How to make your X account private on mobile
If you’re mainly using X on mobile, adjusting your privacy settings is quick and easy. Privacy settings let you control who can follow and interact with your content. Whether you’re on iOS or Android, the process is identical.
Follow these steps to make your X account private on mobile:
- 1.Launch the X app on your mobile device.
- 2.From the homepage, locate your profile icon (usually in the left corner of the screen) and tap it. A side panel will appear.
- 3.From the panel, scroll all the way to the bottom and tap “Settings and privacy.”
- 4.Use the search bar or scroll down to find the “Privacy and safety” option.
- 5.From the menu, select “Audience and tagging.”
- 6.Switch on the “Protect your posts” option to make your profile private.
Once enabled, your posts become protected and only approved followers can see them. A new tab called “Follower requests” tab will appear in the side menu, where you can approve or decline new follow requests. However, anyone who was following you before switching to private will remain as your current follower until you remove them manually.
In addition, keep in mind that you don’t need to repeat this process on the desktop if you’ve already done it on mobile or the other way around. Once your account is set to private, the settings are saved across all devices.
How to make your X account private on desktop
The steps to make your X account private on desktop are similar to mobile, but slight differences might make it a bit tricky to find the right settings. Follow the steps below to control who sees your profile:
- 1.Head to X from your desktop browser.
- 2.On the left panel, click “More,” and a pop-up menu will appear.
- 3.From the menu, select “Settings and privacy.”
- 4.Either use the search bar or scroll down to find “Privacy and safety.”
- 5.On the right, click “Audience and tagging.”
- 6.Hit the check mark beside “Protect your posts.”
- 7.A pop-up will appear asking if you want to protect your posts. Click “Protect” to finish.
What happens when you make your X account private?
When you make your X account private, you limit your audience and choose who can see and interact with what you share on your profile. The features that change once your account is private include:
- Follower requests. When your account is private, you’ll be able to approve or decline follower requests.
- Post visibility. Only your followers will be able to see your posts and account details.
- Reposts. Since you protect your posts and don’t have public reach, no one on X will be able to repost them. Even your followers won’t be able to share them on their own profiles.
- Mentions and replies. People who don’t follow you will still be able to mention your handle, but they won’t see your protected posts. Replies to your posts will also be restricted to your followers.
- Media and links. Any photos, videos, or links you share will only be visible to your approved followers. You can also enable a setting to prevent your videos from being downloaded.
Why should you make your X account private?
On X, you decide how visible your account is. This choice impacts your online privacy and security, and gives you control over who follows and interacts with you on the platform. With a public account, anyone can see your content and interact with it. Meanwhile, if you make your account private, you choose who can follow and view your posts. This step reduces unwanted exposure and protects your personal content.
To put this in perspective, public accounts mean:
- Your posts are visible to anyone, even people who don’t have an X account.
- Anyone can follow you without needing your approval.
- Your posts can be reposted and quoted — potentially to reach a much wider audience.
- Your account is more discoverable in searches and trends.
However, if you switch to a private account:
- Only your followers that you approve can see your posts.
- New followers must request access, which you can approve or deny.
- Your posts cannot be reposted or quote-posted outside your follower circle.
- You have greater control over who sees your content and protects your posts from public exposure.
Additional settings to make X more private
If you’re looking for even more privacy, you can take additional steps. You can play around with more settings on and off the platform to add an extra layer of privacy. If you want to tighten the security of your accounts, following common social media security tips will also help:
- Control photo tagging. If you turn on photo tagging, people can tag you in photos. When turned off, the setting prevents others from tagging you and protects your identity in images.
- Hide your location. This option prevents X from attaching your location to posts. It’s convenient if you want privacy but wish to keep your account public.
- Manage direct messages and calls. While people you follow will always be able to message you, you can choose who you get message and call requests from.
- Control discoverability settings. You may disable letting others find your account via your phone number or email.
- Disable your account. If you are still unsure about the privacy settings, you can choose to deactivate or permanently delete your X account.
How to make your account public again
If you decide to switch back, reverse the steps you used to make your account private. However, remember that switching back to public means giving up some of the control and privacy you had while your account was protected. So make sure you’re comfortable with your posts being visible to the broader public.
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