How to change your privacy settings on X

If you create an X account, the default settings make your account public. If you’d like to make it more private, you’ll need to protect your tweets so only the people you give permission to follow you can view them. If your account is public, be aware that hackers can craft an attack from your social media profile. Follow the steps below to adjust your X privacy settings today to make your account more secure.

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How to make your X account private on your phone

If you already have an X account set up, log in on your phone or a browser and follow these steps to ensure your tweets are protected. X Settings for AppIf you’re using a smartphone, follow these steps:

• Open your X application.
• Click your profile picture in the top left to reveal a list of menu options.
• Scroll down and tap Settings and privacy.
• Click Privacy and safety.
• Tap the first option, Audience and tagging, which is where you want to head to protect tweets.
• Toggle this option ON next to “Protect your posts” and “Protect your videos” so that only your approved followers can see them. This setting ensures that your posts and videos are kept private and only visible to the people you trust.

Managing your follower requests on X on your phone

Once your tweets are protected, you’ll have to accept any follower requests for anyone new to see what you post. Here’s how to do that:

• Open your X application if it’s not already open.
• Click your profile picture in the top left.
• Scroll down until you see Follower requests.
• Any follower requests will be displayed here, along with a checkmark and an X—so you can confirm or deny their request to follow you.

X Settings for desktop

If you’re using a computer or browser to access X, follow these steps:

• Head to x.com and log in to your account.
• Click the More button on the left-hand side of the page.
• Tap Settings and privacy to reveal additional options.
• Click Privacy and safety.
• Now on the main section of the site, click Audience and tagging.
• Under the Audience and tagging page, select the option to Protect your tweets.
• Make sure the checkbox next to Protect your tweets is checked; if it’s not, check it to ensure your account is private.

Managing your follower requests on X on desktop

Once your tweets are protected, you’ll need to accept any follower requests for anyone new to see what you post. Here’s how to do that via X for desktop:

• Head to x.com and log in to your account.
• Click the More button on the left-hand side of the page.
• Tap Follower requests to check if anyone new has requested to follow your page (it will display a number if you have requests).
• You’ll now be able to decline or accept any new followers. 

Kurt’s key takeaways

Safeguarding your privacy on social media is more important than ever. By taking a few simple steps to protect your X account, you can ensure that your tweets are only visible to those you trust. Remember, making your account private not only helps shield your personal information from potential hackers but also gives you greater control over your online interactions. So, take a moment to adjust your privacy settings today—your peace of mind is worth it.

In what ways do you think social media platforms could improve user privacy and security? Let us know in the comments below. 

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If you’re on other social media platforms, be sure to change your privacy settings there, too.

• Update your Facebook privacy settings
• Update your Google privacy settings
• Update your Instagram privacy settings
• Update your TikTok privacy settings
• Update your Alexa privacy settings