How to Delete Twitter (X) Account Permanently (2026)

If you're searching how to delete a Twitter account in 2026, the first thing to know is that Twitter is now called X. The app, website and Help Center all use the X name, but the process is the same idea: there is no single "delete forever" button. You deactivate the account, and X permanently deletes it if you don't log back in within 30 days.

People also search for "cancel Twitter account," "remove Twitter account" and "delete X account on app" — those all point to the same deactivation flow below.

Quick answer: To delete your X (Twitter) account, open Settings and privacy, go to Your account, tap Deactivate your account, enter your password and confirm. Then don't log in anywhere for 30 days. If you stay logged out for the full window, X permanently deletes the account and frees up your username.

Every step and time window in this guide comes from the X Help Center, checked against X's help pages and recent coverage on November 7, 2026.

Delete vs deactivate vs protect posts

X only offers deactivation as the path to permanent deletion. There is no separate "delete now" option in Settings. That confuses a lot of people who expect Facebook-style wording, so here's how the choices actually line up:

Deactivate if you're done or need a break — it's the only official path. Protect your posts if you just want privacy without closing the account. Uninstalling the app does neither of those things.

X account deletion timeline

Search engines like Google may keep showing old cached copies of your posts or profile for a while after deletion. X doesn't control those results. If you need a clean slate for search, request removal through Google's tools after the account is gone.

Before you delete: checklist

Do these while you're still logged in. Once the 30-day window closes, you can't get the data or settings back.

1. Download your X archive

Once the account is gone, so is your post history. X lets you request an archive of your data — profile, posts, Direct Messages, media, followers and following lists. Per the X archive help page:

On iPhone or Android:

1. Tap your profile icon, then Settings and privacy.
2. Tap Your account (or Account on some Android builds).
3. Under Data and permissions, tap Your X data.
4. Verify your identity with the code sent to your email or phone.
5. Under Download your data, next to X, tap Request data.

On desktop (x.com):

1. Click More, then Settings and privacy.
2. Open Your account, then Download an archive of your data.
3. Confirm your password and verification code, then click Request data.

X says preparation may take a few days. You'll get an email or push when it's ready. You must download the zip while you're still logged in, so wait for the file before you deactivate. Confirm your email address first if you haven't already.

2. Cancel X Premium and Super Follows

X says deactivating does not automatically cancel subscriptions such as X Premium or Super Follows bought through the X app. Those stay active and keep billing through the App Store or Google Play. Subscriptions bought on x.com cancel automatically when you deactivate.

Cancel in-app purchases before you deactivate (see the Premium section below).

3. Revoke third-party apps

This step is easy to miss and it can undo a careful deletion. X notes that authorized third-party apps can sign you back in and reactivate a deactivated account. If deletion must stick:

1. Go to Settings and privacy → Security and account access → Apps and sessions → Connected apps.
2. Open each app you no longer trust and tap Revoke access.
3. Optionally log out other sessions under Sessions.

Do this before you deactivate, not after — you need to be logged in to revoke apps.

4. Keep your username or email for a new account

If you want to reuse your @handle or email on a different X account, change them on this account before you deactivate. Otherwise they stay locked to the deactivated account for the full 30-day window. Path: Settings and privacy → Your account → Account information → edit Username or Email.

How to delete Twitter account on iPhone

These steps match X's iOS help flow. Menu labels can shift slightly between app versions; look for Settings and privacy and Deactivate your account.

1. Open the X app and tap your profile photo at the top left (or the navigation menu icon).
2. Tap Settings and support, then Settings and privacy.
3. Tap Your account, then Deactivate your account.
4. Read the deactivation information, then tap Deactivate.
5. Enter your password when prompted and tap Deactivate.
6. Confirm by tapping Yes, deactivate.

Your 30-day window starts as soon as you confirm. Log out of any other iPhones, iPads or Macs that still have X signed in.

Deleting the X app from your iPhone does not delete your account. Your profile stays live until you deactivate it. If you just want the app gone, see how to delete apps on iPhone.

How to delete Twitter account on Android

On Android the labels are almost the same; some builds say Account instead of Your account.

1. Open the X app and tap your profile photo or the navigation menu icon.
2. Tap Settings and support, then Settings and privacy.
3. Tap Your account (or Account), then Deactivate your account.
4. Read the information, then tap Deactivate.
5. Enter your password and tap Deactivate.
6. Confirm with Yes, deactivate. If you want a record of the confirmation screen, take a screenshot on Android before you leave the page.

Stay signed out of X on every Android device for the full 30 days if you want permanent deletion. Uninstalling the Play Store app alone leaves the account online.

How to delete your X account on desktop

On x.com:

1. Click the More icon in the left navigation.
2. Click Settings and privacy.
3. From the Your account tab, click Deactivate your account.
4. Read the information, then click Deactivate.
5. Enter your password and confirm with Deactivate account.

After that, the 30-day deactivation period starts. Clear saved passwords in your browser if you're worried about accidentally signing back in.

Cancel X Premium on App Store or Google Play

If Premium or a Super Follow was bought in the X app, cancel it where you subscribed. X's deactivation page is clear: app-store subscriptions do not stop when you deactivate.

On iPhone / App Store:

1. Open Settings → tap your name → Subscriptions.
2. Tap X (or X Premium).
3. Tap Cancel Subscription and confirm.

You can also start from the X app: open Premium → Manage on your plan → follow Apple's cancel screen. Apple's own help covers the same path.

On Android / Google Play:

1. Open the Google Play Store → tap your profile icon.
2. Tap Payments & subscriptions → Subscriptions.
3. Select X, then Cancel subscription and follow the prompts.

Bought on x.com: open your subscription settings on the web and cancel there, or simply deactivate — X says web-bought subscriptions cancel automatically after deactivation.

Cancel at least 24 hours before renewal if you can. Uninstalling the app or deactivating the account does not stop App Store or Play billing.

What happens to Premium, ads and verification

• Premium features and checkmark: stay until the end of the paid term after you cancel; they disappear with the account once deletion completes.
• Ads and promoted content: stop showing from your account once it's deactivated and hidden.
• Verification / blue check: goes away with Premium access; there is no separate "keep the checkmark" path after you leave.
• Creator subscriptions / Super Follows you sell: X treats those as in-app subscriptions too — manage them where they were purchased.

None of this invents new product tiers; it's the same deactivate-and-cancel split X documents on its help pages.

Delete your X account without a password

X asks for your password before it deactivates the account. If you signed up with Google or Apple and never created an X password, set one first:

1. Go to Settings and privacy → Your account.
2. Tap Change your password and create a password (you may need to verify by email or phone).
3. Go back to Deactivate your account and enter the new password when prompted.

If you have a password but forgot it, use Forgot password on the X login screen to reset it with your email or phone number, then deactivate. There is no official "delete without password" shortcut.

Can't log in to your old Twitter account?

You need access to an account to deactivate it. Try these in order:

• Reset the password from the login screen using any email, phone number or @username you might have used.
• Hacked account: if someone changed your login details, use X's help for a hacked or compromised account to regain access, then deactivate. Revoke connected apps and change the password once you're in.
• No email or phone left: if you can't prove ownership, contact X Support through the Help Center. There's no supported way to delete an account you can't access.
• Deceased family member: X has a separate request path for deactivating the account of someone who has died; it asks for documentation such as a death certificate.

Delete all your tweets but keep the account

X doesn't offer a built-in "delete all posts" button. You can:

• Delete posts one at a time via the ⋯ menu → Delete.
• Undo a repost by tapping the repost icon again.
• Set the account to Protect your posts under Settings and privacy → Privacy and safety → Audience, media and tagging, so only approved followers see them.

If your real goal is leaving the platform, deactivation is cleaner than manually wiping years of posts.

What happens during the 30 days

• Profile and posts: hidden from x.com and the apps.
• Direct messages: not deleted during the window. When the account is deleted at the end, the messages you've sent are deleted too.
• Username and email: stay tied to the deactivated account so you can reactivate. They become available for another account 30 days after deactivation.
• Account problems: X notes that deactivating and reactivating won't fix missing posts, wrong follower counts or a compromised account. Use its troubleshooting articles or contact Support instead.
• Accidental reactivation: opening X on a phone that's still logged in, or a third-party app that still has access, counts as a login. Log out everywhere and revoke apps first.

How to reactivate your X account

Changed your mind within 30 days? X's reactivation steps are:

1. Go to x.com/login or open the X app on iOS or Android.
2. Enter your login details.
3. Before you sign in, you'll see a notice asking you to confirm that you want to reactivate.
4. Confirm, and you'll land on your Home timeline.

X says posts, followers and likes may take a while to fully restore. If you've forgotten your password, use Forgot password first. After the 30-day window, the account is gone and you can't reactivate that same account.

After deletion: Google cache, email and a new account

Once the account is permanently deleted:

• Google and other search engines may still show cached profile or post URLs for a while. They fade as crawlers recrawl; you can also use Google's removal tools for outdated content.
• Same email: after the window, X says the email is no longer associated with the old account, so you can usually reuse it to sign up again. Wait until deletion has completed.
• Same username: available for registration by anyone after day 30. If you want it on a brand-new account, either change it off the old one before deactivating, or race to claim it after the window (no guarantee).
• Connected apps and logins elsewhere: any service that used "Sign in with X / Twitter" will stop working for that account. Set alternate logins on those services before you leave.

Which option is right for you?

• Taking a break: Deactivate and come back within 30 days. Nothing is lost.
• Leaving for good: Download your archive, cancel in-app subscriptions, revoke third-party apps, then deactivate and stay logged out.
• Moving to a new account with the same username: Change the handle first, or wait until 30 days after deactivation when X says the username becomes available again.
• "Cancel Twitter account" searches: Use the same deactivate path — X doesn't have a separate cancel button for the account itself.
• Cleaning up all your social accounts: See our guides on how to delete a Facebook account, how to delete an Instagram account, how to delete a TikTok account and how to delete a Gmail account.

FAQ

Final thoughts

Knowing how to delete a Twitter (X) account comes down to a short checklist: save your archive, cancel in-app Premium, revoke third-party apps, deactivate, then stay logged out for 30 days. If you're cleaning up more of your digital life or building a site of your own, get in touch.