How to Make Your Twitter Private

When you want only your followers to see your tweets

By
Elise Moreau
Elise Moreau
Elise Moreau
Freelance Contributor
  • University of Ontario
  • George Brown College
Elise Moreau is a writer that has covered social media, texting, messaging, and streaming for Lifewire. Her work has appeared on Techvibes, SlashGear, Lifehack and others.
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Updated on December 2, 2020

Twitter is an open platform with many users who enjoy gathering followers and sharing their thoughts with anyone who wants to hear them. If you're more private, however, you can choose to protect your tweets, which means that only your followers can see your account information and what you post on Twitter. Here's how to make your Twitter private.

When you first create your Twitter account, your tweets are public by default, and anyone can follow you. If you protect your tweets, you'll need to individually approve follow requests.

Social Media Site Twitter Logo
Bethany Clarke / Getty Images

How to Protect Your Tweets on the Twitter App

After you protect your tweets and make them private, accounts that followed you before you went private will still be able to see your tweets unless you block them.

Twitter for iOS

If you're using Twitter on your iPhone or iPad, here's what to do:

  1. Open Twitter on your iOS device and tap your profile icon.

  2. Tap Settings and Privacy.

    Access Twitter profile's Settings and privacy

  3. Tap Privacy and Safety.

  4. In the Protect Your Tweets section, toggle on the slider. Your tweets and account information will now be seen only by your followers, and you'll need to approve any new follower requests.

    Protect your tweets to keep your Twitter account private

    When you lock your account, padlock icon will appear next to your profile. If you come across a user profile you don't follow and see a padlock icon, they've protected their tweets and you'll need to become an approved follower.

Twitter for Android

If you're using Twitter on your Android smartphone or tablet, here's what to do:

  1. Open Twitter on your Android device and tap your profile icon or Menu (three lines), depending on your Android version.

  2. Select Settings and Privacy.

    Twitter Android app with Account and Settings and Privacy highlighted

  3. Select Privacy and Safety.

  4. Next to Protect Your Tweets, toggle the slider to on. (On some phones, you'll check a box.)

    Twitter Android app with Privacy and Safety and Protect Your Tweets highlighted

Twitter in a Web Browser

If you're using Twitter on your desktop computer via a web browser, here's what to do:

  1. Navigate to Twitter.com, log in to your account, and select More (three dots) from the menu on the left.

    Navigate to Twitter.com, log in to your account, and select More (three dots) from the menu on the left.

  2. Tap Settings and Privacy.

    Tap Settings and Privacy.

  3. Tap Privacy and Safety.

    Tap Privacy and Safety.

  4. Tap Audience and Tagging.

    Tap Audience and Tagging.

  5. Select the box next to Protect Your Tweets to add a checkmark.

    Select the box next to Protect Your Tweets to add a checkmark.

  6. Select Protect to confirm. Your tweets and account information are now visible only to your Twitter followers.

    Select Protect to confirm.
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