Bluesky's new crowd from X wants their old trending page back

Bluesky might be the new safe haven for ex-Twitter users (or should we say, X users), but there’s one feature many say they’re sorely missing: a trending page. The social media platform, which aims to be a decentralized alternative to Elon Musk’s X, has grown rapidly in recent months, attracting users disillusioned with Musk’s vision for his platform. Yet, a steady drumbeat of complaints has emerged: Where’s the trending tab?

For years, Twitter’s trending section was the place to catch breaking news, viral moments, and global conversations. Many former X users hopping onto Bluesky say they feel lost without a similar feature. As one user on Reddit’s BlueskySocial subreddit put it, the trending tab on Twitter was their “morning go-to” for quickly catching up on what the world was buzzing about. Without it, Bluesky feels less like a Twitter replacement and more like just another app.

While Bluesky’s users love its tight moderation and cleaner environment, many admit it lacks the instant discovery factor that made Twitter such a cultural touchstone. Sure, Bluesky offers curated feeds like “Catch Up” and “Discover,” but these don’t quite replicate the dynamism of a live, topic-based trending tab.

It’s not that Bluesky hasn’t considered a trending feature. According to users on Bluesky and Reddit, the platform seems cautious, perhaps wary of inheriting the pitfalls of Twitter’s trending tab. After all, Twitter’s trending page often faced criticism for amplifying misinformation and being gamed by bots or bad actors. Bluesky users speculate the platform wants to get it right — balancing real-time relevance with responsible content moderation.

Still, the absence of a trending tab has left some users wondering if Bluesky risks losing its chance to be a true Twitter successor. As one person noted, “If Bluesky adds trending and a what’s happening option to the site then it’s wraps for Twitter no joke.”

For now, Bluesky users have created workarounds. Community-curated feeds like “Top 30 posts in the last three hours” or “Trending Links” attempt to fill the void. But these lack the broad appeal of a centralized trending page. Instead, they focus on what’s popular within specific communities or personal networks—not exactly a replacement for a global conversation hub.

The frustration isn’t universal, though. Some users point out that X’s trending page hasn’t been great for a while, with unrelated posts and outdated topics cluttering the experience. “If Bluesky are taking their time to improve on this, then I’m ok with that. I’d rather not have one than have something like Twitter’s,” one user commented. In fact, X’s trending page is being replaced by an “Explore” section that’s currently in beta.

These requests are natural. Many Bluesky users have been long-time Twitter users, so they want to feel at home, without actually being at home! Recently, we highlighted many Bluesky users demanding a feature like Spaces. So it’s clear that the small team over at Bluesky has a lot of catching up to do if they want to retain fleeing X users. Feel free to let us know which other X feature you’re missing over at Bluesky.