Before you start
- An X account signed in on the app or x.com
Method 1 Protect your posts in the app
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Step 1: Open Settings
Tap your profile photo at the top left, then Settings and privacy.
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Step 2: Go to Audience and tagging
Tap Privacy and safety, then Audience and tagging (called Audience, media and tagging in some versions).
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Step 3: Turn on Protect your posts
Switch on Protect your posts and confirm. A lock icon appears next to your name.
Method 2 Protect your posts on x.com
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Step 1: Open Settings
Click More in the left menu, then Settings and privacy.
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Step 2: Find Audience and tagging
Click Privacy and safety > Audience and tagging.
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Step 3: Tick the box
Tick Protect your posts and click Protect to confirm.
Method 3 Tighten your other privacy settings
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Step 1: Stop photo tagging
In Audience and tagging > Photo tagging, turn it off or allow only people you follow.
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Step 2: Hide from contact search
In Privacy and safety > Discoverability and contacts, turn off the options that let people find you by email or phone number.
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Step 3: Limit messages
In Privacy and safety > Direct messages, allow messages only from people you follow.
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Step 4: Remove unwanted followers
Your current followers keep access. Open your followers list, tap the three dots next to someone and choose Remove this follower.
Troubleshooting
My old posts still show in Google
Search engines can take time to drop cached pages. They disappear once they’re re-crawled.
I don’t see follow requests
On the app, open your profile and tap Follower requests in the menu, or check your notifications.
Frequently asked questions
Can people still see posts I made before going private?
From now on, only approved followers can see any of your posts, including old ones. Screenshots others took earlier can’t be removed.
Can I make one post private?
No. Protect your posts applies to the whole account. To limit one post, choose who can reply or delete it.
Summary
Go to Settings and privacy > Privacy and safety > Audience and tagging and turn on Protect your posts. Then turn off photo tagging and contact discovery, limit DMs, and remove any followers you don’t want.
