To delete your X (formerly Twitter) account, you actually have to deactivate it first, then leave it alone for 30 days so it’s permanently erased.

Quick Scoop

  • You delete an X account by going through Settings → Deactivate your account.
  • X keeps it in a deactivated state for about 30 days ; if you don’t log in during that time, it’s permanently deleted.
  • If you sign back in during those 30 days, you automatically reactivate the account and cancel the deletion.
  • Before you go, you may want to download your data and revoke logins in apps or password managers so you don’t accidentally log back in.

Step‑by‑step: delete X account (web)

  1. Log in to X at x.com in your browser.
  1. On the left sidebar, click More or the three‑dot menu at the bottom (label can vary).
  1. Click Settings and privacy (sometimes under Settings and Support).
  1. Go to Your account.
  1. Click Deactivate your account.
  1. Read the warnings about what deactivation means, then click Deactivate.
  1. Enter your password and confirm.

Your account is now deactivated , not yet fully deleted. If you stay logged out for 30 days, your account and its data are removed.

Step‑by‑step: delete X account (mobile app)

  1. Open the X app on iOS or Android and log in.
  1. Tap your profile picture in the top‑left corner to open the side menu.
  1. Tap Settings and privacy (or Settings and Support → Settings and privacy).
  1. Tap Your account.
  1. Select Deactivate your account at the bottom.
  1. Read the information, then tap Deactivate.
  1. Confirm with your password and tap Deactivate again.

Again, do not log back in for 30 days if you want it gone for good.

Before you delete: smart prep

Many people leaving X now talk about doing a mini “digital detox checklist” before they hit deactivate.

  • Download your archive (your posts, media, DMs) if you think you’ll ever need proof of old conversations or receipts.
  • Review connected apps (logins via X, ad tools, “Sign in with Twitter/X”) and switch them to email or another platform.
  • Clean up password managers and keychains so you don’t accidentally tap a stored login and reactivate during the 30‑day window.

One Reddit guide even recommends deleting the app from your phone as soon as you deactivate, just to avoid “doom‑scroll muscle memory” pulling you back in.

What “permanent” really means

Users and guides generally describe the process like this:

  • 0–30 days: Account is deactivated but recoverable; your profile is hidden, but X can still restore it if you log back in.
  • After 30 days: X says your account and its data are deleted; you can’t reactivate, and your old username can eventually be claimed by someone else.

Forum users often stress: if your handle is valuable, be aware that after deletion it may become available to others.

Recent news & forum chatter

  • Tech outlets note a steady exodus from X since late 2023–2025, with many users moving to alternatives like Bluesky or Mastodon and publishing detailed “how I deleted my X account” guides.
  • Some countries have pressured X to delete or block large numbers of accounts over AI‑generated or political content, which has made people more conscious about what data they leave on the platform.
  • In forums, people frame leaving X as a mental‑health or attention‑span reset, saying that once they deleted their posts or accounts, they “didn’t look back.”

Mini HTML table: key facts

[1][5][9] [5][7][9][1] [9][1][5] [7][1][5][9] [1][3][5][9] [3][5][7][9][1] [5][9][1][3] [7][9][1][3][5]
Step Web Mobile
Open settings More → Settings and privacy → Your account Profile icon → Settings and privacy → Your account
Start deletion Click “Deactivate your account” Tap “Deactivate your account”
Confirm Read notice → Deactivate → enter password Read notice → Deactivate → enter password
Permanent deletion After 30 days with no login After 30 days with no login

TL;DR (bottom)

  • Go to Settings and privacy → Your account → Deactivate your account on web or mobile.
  • Confirm deactivation, then stay logged out for 30 days so X permanently deletes your account.
  • Optional but wise: download your data and remove saved logins so you don’t reactivate by accident.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.