Ever since Elon Musk bought Twitter and changed its name to X, he has repeatedly hinted at the idea of changing the social media site’s blocking feature. In June 2023, Musk said that “blocking public posts is pointless,” and in August 2023, he claimed that “blocking will be removed as a ‘feature’ except for direct messages.” It didn’t come to fruition then, but Musk has threatened to do it again.
On Monday, app researcher Nima Ouji posted that “X is looking to remove the current block button,” to which Musk replied, “It’s about time. The block feature blocks an account from participating in public posts, but does not block them from viewing them.”
Currently, X users can block other users, preventing them from seeing or interacting with the original user’s posts. If Musk’s latest post goes ahead, X users who you block would be able to see everything you post, which privacy advocates and victims of domestic violence strongly oppose.
While Musk’s latest tirade may be mere empty theory (both the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store require “user-generated content” to include blocking features), potential changes to the blocking feature have some X users considering quitting the social media service.
If you decide to leave X/Twitter, we’ll explain your options, including whether you can change your mind about deleting your account. For more information, see How calls work on X and how to stop X from training its AI on your posts.
How to delete your X account using your iPhone or Android smartphone
It only takes a few steps to remove your X account from your phone. We recommend that you create an archive of your tweets before closing your account. You can also download all of your X posts if you’re interested.
1. Sign in to your X account and tap on your profile icon.
2. Scroll down in the side menu and tap “Settings and Support,” then select “Settings and Privacy.”
3. Select Account > Disable Account.
4. Tap Deactivate.
5. You will be asked to enter your password, tap “Deactivate” to confirm.
If you change your mind, you can restore your account for up to 30 days after deactivating it. However, deactivating your account does not delete it. To delete your account, do not access your account during the 30-day inactivation period. After 30 days, your account will be deleted and your username will no longer be associated with your account.
How to delete an X account using a computer
If you’re using X in your computer’s web browser, here’s how to delete your account: Again, consider creating an archive of your posts before closing your account.
1. Sign in to your X account.
2. In the left menu,[その他]>[設定とプライバシー]Select
3. In the Account section, click Disable Account.
4. Click Deactivate.
5. You will then be asked to enter your password, after which click “Disable Account” to confirm that you want to continue.
If you change your mind, you have a certain amount of time to undo the deactivation of your account (see below), otherwise your account will be deleted after 30 days.
You can reactivate your X account, but only for a limited time.
James Martin/CNET
Unlinking third-party apps from your X account
Even after you click the Deactivate Account button, your account may be reactivated if you sign in to a third-party app. To prevent this, you should revoke third-party apps’ access to your X account, such as apps that automatically delete old posts.
To get started, sign in to your X account and go to Settings & Privacy > Security & Account Access > Apps & Sessions > Connected Apps. Then select each app one by one and click Revoke App Permissions.
How to reactivate your X account if you change your mind
If you change your mind and decide to keep your X account active, you can reactivate it at any time for up to 30 days. To do so:
1. Log in to your X account.
2. A notification will appear asking if you want to reactivate your account. If you select “Yes,” you’ll be redirected to your X Home timeline. It may take some time for your posts and followers to be restored.
X How to protect your posts so only approved followers can see them
The X blocking feature has changed so that if you keep your X account but want to block certain people from seeing your posts, you can lock them so that only approved followers can see and interact with your posts.
To protect your X posts using your iPhone, iPad, or Android device:
1. Log in to your X account, tap the navigation menu, and then tap Settings and Privacy.
2. Tap “Privacy and Safety.”
3. Tap Audience and Tagging.
4. Next to “Protect your posts,” move the slider to the right to turn it on.
To protect your posts using a web browser on your desktop computer or mobile device:
1. Log in to your X account and tap the[その他]Click the button[設定とプライバシー]Click
2. Click Privacy and Safety
3. Under “Your X Activity,” click “Audience, Media, & Tagging.”
4. Check the box next to “Protect Post” to lock down your Tweet.
5. In the pop-up confirmation window[保護]Click the button to confirm your decision.
Once X number of posts are protected, they will only be viewable by your followers and any new followers requesting access will need to be approved. Your posts will not be indexed by Google or other search engines, although your older public posts may still appear in search results.
Your followers cannot retweet your protected posts, but they can favorite them and retweet other X users’ public posts. Your posts will be searchable by X, but they will only appear in search results for you and your followers.
To republish your post, follow the first step above and tap the[投稿を保護する]Simply turn off the option or uncheck the box in your web browser.
For more information, check out how to cancel Netflix or how to cancel your Spotify subscription.