How to make your Twitter account private to choose who can see your tweets

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• You can make your Twitter account private on desktop or mobile. 
• Private Twitter accounts are only accessible to followers that you approve. 
• Current followers will still be able to see your Twitter when you make it private.

While celebrities and businesses use their Twitter accounts to promote projects and products, the social media website is often more about everyday users sharing the news we care about and the details of our day-to-day lives. 

While many people might not care who sees the messages they post, some would prefer to keep their thoughts and random observations private. Thankfully, making your Twitter account private is a fairly simple and straightforward process. 

A private Twitter account means that whatever you post can only be seen by your followers, all of whom you have to manually approve. 

This also means that anyone who doesn't follow you or doesn't have permission to view your feed won't be able to see your tweets. 

Note: While making your Twitter account private will prevent new visitors from seeing your tweets, your current followers will still have access to them.

Here's how to make your Twitter account private.

How to make your Twitter account private on desktop

1. Go to the Twitter website.

2. On the left menu tab, click More, then click Settings and privacy in the pop-up menu.

Click More to view additional features like Topics, Moments, and Twitter Blue. Abigail Abesamis Demarest

3. Click the Privacy and safety tab, then click Audience and tagging.

In the Privacy and safety tab, you can also manage your discoverability, who can send you direct messages, and more. Abigail Abesamis Demarest

4. Click the box next to Protect your Tweets. 

5. Click Protect to confirm your choice.

When your Twitter is private, this box will be checked and blue. Abigail Abesamis Demarest

How to make your Twitter account private on mobile

1. Open the Twitter mobile app.

2. Tap the Settings icon in the top-right corner. 

3. Tap the back arrow to view the full settings menu.

You may need to toggle to a different tab to view the settings icon at the top-right of the screen. Abigail Abesamis Demarest

4. Tap Privacy and safety, then tap Audience and tagging.

The process for making your Twitter private is similar for desktop and mobile. Abigail Abesamis Demarest

5. Tap the slider next to Protect your Tweets, then tap Done.

When your account is private, the slider will turn green. Abigail Abesamis Demarest

How to approve new Twitter followers on desktop or mobile

1. For desktop: On the left menu tab, click More, then click Follower requests in the pop-up menu. 

2. Click Accept or Decline for each request.

Follower requests won't appear in the notifications tab. Abigail Abesamis Demarest

3. For mobile: Tap your profile photo in the top-right corner, then tap Follower requests. 

4. Tap the check or x for each request.

Accept or decline follower requests one by one. Abigail Abesamis Demarest

Abigail Abesamis Demarest Abigail Abesamis Demarest is a contributing writer for Insider based in New York. She loves a good glazed donut and nerdy deep dives into the science of food and how it's made.  Read more Read less Jennifer Sills Jennifer Sills is a contributing writer for INSIDER. Read more Read less

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