---.

    If it finds matches:

    • Auto Version (Single Match): It might say Found 1 potential match... Attempting to AUTO-FOLLOW... Successfully AUTO-FOLLOWED...
    • Manual Version / Auto Version (Multiple Matches): It will list the matches found (1. Handle: @handle, Name: 'Display Name'). For each one you don’t already follow, it asks: Follow @handle? (y/n/s=skip ALL for [tiktok_user]):

    What y/n/s Mean:

    • y = Yes, follow this person.
    • n = No, skip this specific person (it might ask about other matches for the same TikTok user).
    • s = Skip this TikTok user entirely (don’t ask about any more potential matches for this TikTok name).

    Type y, n, or s and press Enter.

  8. Wait and Review: Let the script run. It might take a while for long lists. When finished (or if stopped early), it will show a summary of how many people were followed, skipped, etc.

Important Final Notes!

  • Patience & Rate Limits: Bluesky limits how fast programs can interact. The script has delays, but with thousands of names, you might hit a limit. If it says “Rate limit hit”, just stop the script (Ctrl+C). Wait a few hours or even a day before trying again. The script doesn’t remember where it left off, so it will restart from the beginning (but it won’t re-follow people it already follows).
  • App Passwords are Key: Treat your App Password securely. If you think it’s compromised, delete it in Bluesky settings and create a new one.
  • Accuracy Isn’t Perfect: People use different names! The script might miss people or occasionally suggest the wrong person (especially with common names). Always glance at the handle/name before hitting ‘y’.
  • Use Responsibly: This tool tries to be ‘polite’ to Bluesky’s system, but automation always carries a small risk. Don’t run multiple copies at once. Using tools like this is generally done at your own risk regarding platform Terms of Service.

Good luck rebuilding your network on Bluesky!

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