Bluesky Custom Handle Trouble: Deleted Account Issue

[flaviofrancisco]

Steps to Reproduce

I previously had an account with the handle @vagasprajr.com.br, but I deleted it. Now, I'm trying to use the same domain for a new account's custom handle, but Bluesky keeps using the old TXT record settings.

Here's how to reproduce it:

1. Go to: https://bsky.app/settings
2. Click: Change Handle
3. Clickck: I have my own domain
4. Put your domain
5. Update the DNS TXT in the host provider
6. Click: Verify DNS Record

Attachments

No response

What platform(s) does this occur on?

Web (Desktop)

Device Info

No response

What version of the app are you using?

Build version: 1.93.0; Bundle info: 5f449e3 (prod); Bundle date: 24111700; Platform: web

Additional Information

No response

[Leseratte10]

When did you delete the old account and when did you update the DNS record?

Looking at the screenshot, you added the record with a TTL of 14400 so it can take up to 4 hours for that to update, as with any DNS record. That's not an issue when adding a new record that didn't exist before, but it is an issue when you're just changing an existing record.

I'd assume now that a day has passed, it'll work now. For the future, if you plan to modify a DNS entry, you should reduce its TTL a while before you do that (so, in this case, 4 hours before the change) to make sure it propagates faster. This is not an issue with Bluesky, it's just how DNS caching works.

[flaviofrancisco]

This is a know issue for Blue Sky from the community, please see the following issue:

https://github.com/bluesky-social/pds/issues/114#issuecomment-2441908352

Some user was only able to update it using the following endpoint:

curl --request POST -k \
  --url "https://${PDS_HOSTNAME}/xrpc/com.atproto.admin.updateAccountHandle" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --user "admin:${PDS_ADMIN_PASSWORD}" \
  --data '{
    "did": "did:plc:admratd7sauyh6fsffv355xi",
    "handle": "yfrit.social"
  }'

Since I don't have my own PDS I can't fix it using the api.

[flaviofrancisco]

Also if you test on https://toolbox.googleapps.com/apps/dig/#TXT/ the proper value is returned from DNS.

[shitrus]

I am also experiencing this issue, and since my hosting for my website is just for username purposes, i dont have access to the web panel to perform verification through a .well-known route.

the bsky.app backend is not updating its cached DNS value quick enough, or the new value is not allowed to replace the old value.

[ismail]

Same here, TXT record was removed 4 days ago (I removed it hoping this would trigger an update), but the system is still returning the old entry.

How long are you caching these values?

[jwebbstevens]

I am getting the exact same issue with a deleted account and a new account with the .TXT record for the original domain used on the deleted account.

I am curious how long the cache is as well. I think it is hung up on that side too.