I recently created a Twitter (now X) account and found a notification after one week informing me that: There was a login to your account @yourownhelp from a new device. It scared me. I quickly checked out some options to protect my account on X and found that making it private could add to your account security. There are many other benefits of enabling privacy on your X account. Here we explain how to make Twitter account private, and everything around it.
What does making your Twitter account private mean?
Making your X account private means your posts, tweets, and other content won’t be visible to a new user who looks into your account. And if they want to interact with your profile, they need to ask for approval from your end.
By privatising, you enhance the security of your account, as it restricts outsiders from accessing your activities on your profile.
However, if you want, they can interact with you with your permission. As you allow, your profile’s visibility is open to them.
Difference Between Public and Private Twitter Accounts
There are multiple visible differences you can witness between Public and Private Twitter Accounts. We help you understand that better in the table below.
| Feature | Public Account | Private Account |
|---|---|---|
| Who can see posts? | Anyone, whether or not they have an X account | Only approved followers |
| Follower approval | Anyone can follow without approval | New followers must be approved by you |
| Post visibility | Posts are visible on public timelines, search, and can be indexed by search engines | Posts are hidden from non-followers and search engines |
| Retweeting | Anyone can retweet your posts | Only followers can see your posts; retweeting is disabled for others |
| Searchability | Tweets appear in public X searches and on Google | Tweets are only searchable by you and your followers on X |
| Profile exposure | Profile, tweets, and media are visible to everyone | Profile info is visible, but tweets and media are only for followers |
| Existing followers | All followers can see your posts | Followers before switching to private keep access unless removed |
| Content sharing | Anyone can share your posts | Followers may still screenshot or share your posts elsewhere |
How To Make Twitter Account Private On Mobile
To make your account private on Twitter on mobile, consider following the given steps:
- Click your profile icon first.
- Next, tap settings and privacy.
- After that, privacy and safety.
- Moving on, you will find ‘audience and tagging’ option.
- You will find Protect your posts, click the toggle to turn it on. And your account is now private.
How To Make Twitter Account Private On Desktop
If you want to protect your posts or private your Twitter account on Desktop using a browser, below steps will help you a lot.
- Initially, log in to your X account on your browser. After that, follow the steps mentioned below:
- Tap the more icon (three dots) from the bottom left of the screen.
- Then, click settings and privacy.
- Select privacy and safety option.
- From the right side, select the top-given option called Audience, media and tagging
- Check the box in the name of Protect your posts
- Finally, tap ‘protect’ and confirm your action.
Note: In X or Twitter, protect is the word used to private your posts and other profile details. That’s why, you will find protect your posts option when completing the process, no matter which option you choose.
Why make your Twitter account private?
The sole reason is to secure your account from outsiders. That’s the only purpose remains behind privating your X account. Let’s understand this in depth.
Control over followers: By enabling privacy to your account, you have a better control over the new profiles coming to check your X account. Also, you can control who can view or interact with your account, and who cannot. That’s a really good controller over the outsiders.
Enhance privacy: it’s obvious that you will experience a privacy boost up due to every action being approved by you. You approve the outsiders to view your profile, and its content. That’s a shield to your account information.
Protects from identity theft: Since your account information is kept safe and hidden, no one can think of using it unethically. Remember it’s vital to protect your account information in the world of hackers, spammers, and all related.
Tips for Maintaining Privacy on Twitter
Ensure your X account privacy by following the given steps:
Regularly Review Privacy Settings:
Review your account daily and check the settings. If you find there’s a need for improvement, fix it. This will keep you informed about your X account’s status.
Manage Tagging and Mentions:
Be wise with your mentions and whom you tag while posting on X. This is essential for safeguarding your privacy. A wrong mention could lead to security threat; they might be spammers or something. So, be mindful when tagging someone or something on X’s post.
Mute or Block Problematic Accounts:
If you notice an account being problematic, consider taking action against it by either muting or blocking. We suggest seeking out help from an official X account to be equipped with rightful assistance.
Final Word
The bottom line is: you should protect your X account from widespread spams and con artists. The simple remedy to this is to private X (Twitter account). By privating, it filters out those who’re not followers, and need access every time they want to get updates about your profile. Hope it helps! Continue reading our posts for more such valuable, educational, and easy guides.
FAQs
Who can follow and view your tweets
So, if your X account is private, only those you allow may follow or view your tweets and interact with your account’s content. However, if not private or public, anyone can interact with your X profile without restrictions.
How to Check If Your Twitter Account Is Private
The simplest way is to use another device and try accessing your profile with their account. If you can’t enter your profile, that’s a private one.
What happens when you make your Twitter (X) account private?
It restricts users to view your profile and its content. Moreover, every time someone wants to see posts or interact with you, they need approval from your end.
Can I Make Past Tweets Private?
Yes, once you private your X account, all the content – from old to new – gets hidden automatically.
Can I Still Be Found in Search?
Yes, your profile will be available for search. But, they cannot enter and see without the actual permission of the X account owner.
